Proposed minimum dataset for an athlete screening echocardiogram: the Standardised Transthoracic Echocardiogram Reporting in Athletes (STERA) protocol
Preparticipation screening, including history, physical examination and often a 12-lead ECG, aims to identify athletes with structural and/or arrhythmic cardiovascular conditions that may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD).1 Importantly, there is often a diagnostic ‘grey zone’ between findings reflective of exercise-induced cardiac remodelling versus true high-risk pathology, highlighting the need for cardiovascular screening tests to be interpreted by physicians with suitable expertise and training in the care of athletic individuals. Thus, standardised criteria that distinguish physiological findings from pathological findings can facilitate more accurate cardiovascular screening. For example, the international criteria have standardised athlete 12-lead ECG interpretation, leading to improved accuracy and broad implementation.2 3 The use of a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) during routine preparticipation screening is not currently recommended by the European Society
