Shortly after the introduction of ultrasound to image the heart, echocardiography became the most important noninvasive diagnostic tool in cardiology. The development from M-mode to two-dimensional imaging was fast and its implementation as the most frequently used technique in daily cardiology practice was made possible by Dutch pioneers in the field such as Klaas Bom, Jos Roelandt and Cees Visser. Also, more than 30 years of structured postgraduate education in echocardiography has already been provided in the Netherlands.
