Patent foramen ovale is a common congenital heart disease and relevant to many diseases. Recently, it has been found that many patients with cryptogenic stroke have patent foramen ovale, and the treatment of patent foramen ovale has therefore become a research hotspot. If high-risk patent foramen ovale is discovered, timely intervention can effectively prevent the occurrence of corresponding diseases. This review summarizes the current clinically commonly used detection methods for patent foramen ovale, including transesophageal echocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler, and right atrial radiography. The combination and balance of the advantages and disadvantages of the four detection methods will facilitate clinical decision-making.