What is an Echocardiogram?
An echocardiogram (echo) is a test that uses ultrasound to create pictures of your heart. It shows the size, shape, and motion of your heart’s chambers and valves. The test can help your doctor diagnose and monitor conditions that affect your heart muscle and valves. It’s painless and poses no risks.
During an echocardiogram, a health care provider like a cardiologist or a specially trained technician will place a hand-held device called a transducer on your chest. This device is about the size of a laptop and is connected to a special machine. It sends high-frequency sound waves into your chest. The sound waves then bounce off your heart and travel back to the transducer. The machine creates a moving image of your heart and displays it on a nearby screen.
Why Would You Get an Echocardiogram?
Your doctor may recommend an echo test if they suspect something is wrong with your heart. An echocardiogram can help diagnose and monitor many heart conditions, including:
• Heart failure
• Valve diseases
• Heart rhythm abnormalities
• Heart muscle diseases
• Congenital heart disease
• “Leaky” heart valves
Types of Echocardiogram
1. Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE) This is the most common type of echo. With this test, the provider will place the transducer on your chest and use it to create an image of your heart.
2. Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) During a TEE, the provider places a transducer on the end of a slender tube that they insert through your throat and into your esophagus. This test is more invasive than a TTE, but can provide a better view of the structures of your heart.
3. Stress Echocardiogram During a stress echo, the provider will inject medicine into a vein while they take pictures of your heart. This lets them monitor your heart’s response to exertion.
What Does It Show?
An echocardiogram can give your doctor detailed information about your heart, including:
• Your heart’s size, shape, and structure
• How your heart functions
• Blood flow through your heart’s chambers and valves
• The thickness and movement of your heart walls
• The shape and size of any defects in your heart
Conclusion
An echocardiogram is a painless test that uses ultrasound to create pictures of your heart. It can help your doctor diagnose and monitor conditions that affect your heart muscle and valves. The test shows the size, shape, and motion of your heart’s chambers and valves. There are three types of echocardiograms– transthoracic, transesophageal, and stress echo. The results of the test provide detailed information about your heart and can help your doctor make a diagnosis or monitor your condition.