Echocardiography or an “echo” is a non-invasive imaging test that uses ultrasound waves to create real-time pictures of the heart. It allows doctors to assess the heart’s structure, function, and blood flow. The purpose of this procedure is to get an overall view of everything going on in the heart, including the size and shape of the heart, blood flow and any congenital heart defects. An echocardiogram can show the cause of a heart murmur or arrhythmia, tissue damage to the heart, backflow of blood through improperly closing valves (regurgitation) and much more.
Echocardiography
There are different types of an echo:
- Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE): a probe is placed on the chest.
- Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE): a probe is passed through the esophagus for a clearer image.
- Doppler echocardiography : measures blood flow in the heart.
How does it work?
A transducer like a microphone emits high-frequency sound waves. The sound waves bounce off the structures of the heart. The echoes are detected by the transducer and converted to a moving picture on a monitor.
What it shows
- The size, shape, and position of the heart
- The heart’s valves and motion
- How well the heart is pumping blood
What it can diagnose
- Abnormal heart valves
- Heart muscle damage from a heart attack
- Problems with the pericardium (the outer lining of the heart)
- Problems with the large blood vessels that enter and leave the heart
- Blood clots in the chambers of the heart
- Abnormal holes between the chambers of the heart
