Echocardiogram
What is an Echocardiogram?
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart which reveals heart valve problems and the overall muscle function. This test allows our board certified cardiologists to see your heart in motion—ventricles squeezing and relaxing and valves opening and closing. These images are used to identify various abnormalities in the heart muscle and valves. Echocardiogram screenings can detect serious heart problems early before symptoms are present and when treatment for heart disease is most successful.
How is it performed?
Your technician will ask you to lie on your left side. An ultrasound gel is applied to a microphone-like device called a transducer. The transducer sends and receives harmless ultrasound waves. The gel allows the ultrasound beams to penetrate your chest wall so that it is possible to see your heart.
Next, your technician will acquire ultrasound images by methodically and precisely moving the transducer around your upper chest creating different perspectives on a monitor. Test measurements will be recorded and diagnosed by our board certified cardiologists. This test is completely painless and will take about 5 minutes.