ECHOCARDIOGRAM


WHAT IS AN ECHOCARDIOGRAM?

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart which reveals heart valve problems and the overall muscle function.  This common test allows our board certified cardiololgists 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.  


                        
 State-of-the-art echocardiogram machine
 (click on picture)
HOW IS THE TEST 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 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 prospectives 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.



             
        Images produced by an echocardiogram
(click on picture)
WHAT ABNORMALITY WILL THE CARDIOLOGIST BE LOOKING FOR?

Our board certified cardiologists will be looking for heart valve problems and the overall muscle function.  This may help evaluate congenital heart disease.