What
Is An Echo?
Your doctor has requested that a study known as an Echocardiogram (echo) be
performed. The echo actually consists of three different procedures:
Echocardiography is an ultrasound study of the
heart. Harmless, high-frequency sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear are
transmitted through the body and then reflected back (echo) to the ultrasound machine. The
ultrasound machine uses a computer to construct an image of the heart.
Two-dimensional
echocardiography uses multiple sound waves transmitted in slightly
different directions. The computer is able to generate a picture of different tissue
densities on a television monitor for reviewing and recording onto a video tape or
computer disc.
M-Mode
echocardiography is a basic technique using a single sound beam to measure
the size of the chambers in the heart and the heart muscle thickness.
Doppler
echocardiography measures the direction of blood flow through the heart as
well as it’s velocity. Knowledge of blood flow characteristics is especially valuable
in the diagnosis of heart valve problems, congenital heart disease and complications of
coronary artery disease. This same information can be utilized to assess overall heart
performance and can actually predict pressures within the heart chambers. measures the direction of blood flow through the heart as
well as it’s velocity. Knowledge of blood flow characteristics is especially valuable
in the diagnosis of heart valve problems, congenital heart disease and complications of
coronary artery disease. This same information can be utilized to assess overall heart
performance and can actually predict pressures within the heart chambers.
An example of color flow mapping
A picture of Doppler echocardiography
Doppler Echocardiography Study
Serial echo studies allow your physician to determine if heart
medications and other heart treatments are producing favorable changes to your heart.
By assigning color to the direction of blood flow,
(color flow mapping),
large areas of
blood flow may be studied. These color flow mappings allow abnormal blood flow
characteristics to be interpreted by the cardiologist.
During an echocardiography procedure
The Echo Exam Is Simple And Painless.
You will be asked to lie on your back or left side as a
transducer, coated with a clear gel, is applied to your chest. The gel allows the sound
waves to enter the body without passing through the air and maintains the image quality of
the echo. ECG electrodes will be applied to your chest to monitor the heart’s
electrical activity during the study.
You will remain awake and can watch the images on the screen.
The test requires no special preparation. You may take your
medications and eat as usual.
The report of the echo interpretation is sent to your doctor
usually the next working day. The technologist performing the study will be happy to
advise you as to where and when the results will be available.
The Echocardiogram Provides Your Doctor
With Valuable Information About Your Heart:
The heart’s size.
The heart’s size.
Echocardiography is an excellent method of measuring the size of the four heart chambers
as well as the thickness of the heart muscle.
Pumping strength.
Pumping strength.
Echocardiography is able to evaluate if the heart pumps normally or is weakened.
Valve disease.
Valve disease. All four
valves are evaluated for narrowing or leakage during the echo study.
Other uses.
Other uses. The echo study can also detect blood clots or masses inside the heart. Abnormal
findings such as fluid around the heart or abnormal holes between heart chambers can be
found with the echo study. The estimation of the pressures within the heart or adjacent to
the valves is evaluated with the echo study.
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