Echocardiograms

An echo provides moving pictures of the heart using sound waves. It is an ultrasound test, very similar to the test done on pregnant women to look at the growing fetus. An echo takes pictures of the heart chambers, valves and the major blood vessels running to and from the heart. It gives very detailed information about all areas of the heart and can detect abnormalities or problems with the heart's pumping action. Echos are not invasive (meaning there is nothing inserted into the body, such as needles, instruments, or fluids) and don't involve radiation.

A standard echo procedure involves placing a small recording probe, called a transducer, on the chest. Before the echo is done, a technician or doctor will first place some clear jelly onto your chest to help the transducer, or wand, slide around easily to take pictures of different parts the heart. The image appears on a video screen and is recorded on videotape or paper.

A special exam, called the Doppler, can be done with an echo and gives information about the direction and speed of blood flow in the heart. From this, doctors can tell how heart valves are working, whether they are narrowed, and how much a valve is narrowed or leaking. Other types of echos include M-mode and 2-D echocardiograms. M-mode echos look at a one-dimensional view of a small section of the heart as it moves. 2-D echocardiograms produce a moving, two-dimensional slice of the heart.

In some cases, your doctor may do an echo in a slightly different way. This may include having you exercise while the echo is done (an exercise echo) or having medicine injected to increase your heart muscle's blood flow before the echo (a stress echo). These echos are a way to see whether or not your heart muscle gets enough blood flow and oxygen even when it is working its hardest.