Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram is a painless, non-invasive ultrasound imaging test of the heart made by placing a probe on the outside of the left chest.

An echocardiogram allows your doctor to diagnose any structural issues with your heart. An echocardiogram can tell your doctor about heart valve narrowing and leaks, heart size and function, heart mass, heart chamber pressures, heart wall motion, heart wall stiffness and identify fluid build up around the heart. Echocardiograms can detected some genetic cardiac conditions. Echocardiograms are an important diagnostic tool for your doctor to use.

Preparation

No prior preparation is required.

How is it done

You will be asked to lie down on your left side on the examination couch in the clinic with your shirt off. A probe is placed with gel on top of it on your chest. Multiple views of the heart are obtained according to a predetermined protocol. The digital images collected in the test are then sent to your cardiologist for interpretation, and a report is then sent to your referring doctor. Your cardiologist will arrange a review to discuss the echocardiogram results.

Duration

30 minutes.