This test is ordered to evaluate structures and function of your heart. Echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your heart. It provides tomographic images of cardiac structures by using sound waves. This test will take about 35 to 45 minutes. The technologist will use the ultrasound machine to take the images of your heart. After introducing his/her self, the technologist will take a short medical history and explain the test in detail. After you change for the test, the technologist will position you on examination table (on your left side most of the time). Then, he/she will put some ultrasound gel on your chest and start scanning with the ultrasound probe. During the test, the technologist will look at all four chambers (Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle), all four valves (Mitral, tricuspid, aortic, pulmonic), and all walls of your heart. He/she will also look at the blood flow across the valves and chambers. He/she will take a number of measurements. This test gives you following information about your heart.

Ejection Fraction: It is a measurement of systolic function of your heart. It means how well your heart muscles are contracting or pumping.

Wall Motion: It shows any abnormality in heart walls’ motion. For example, if one of your coronary arteries is blocked, the portion of the heart wall which is supplied by that artery will not move properly.

Ventricular Hypertrophy: It shows any thickening of the walls of your heart.

Valvular Regurgitation: It shows any leaky valve or backflow of blood through the valves with its severity.

 

Valvular Stenosis: It shows any narrowing of the valve with its severity.

Right Ventricular Systolic Pressure: It can measure pressure of right pumping chamber during contraction (systole).

Diastolic Dysfunction: It shows any functional abnormality of heart during relaxation (diastole).

Enlargement of Chambers: It measures the sizes of the heart chambers. So, you can judge the enlargement of any chamber.

Congenital Heart Defects: It shows any structural abnormality of your heart by birth. For example, hole in your heart (Interventricular Septal Defect, Interatrial Septal Defect).

Stress Echocardiography: This test is ordered to evaluate ischemia of myocardium. For example, in patients with coronary artery disease, resting (Routine) echocardiogram may show normal motion and thickening of myocardium. However, when cardiac workload is increased during exercise, it increases oxygen demand. The narrowed coronary artery is unable to supply enough oxygen. That leads to impairment of myocardial thickening and wall motion. This test is indicated when person complains about chest pain and/or have cardiac risk factor. It is also indicated after heart transplant, before major surgery as well as before renal transplantation. This test will take about an hour. This is also an ultrasound of your heart like a routine echocardiogram. The technologist will take a short medical history. In this test, the technologist will take resting images of the left ventricle. Then you will be prepared for the stress portion of the test. Electrodes will be placed on your chest and a baseline EKG will be taken. A blood pressure cuff is placed on your arm to check your blood pressure during the test. A doctor or Physician Assistant will monitor you while you walk on the treadmill. Based on your age, health status, and ability, you will walk on treadmill for a predefined period of time. Your heart rate, blood pressure, and EKG will be continuously monitored. Once you have reached your maximum level of exercise, you will lay down on an examination table. The technologist will take after stress images of the left ventricle. The cardiologist will compare the resting images with after stress images and prepare a report.