Echocardiogram

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An echocardiogram has different names echo, trans-thoracic echocardiogram, echocardiography, or ultrasound echo. It is a test that is done when heart problems are suspected and it looks for problems inside and around your heart.

An echo is harmless because no radiation from x-rays is used. These harmless sound waves are sent all the way into the heart and parts of the heart send echoes back to the machine. The motion of the echoes is traced on the machine and is recorded on film to create the picture of the heart. It shows beating of the heart, including the chambers, valves and the major blood vessels that exit from the left and right ventricle. The recording shows how the heart looks and how is working. The heart Doctor (cardiologist) will be able to determine the heart’s condition.

It can be done in a physician's office or in the hospital and no special preparation is necessary. The patient’s shirt is removed and covered by a gown or sheet for comfort and maintain the privacy of females. The patient then lies on an examination table or a hospital bed. A colorless gel is then applied to the chest and the echo transducer is placed on top of it to help locate the exact areas.<>

There a many reasons why people need and echo:
- An enlarged heart also known as cardiomegaly
- Fluid around the sack of your heart (pericardium)
- Problems in the walls of the heart or how the heart muscles are working
- Problems with the blood flow through the heart; how fast or how slow
- Problems with how the valves inside the heart are working. Are they opening or closing properly?
- To check the damage of a heart attack
- To check problems caused by a heart attack

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