Medical science has now, fortunately, improved to the point where we can literally look at the organs inside our body to determine whether there are any health-related problems. One such innovation is an echocardiogram, a noninvasive procedure used in order to look at your heart’s function and structure.
What happens during an echocardiogram?
During an echocardiogram, a machine known as a transducer (which is like a microphone) is able to send out sounds waves at very high frequencies — too high to be heard. This transducer is placed on your chest at different locations. The sound waves that it emits are able go through your skin and other structures and into your heart, which will allow the machine to take a moving picture of your heart. There are several different types of echocardiograms that doctors can use to make this illustration of your heart.
What are the different types of echocardiogram?
There are many different types of echocardiograms that can be used including:
- M-mode echocardiography. The simplest type of echocardiogram, this one creates a tracing (rather that a picture) of the heart structure. M-mode echocardiography can be used to view the structure of the heart, the size of the heart and thickness of the walls.
- Doppler echocardiography. This technique measures how the blood flows when it goes through the chambers and the valves. This is able to tell us how well the heart functions. It can also tell us whether there is abnormal blood flow inside the heart, which can indicate a problem.
- Color Doppler. This is a more innovative form of Doppler echocardiography as color Doppler is able to assign the direction of the blood flow which allows us to determine whether the blood is flowing in the right direction.
- 2-D echocardiography. This type of echocardiography allows doctors to see how the different parts of your heart move. Hence, doctors can observe the real-time motion of your heart structures, allowing them to see and evaluate how well the different heart structures move.
- 3-D echocardiography. This technique is able to capture how the heart moves in 3D and does its job with more detail than is possible with 2D. These are live images that allow doctors to assess how the heart functions by taking measurements while the heart beats.
Who needs an echocardiogram?
Your doctor may suggest that you get an echocardiogram if your symptoms indicate that you have one of these following conditions:
- Atherosclerosis. A condition in which your arteries get blocked by fatty deposits, leading to issues with the pumping function of your heart.
- Cardiomyopathy. A disease in which your heart becomes bigger due to either thick or weak muscles of your heart.
- Congenital heart disease. A disease that is present at birth and refers to when one or more heart structures have defects.
- Heart failure. A disease in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as efficiently as it should, causing an increase of fluid in the blood vessels and lungs, as well as swelling in the extremities of your body.
- Aneurysm. A disease in which there is a widened or weak part of the heart muscle or the aorta (a large artery) which might rupture.
- Heart valve disease. This is a disease in which the valves located in your heart (that help ensure the blood flow goes one way) have an abnormality. The valves can become narrow and stop the blood from leaving the heart or cause the blood to flow backwards.
- Pericarditis. A disease in which the sac that surrounds the heart becomes inflamed.
In additional to these conditions, doctors may also want patients to get an echocardiogram if they have diseases such as pericardial effusions or tamponade, atrial wall defects or shunts.
Are there any risks associated with getting an echocardiogram?
Thankfully, there are no risks associated with getting procedure done as it is non-invasive, though may feel a little uncomfortable due to how the transducer is positioned as it can add pressure on the body.
How do get ready for an echocardiogram and what happens during it?
During an echocardiogram, this is what will be done:
- First, you will be asked to remove all your jewelry that can cause interference with the procedure.
- Next, you will have to take off your top and wear a gown instead.
- You will have to lying on a table or a bed.
- The technician will attach small electrodes onto you which are connected to an ECG monitor that helps record the electrical activity of your heart so that your heart’s activity can be compared to the images obtained from the echocardiogram.
- The technician will put a gel on your chest and then put the transducer on you.
- The transducer will be moved around your chest in order to get a proper picture of your heart.
- The doctor or technician may also ask you to hold your breath or breathe deeply while you are undergoing the procedure.
- After the procedure, the gel that is placed on your body will be wiped and the electrodes will be removed.
What happens after?
After you undergo an echocardiogram, you carry on your day as usual. Your doctor will contact you once the results have been analyzed.
Sources & Links
- Feigenbaum, H., Corya, B. C., Dillon, J. C., Weyman, A. E., Rasmussen, S., Black, M. J., & Chang, S. (1976). Role of echocardiography in patients with coronary artery disease. The American journal of cardiology, 37(5), 775-786.
- Salustri, A., Fioretti, P. M., Pozzoli, M. M. A., McNeill, A. J., & Roelandt, J. R. T. C. (1992). Dobutamine stress echocardiography: its role in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. European heart journal, 13(1), 70-77.
- Bleeker, G. B., Steendijk, P., Holman, E. R., Yu, C. M., Breithardt, O. A., Kaandorp, T. A. M., ... & Bax, J. J. (2006). Assessing right ventricular function: the role of echocardiography and complementary technologies. Heart, 92(suppl 1), i19-i26.
- Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth