An echocardiogram (echo) is a graphic outline of the heart’s movement. During an echo test, ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves) from a hand-held wand placed on your chest provides pictures of the heart’s valves and chambers and helps the sonographer evaluate the pumping action of the heart.

What is an echo study?

An echocardiogram (echo) is a graphic outline of the heart’s movement. During an echo test, ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves) from a hand-held wand placed on your chest provides pictures of the heart’s valves and chambers and helps the sonographer evaluate the pumping action of the heart.

What is the purpose of echo test?

An echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of your heart. This common test allows your doctor to see your heart beating and pumping blood. Your doctor can use the images from an echocardiogram to identify heart disease.

What are the medical uses of echo?

Doctors use echocardiograms to help them diagnose heart problems, such as damaged cardiac tissue, chamber enlargement, stiffening of the heart muscle, blood clots in the heart, fluid around the heart, and damaged or poorly functioning heart valves.

How many types of echo test are there?

There are three types of echocardiography: transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) and intracardiac echocardiogram (ICE). A transthoracicn echocardiogram takes images within the body from the skin’s surface, without devices entering the body.

How long does an echo test take?

Once the probe is in place, it will take pictures of your heart. You won’t feel it. The test takes about 10 to 30 minutes.

What is normal echo results?

A normal ejection fraction is between 50% and 70%, which means the left ventricle pumps out between 50% and 70% of its total volume. An ejection fraction between 40% and 49% is considered “borderline.”

What are the condition for the formation of echo?

The size of the reflector must be large, as compared to the wavelength of the incident sound. The intensity or loudness of the sound waves must be sufficient.

Is echo done empty stomach?

Do I need to be empty stomach for the test? No. You may eat and drink as you normally would on the day of the echo test. You can take all your regular medications on the morning of the test.