Health Topics for Tests and Exams

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Cellular Immunology Diagnostic Lab

Echocardiography

Echocardiography produces an image of the heart. It uses harmless, high frequency sound waves known as ultrasound. Ultrasound is beyond the range that people can hear. A device directs ultrasound toward the heart. It records the waves that echo off tissues. This produces an image on a screen called an echocardiogram. Similar tests can view various internal organs and unborn fetuses.

Echocardiography shows the size, shape, and motion of the heart structures. It also graphs the cycle of pumping and valve movement. It is useful for evaluating people with chest pain, abnormal chest x-rays, or abnormal heartbeats.

It helps diagnose various other conditions, including:

• problems with heart valves

• muscle injury after a heart attack

• fluid in the sac around the heart

• heart muscle disease and

• tumors in the heart

The test is safe and painless. It usually lasts 15 to 30 minutes. It may be done in a clinic or hospital, but does not require a hospital stay. The room is kept slightly dark so the examiner can see the screen clearly. The person lies still during the test. The examiner applies a type of jelly on the chest above the heart. A hand-held tool is placed on the jelly and moved to various angles.

Sometimes, the heart is viewed from the side of the chest. The patient may be asked to inhale a gas that makes the heart race for a moment. This gas may cause dizziness or a flushed feeling, which will quickly go away. The examiner may also ask the person to breathe a certain way or hold his breath.

Images of the test are recorded on videotape. The heart's pumping activity is recorded on a moving paper. The test results may not be interpreted by the healthcare provider until a later time.

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