Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram, sometimes called and “echo,” is a test that uses ultrasound to create images of your heart. It uses a small probe that sends out sound waves to create echoes when they bounce off the different parts of the body. The echoes are picked up by the probe and turned into a moving image. This test will show anatomy and blood flow through the heart and heart valves.

During the echo exam, you will lie on a table on your left side. You will be connected to an ECG monitor that records the electrical activity of your heart and monitors the heart during the procedure using small, adhesive electrodes. During the test, the technologist will move the transducer probe around and apply various amounts of pressure to get images of different locations and structures of your heart. Your healthcare provider can use the images from the test to find heart disease and other heart conditions.