Echocardiography

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan of the heart often simply called an Echo. Ultrasound is a very high-frequency sound whch humans cannot heart. The scan can give accurate pictures of the heart muscle, the heart chambers, and structures within the heart such as the valves.

You will need to undress to the waist and lie on the couch. A probe is placed on your chest (it is a bit like a very thick blunt pen). Also, lubricating jelly  is put on your chest so the probe makes good contact with the skin. The probe is connected by a wire to the ultrasound machine and monitor. Pulses of ultrasound are sent from the probe through the skin towards your heart. The ultrasound waves then echo ('bounce back') from the heart and various structures in the heart.