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Echocardiography In Dhakuria

Echocardiogram

Echocardiography In Dhakuria

An Echocardiogram is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that shows a graphical live image representation of your heart. The entire procedure is called Echocardiography. This test involves using high-frequency sound waves to check the structure and function of your heart.

During Echocardiography, healthcare professionals place a band on your chest and hand to take pictures of your heart's valves and chambers. This helps in evaluating the pumping action of your heart.

There are three types of echocardiograms. They include:

  • Transthoracic Echocardiogram
  • Transesophageal Echocardiogram
  • Exercise Stress Echocardiogram

Each type serves distinct purposes, but all offer real-time visualisation of the heart's movements. This allows healthcare providers to assess cardiac function, detect abnormalities, and diagnose various heart conditions.

FAQ's

An Echocardiogram can help you get information about:

  • Size of the heart (alteration in the chamber size, dilation, or

blood clots in the heart chambers).

  • Detection of cardiac tumours.
  • Assessment of communication between the left and right sides of the heart.
  • Infection in the chamber of the heart (infective endocarditis).
  • Problems in the fluid sac around the heart (pericardial disease).
  • Irregularities with the pumping function.
  • Valve dysfunction.
  • Amount of pressure in the heart.
  • Overall health of the heart muscle, especially after a heart attack (cardiomyopathy).
  • Genetic heart defects and their complications in unborn babies.

A healthcare specialist, called a cardiac sonographer or echocardiographer, performs your Echocardiogram Test. These professionals are trained to use ultrasound technology to create images of the heart. In some cases, a cardiologist may also perform or supervise the Echocardiogram, especially in more complex cases or when specific expertise is required for the interpretation of the results.

  • An Echocardiogram and an Electrocardiogram are both used to check your heart condition. These are both cardiac tests.
  • An Echocardiogram is used to diagnose the overall structure and function of your heart. It produces images of your heart in motion (moving images).
  • An ECG, on the other hand, is used to diagnose the electrical activity of your heart. It doesn't produce images; rather, it is a graphical representation of your heart. The lines on the graph are used to learn about your heart rate and rhythm.

This is the most commonly used Echocardiogram. A Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE) uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart. TTE can assess your heart functioning and identify the causes of heart-related problems. This test is also used to check the heart health of an unborn baby.

A Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) differs from other echocardiogram tests as it creates images from within your body. During this procedure, a healthcare specialist guides a thin, flexible tube down your oesophagus. This enables more precise and detailed images of the heart's internal structures. TEE can analyse blood clots, infections, valve abnormalities, and other structural heart defects.

An Exercise Stress Echocardiogram is a representation of your heart before and after exercise. It shows the pumping action of your heart under stress. You are supposed to perform this test while exercising on a treadmill or a bicycle.

The duration of the Echocardiogram depends on the type of Echocardiogram you are taking. An Echocardiogram generally takes 40 to 60 minutes. However, a Transesophageal Echo may take up to 90 minutes.

The sound waves used during an Echocardiogram are not harmful. There is no X-ray exposure. But there are some risks to the test, depending on the type of Echocardiogram test you take:

Risks associated with Transthoracic Echo:

  • You may feel slight discomfort from the pressure exerted on your chest 
  • Allergic reaction to the contrast dye
  • Backache
  • Headache
  • Rash

Post a Transesophageal Echo, you may have:

  • Sore throat
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Changes in your voice
  • Lung or throat muscle spasms
  • Throat bleeding
  • Tooth, gum, or lip wounds
  • A tear in the oesophagus (oesophagal perforation)
  • Changes in your heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
  • Nausea from medicines used during the test

Risks associated with a Stress Echocardiogram include:

  • Hot feeling 
  • Low blood pressure
  • Allergic reaction

You can expect the following things post-Echocardiogram:

  • If you have undergone a Transesophageal Echocardiogram, you may be observed for a few hours after the test.
  • After the imaging is done, the images will be reviewed by our doctor. 
  • After an Echocardiogram, the majority of patients can resume their regular daily activities.
  • There could be no need for additional testing if your Echocardiography is normal. You might require additional testing if the results are alarming.

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