ECHO (Echocardiography)
An Echocardiogram, commonly called an ECHO, is a non-invasive ultrasound test used to create live images of your heart. It shows the structure and function of your heart in real-time and helps doctors assess how well your heart is working.An Echocardiogram (ECHO) is a simple, safe, and powerful test that lets your doctor see your heart in action. It uses sound waves (ultrasound) to produce detailed images of the heart's chambers, valves, walls, and blood vessels.
ECHO provides critical information about heart size, shape, pumping strength (ejection fraction), valve function, and the presence of abnormalities such as blood clots, fluid accumulation (pericardial effusion), or congenital defects. It helps in diagnosing various cardiac conditions including heart failure, valvular heart disease, congenital heart defects, cardiomyopathies, and pericardial diseases.
There are several types of echocardiography: transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), where the probe is placed on the chest; transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), where the probe is passed down the esophagus for closer heart views; and stress echocardiography, which assesses heart function during exercise or medication-induced stress.