Overview
An echocardiogram uses sound waves — the same technology as a pregnancy scan — to create moving pictures of your heart.
It measures how well your heart pumps (ejection fraction), checks every valve for narrowing or leakage, and detects holes in the heart, fluid around the heart and thickened heart muscle.
Who may need it
- Breathlessness, swelling of legs or tiredness
- A heart murmur heard by your doctor
- After a heart attack, or to follow up valve disease and heart failure
- Children and adults with suspected congenital heart defects
What to expect
- You lie on your left side and a little gel is applied to your chest.
- A small probe is moved over the chest to capture images of the heart from different angles.
- The scan takes about 15 to 30 minutes and Dr. Senthilnathan explains the findings with you.
Recovery & aftercare
- No preparation is needed for a standard echo. Resume normal activities immediately.
Medically reviewed by Dr. G.V. Senthilnathan, MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DM (Cardiology). This page is general information; your treatment plan will be tailored to your own reports and health.