You will be asked to change into a gown and then to lie on an examining bed. A Sonographer will first attach sticky patches (electrodes) to your chest to help detect and conduct the electrical currents of your heart and will then apply a special gel to your chest. The Sonographer will use a hand held device called a transducer (probe) to record the sound wave echoes from your heart. The gel that is applied improves the conduction of sound waves and eliminates air between your skin and the transducer.

During the test, the Sonographer will move the transducer back and forth over your chest aiming an ultrasound beam through your chest to your heart. You may be asked to breathe in a certain way or to roll onto your left side. Sometimes the transducer must be held very firmly against your chest. This can be uncomfortable, but it helps the technician produce the best images of your heart. The sound waves that are recorded from the transducer create images of your heart on a monitor, and converts the echoes into moving images which are recorded for our Cardiologist to review.

If your echocardiogram is normal, no further testing may be needed. If the results are concerning, you may be referred to a Cardiologist for more tests. Treatment depends on what’s found during the exam and your specific signs and symptoms. You may need a repeat echocardiogram in several months or other diagnostic tests, such as a cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan or coronary angiogram.

5-7 days