What is a Heart Ultrasound (Transthoracic Echocardiogram;TTE; Echocardiogram; Echo)?
A heart ultrasound is a useful tool to evaluate the structure and function of the heart and associated vessels. It is a fast, easy and painless evaluation that uses ultrasound waves to produce images of the heart. In North America, the test is performed by a specially trained technologist, called a sonographer, and is interpreted by a specially-trained physician, usually a cardiologist, trained in reading heart ultrasounds. Heart Ultrasounds provide your doctor with moving pictures of your heart that allows your doctor to evaluate your heart’s health. This ultrasound uses the same technology that allows doctors to see an unborn baby inside a pregnant mother. Q: Why has my doctor requested that I have a heart ultrasound (echocardiogram)? A: There are many reasons that your physician may request that you have a heart ultrasound. Physicians use it evaluate your heart’s performance as well as the structures of the heart, including the heart chambers and valves. An echo may sometimes also b
