An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. It shows the size and shape of the heart’s chambers, how strongly the muscle squeezes, and how the valves open and close.
It is used to look into heart murmurs, shortness of breath, swollen legs, long-standing high blood pressure, or the heart of people who already have heart disease. We do it for adults and children.
One of the numbers you will see in the report is the ejection fraction: the percentage of blood the heart pumps out with each beat. Your doctor will explain what it means in your case.
Your test, step by step
Before
- Preparation
- No preparation needed
- You will be asked to remove metal objects such as chains, keys, earrings and coins.
What to bring
- Doctor's order.
- Copy of your ID and your health insurance card.
- Authorization from your health insurer.
During
- You lie on the exam table, usually on your left side, with your chest uncovered.
- The specialist puts gel on your chest and moves a small device (transducer) over it to take pictures of your heart with ultrasound. You may feel some pressure, but it doesn't hurt.
- You may be asked to breathe in a certain way or to hold still for a few seconds so better pictures can be taken.
After
- The gel is wiped off, and you can go back to your normal activities.
- The specialist reviews the images and prepares the report for your doctor.
Questions to ask your doctor
Tick the ones you want to ask, add your own and print your list.
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