What is an 2-D Echo (Echocardiogram)?
It’s a non-invasive heart examination that uses sound vibrations to take pictures of the heart’s various regions. It depicts the various components of the heart as images, making it simple to determine whether there is any cardiac damage or blockages, as well as the blood flow rate.
Echocardiography is a technique that produces live pictures of your heart using sound waves. Echocardiography is the name for the picture.
This test helps your doctor to check on the health of your heart and valves. It is critical to maintain a close eye on the functioning of your heart so that you can take necessary remedial action as soon as a problem arises.
The images can help them get information about:
An echocardiogram is essential for determining the health of the heart muscle, particularly following a heart attack. It can also be used to detect cardiac problems in prenatal children.
Echocardiography is a painless procedure. With some types of echocardiograms or if contrast is utilized for the echocardiogram, there are only very uncommon dangers.
Uses
Echocardiography may be recommended by your doctor for a variety of reasons. They may have identified an irregularity as a result of previous tests or when listening to your heartbeat with a stethoscope, for example.
If you have an irregular heartbeat, your doctor may want to examine the valves and chambers of your heart, as well as the capacity of your heart to pump blood. If you have symptoms of heart disease, such as chest discomfort or shortness of breath, they may prescribe one.
Types Of Echocardiography
There are several different types of echocardiograms.
Transthoracic Echocardiography
The most prevalent form of echocardiogram is this one. It’s non-invasive and painless.
A transducer will be put on your chest, directly above your heart. Ultrasound waves are sent through your chest to your heart via the transducer. As sound waves bounce back to the transducer, a computer analyses them. This generates the real-time visuals that are displayed on a monitor.
Stress Echocardiography
Traditional transthoracic echocardiography is used in a stress echocardiogram. The technique is performed before and after you’ve exercised or taken medicine to speed up your heart rate. This enables your doctor to assess how well your heart responds to stress.
Fetal Echocardiography
A fetal echocardiogram is performed on pregnant women between weeks 18 and 22 of their pregnancy. To check for cardiac abnormalities in the fetus, the transducer is placed across the woman’s belly. Because it does not involve radiation, unlike an X-ray, the test is deemed safe for an unborn kid.
Transesophageal Echocardiography
Trans-esophageal echocardiography may be recommended if a transthoracic echocardiogram fails to generate definite pictures or if you need to see the back of your heart more clearly.
In this operation, the doctor uses your mouth to guide a much smaller transducer down your throat. To make the process easier and minimize the gag reflex, the doctor will numb your throat.
The transducer tube is sent through your oesophagus, which joins your neck and stomach. Your doctor can notice any issues and observe certain chambers of the heart that aren’t visible during a transthoracic echocardiogram with the transducer behind your heart.
Three-Dimensional Echocardiography
A three-dimensional (3-D) echocardiogram creates a 3-D picture of your heart using either transesophageal or transthoracic echocardiography. This necessitates the use of many photos taken from various perspectives. It’s a treatment that’s utilised before heart valve surgery. It’s also utilised to find out if a youngster has a cardiac condition.
How to prepare for an echocardiogram?
There is no need to prepare for transthoracic echocardiography.
If you have a transesophageal echocardiogram, however, your doctor will tell you not to eat anything for a few hours before the procedure. This will keep you from vomiting throughout the examination. Due to the sedatives, you may not be able to drive for a few hours thereafter.
Wear comfortable exercise clothing and shoes if your doctor has recommended stress echocardiography.
Recovery after an echocardiogram.
Echocardiography requires minimal to no recovery time in most cases.
You may suffer throat pain during transesophageal echocardiography. Any numbness in the area of your throat should subside in approximately 2 hours.
After an Echocardiogram?
The measurement normally takes 20 to 30 minutes after the technician has gathered the photos. The doctor may then instantly evaluate the photographs and advise you of the results.