Dr. Atif Sohail and his team at the Heart & Sleep Clinics of America provide a comprehensive range of cardiovascular-related services to the residents of Arlington, TX, including echocardiography. The heart is one of the most valuable organs we possess, and it’s essential to keep your heart healthy and go for regular checkups, especially as we age.
What Is Echocardiography?
Although it sounds overwhelming, echocardiography is a non-invasive procedure used to assess the heart, including its function and structure, utilizing sound waves. A transducer, like a microphone, is placed on the skin, and high-frequency sound waves will be emitted. These sound waves will travel through the body until they bounce off the structures of the heart. The echo of the sound waves allows your cardiac specialist to generate moving images of the heart. It is an invaluable imaging tool for those suffering from heart-related conditions.
Types of Echocardiography
There are several types of echocardiography, also called echocardiograms, ECGs, or echoes.
- M-mode echocardiography – the simplest type
- Doppler echocardiography – for assessing blood flow
- Color doppler – for assessing blood flow using different colors
- 2D echocardiography – for evaluating the structures of the heart at work
- 3d echocardiography – for evaluating the structures of the heart in real-time
Depending on your health assessment, Dr. Sohail, at the Heart & Sleep Clinics of America, providing echocardiography care for Arlington, TX residents, will order the most suitable version of this test for you.
Why Do I Need Echocardiography?
There are many reasons why your doctor may request this test, including the need to assess for or rule out the following:
- Heart failure or a heart attack
- Endo- or pericarditis
- Blockage in the blood flow due to clotting
- Cardiomyopathy
- Aneurysm
- Structural defects and congenital heart disease
What to Expect During Echocardiography
During your procedure, you will be asked to lie on your (left) side, and you will have some electrical probes attached to your chest, which will be connected to a computer monitor. The technician performing the test will apply gel to the appropriate areas on the body before applying the transducer to your skin. They will move the transducer back and forth, and they may ask you to perform simple activities like taking a deep breath. The pressure from the transducer should not cause more than mild discomfort. The technician will wipe away the gel at the end of the test.
Please expect slight variations depending on the type of echocardiography you are going for.
Contact Us
If you need echocardiography in Arlington, TX, reach out to Dr. Sohail and his team at the Heart & Sleep Clinics of America today to book an appointment by calling (817) 419-7220.