Introduction:
Echocardiography, Cardiac echo, Echocardiogram, or echo is a painless imaging test used to get an ultrasound of the heart. In this test, the doctor uses an ultrasound machine to observe the heart’s structure and functioning. It is also used to determine the health of heart muscles, especially after a heart attack. Echocardiography usually costs 1000 to 3000 dollars, which varies from place to place.
Pocket-mobile echocardiography (PME):
A pocket mobile-Echocardiography device is a newly introduced technology that provides a quick assessment of cardiovascular diseases compared to Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). A Pocket mobile echocardiography device hardly has the size of a mobile that easily fits into doctors’ pockets and saves both space and time. Pocket mobile echocardiography is easy to use but not as reliable as TTE. The images of PME are 80 to 90% similar to those of TTE when compared with images of TTE. But to rely on the results of PME alone is not valid; further clinical image acquisition is also required. This technology needs to be extended in many clinics so that a more diverse and significant patient population can benefit from this hand-carrier ultrasound device.
Types of Echocardiography:
There are several different types of echocardiography. Some of them are listed below:
- Transthoracic echocardiography:
The most common echocardiography is Transthoracic echocardiography. It is a painless and noninvasive test that doesn’t need any special preparation. A transductor device is placed over the chest during this test to get a live image of the heart’s internal structure. A transductor is attached to a computer that produces sound waves, and these waves reach toward the heart and bounce back to the transductor. This whole process produces a live image of the heart.
- Transesophageal echocardiography:
To get a detailed image, your doctor may recommend Transesophageal echocardiography. During this process, the doctor puts a small transductor in your throat through your mouth. This transductor is further guided toward the esophagus (the tube which connects your throat and stomach). When the transducer reaches behind your heart in the esophagus, it visualizes a better picture of your heart’s chambers than transthoracic echocardiography. Doctors can figure out the problem or disease in heart muscles or heart chambers through this technique.
- Stress echocardiography:
In Stress echocardiography, the doctor uses the transthoracic echocardiography technique and takes images before and after you perform an exercise. This test is used to determine the working of your heart and the blood vessels. During these tests, the doctor may ask you to exercise on a treadmill or on a stationary bicycle to monitor your heartbeat and blood pressure. When your heartbeat reaches the peak level, an ultrasound image is taken by your doctor to know whether your heart is getting enough blood and oxygen during exercise. It is an ultrasound to notice the functioning of the heart before and after physical activity during stress. It detects the issues related to high blood pressure that ultimately leads to heart failure.
- Three-dimensional echocardiography:
Three-dimensional echocardiography is a technique in which a doctor uses Transesophageal or transthoracic echocardiography and takes multiple images of your heart from many angles. These images are submerged into a 3D image of your heart to diagnose the heart problem. This technique helps diagnose children’s heart problems and is recommended before heart valve surgery.
- Fatal echocardiography:
Fatal echocardiography is usually recommended when women have a pregnancy of 18 to 22 weeks. In this process, the transductor is placed over the pregnant woman’s abdomen to diagnose the heart problem in the unborn child. This test is safe for the child because there is no use of radiation in this process, just like in X-rays.
