When doctors need to take a closer look at your heart, they might recommend a test called echocardiography. It’s a type of medical imaging that uses sound waves to create images of your heart.
Echocardiography is a non-invasive procedure, which means that doctors don’t need to make any incisions in your body to perform it. To get a better look at the heart, patients will typically lie on their left side while a technician places a small device called a transducer against their chest.
The transducer emits sound waves that bounce off the walls of the heart. These sound waves are then recorded and turned into images that doctors can use to diagnose any issues or abnormalities with the heart.
Echocardiography is an important tool for doctors because it can help diagnose a wide range of heart conditions. It can be used to check for problems with the heart valves, detect any damage to the heart muscle, and assess the overall function of the heart.
If your doctor recommends echocardiography, there’s no need to be nervous. It’s a painless procedure that only takes about 30 minutes to complete. And by getting a closer look at your heart, doctors can make sure you get the care you need to stay healthy.