If you are experiencing symptoms of heart problems, such as irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and chest pain, your doctor may have recommended an echocardiogram.
An echocardiogram is a gold standard diagnostic test to look at your heart’s structure and check how well your heart function. It uses sound waves to produce the live image of your heart to diagnose a wide range of heart conditions, including valve disease and cardiomyopathy.
Your doctor may use several techniques to get a picture of your heart. The selection of techniques is based on your specific heart condition and what your doctor needs to see.
Let’s talk about some echocardiogram techniques your doctor can use to assess your heart health and where you can go in Irmo, SC, for an echocardiogram.
- Two- Dimensional (2D) Ultrasound – As the most frequently used technique, 2-D ultrasound “sees” the actual motion of the heart. With 2D ultrasound, the heart image appears as “slices” on the screen, enabling your doctor to see the working of the various heart structures.
The “slices” obtained from the 2D ultrasound can be stacked to build a 3D heart structure.
- Three-Dimensional (3D) Ultrasound – Also known as 3D electrocardiography, the 3D ultrasound technique captures the views of the heart with greater detail than 2D ultrasound. It shows different aspects of the heart with much greater accuracy. Your doctor can also view parts of your heart from different angles.
- Doppler Ultrasound – This technique is specifically designed to see how fast blood flows in the heart and what direction. It also assesses heart function by measuring the amount of blood pumped out with each beat. An abnormal flow, which could indicate a problem with heart walls or valves, can also be detected in doppler echocardiography.
- Color Doppler Ultrasound – As an enhanced form of doppler ultrasound, color Doppler ultrasound uses different colors to highlight the different directions of the blood flow in the heart.
- Contrast Imaging – This technique involves using a contrast agent to obtain the details of the heart. Your doctor injects a contrast agent (a substance visible in the images) into one of your veins to assess your heart health.
- Strain Imaging – Doctors use this technique to see the changes in how your heart muscles move. Strain imaging can help your doctor catch the early signs of heart disease.
Echocardiogram Near Me in Irmo, SC
An echocardiogram can reveal much about your heart, structure, and function. If you are looking for a reputable diagnostic facility for a diagnostic echocardiogram, look no further. At SC Internal Medicine Associates & Rehabilitation, LLC, we offer a wide range of diagnostic testing, including echocardiograms, in our facility. Our provider uses echocardiogram techniques suited to your needs.
Should you need further investigation after receiving your diagnostic test results, our outstanding doctors will provide that and monitor your condition.
If you want to book an appointment with one of our physicians or make an echocardiogram appointment, call our friendly staff today at (803) 749-1111 or use our convenient appointment request form.
