Two-Dimensional Echocardiography can provide excellent images of the heart, paracardiac structures, and the great vessels. During a standard echo, the sound waves are directed to the heart from a small hand-held device called a transducer, which sends and receives signals.
2D Echocardiography aka Echo is an ultrasound test of the heart. It depicts a picture of cross sectional slice of the heart in which valves, chambers, major blood vessels are shown.
Echocardiography is an important test which helps the physician know about following matters:
• Size of heart chambers & thickness of the valves.
• Normality of its pumping function.
• The structure, thickness & functions of heart valves.
• Pericardial effusions, blood clots, abnormal rise in the pressure within lungs.
• Problems with Aorta which is the main artery connected to the heart.
Your doctor may have inspected some problem with your heart. He/she may have heard irregular heartbeats through stethoscope or may have heard heart murmurs or has observed some abnormal fluctuations in your blood pressure. So to inspect your heart’s activity even further more. The overall procedure for 2D Echo test is painless and noninvasive. It has no risk involved and gives results immediately. The general procedure for 2D Echo is follows:
• You will be told to lie on your back and left side.
• Electrodes which are small, adhesive patches, will be attached to your chest at desired spots to record your heart’s electrical activity during the test.
• A gel will be applied to your chest.
• A device emitting sound waves, called the Transducer, will be placed on your skin and moved around the area to view the heart from different angles.
• You will be either given with a gown with front opening or will be told to carry clothes which will be easy to remove from waist up.
• Avoid the use of creams and lotions on the chest area before coming for the test.
• There are no diet restrictions such as giving the test empty stomach or avoiding water intake prior to the test.
Stress is increasing so much with the fast life. Stress can lead to severe heart and health issues. Therefore it is always a good practice to maintain healthy habits & get done with regular checkups.
