Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System I:Echocardiography

Echocardiography uses ultrasound waves to capture heart images called echocardiograms.

It diagnoses heart failure and valve disorders and assesses cardiac structures and ventricular wall motion.

Before the procedure, the nurse explains the procedure to the patient and asks them to change into a hospital gown.

Next, the patient is instructed to lie supine on the examination table.

The cardiac sonographer then applies conductive gel over the patient's chest and places a transducer at the second and fourth intercostal spaces to the left of the sternum.

The transducer is then turned clockwise or counterclockwise while emitting high-frequency sound waves that bounce off heart structures and return to the transducer.

The patient may also be asked to turn and lie on their left side while the cardiac sonographer adjusts the transducer's angle to capture different heart views, such as parasternal and apical views.

A computer converts these sound waves into visual images displayed on a monitor.

After the procedure, the cardiac sonographer wipes the gel off the patient's skin and monitors for symptoms like chest pain.