Echocardiogram
Alternate Names : Doppler Ultrasound of the Heart, Echocardiogram - Transthoracic, Surface Echo, Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE)
DefinitionEchocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart. The picture is much more detailed than X-ray image and involves no radiation exposure.
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Why is the Test Performed?
This test is performed to evaluate the valves and chambers of the heart in a noninvasive manner. The echocardiogram allows doctors to evaluate heart murmurs, check the pumping function of the heart, and evaluate patients who have had heart attacks. It is a very good screening test for heart disease in certain groups of patients.
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