Echocardiogram

We offer echocardiograms at Amherst Radiology. Often referred to in the medical community as a Cardiac Echo or simply an Echo, is a sonogram of the heart. Also known as a Cardiac Ultrasound, it uses standard Ultrasound techniques to image 2D slices of the heart.

In addition to creating 2D pictures of the cardiovascular system, an Echocardiogram can also produce accurate assessment of the velocity of blood through the valves with pulsed or continuous wave Doppler. Cardiac structures can also be evaluated at any arbitrary point. This allows assessment of cardiac valve areas and function, any abnormal communications between the left and right side of the heart, any leaking of blood through the valves (valvular regurgitation), and calculation of the cardiac output as well as the ejection fraction.