Echocardiographic Laboratory

Transthoracic Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram, also called an echo, or cardiac ultrasound, is a type of test that uses high pitched sound waves, these sound waves are sent through a device called a transducer. The device picks up the sound waves as they bounce off different parts of your heart, these echoes are turned into moving pictures, which are viewed on a video screen. The echocardiogram will be performed by either a cardiac sonographer or a cardiologist. It will take approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, the patient will be asked to lay on the left side, a special gel will be applied to the patient's chest and the transducer will be positioned to take images.

Reasons for Echocardiogram

To look for causes of abnormal heart sounds (murmurs), chest pains, shortness of breath or irregular heart beats. The test is also used to check the function and shape of the heart muscle; evaluate the thickness of the cardiac walls, look at the 4 heart valves to see how well they are opening or how much they are leaking. The test is also ordered to assess prosthetic heart valves, after patients have had heart attacks, heart transplants, cardiac tumors, if there are holes or malformations in the heart (congenital heart disease), to check the timing of the heart walls in the presence of heart failure (dyssynchrony). There are many other reasons why a physician might order an echocardiogram.

Our team

Our Services

The different types of echocardiograms offered at the University of South Florida, Echocardiographic Laboratories are:

• Adult Transthoracic Echocardiogram - This is the most common type of echocardiogram, which involves obtaining views from the chest area, abdominal area and just under the chin area (suprasternal notch).
• Pediatric Echocardiogram - This type of echocardiogram involves a different protocol from the adult exam. The exam starts with abdominal views of the cardiac structure, then working up to the chest and finally the chin area. Pediatric exams has more information to obtain and can take 1 hour.
• Fetal Echocardiogram - This is perhaps the most difficult type of echocardiogram to perform, the fetal heart is examined for any cardiac abnormalities. The exam can easily take an hour; this is because the fetus typically will move into different positions, which causes a delay in obtaining adequate information.
• Exercise Stress Echocardiogram / Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram - These exams are performed with the patient exercising on the treadmill or with the patient remaining on the procedure table and having medicines infused through an intravenous line(I.V). The primary reason for this test is to screen for coronary artery disease or to monitor a patient who has established coronary disease.
• Doppler Echocardiogram - This is typically part of a regular transthoracic echocardiogram, the Doppler echocardiogram includes both spectral and color flow Doppler. We use these methods to evaluate instantaneous pressures within the heart and to evaluate the blood flow direction in the heart.
• Contrast Echocardiogram - The contrast echocardiogram is done by obtaining an IV and a ultrasound contrast agent (non-dye) is administered to the patient. The contrast; will help to provide better assessment of how well the ventricle contracts.
• 3 Dimensional Echocardiogram - We used this procedure to evaluate the cardiac valves, perform volumetric assessment and for structural evaluation. This procedure can provide more information than a standard transthoracic echocardiogram and the cardiologist or cardiac surgeon will use it to gather more information.
• Echocardiographic Pacemaker Optimization - These cases are usually determined by the cardiologist, whether the patient will benefit from having their pacemaker reprogrammed or not. Most of the patients for this procedure will have a special pacemaker called a biventricular pacemaker. The biventricular pacemaker paces the right and left ventricle. A cardiologist and sonographer will work together performing measurements to determine the best pacemaker parameter for the patient.