Echocardiogram

The procedure takes 10-30 minutes depending on the findings.

The sound waves used for an echocardiogram are safe and painless.

An echocardiogram is usually performed with you lying down and at rest. However it can also be done as part of an exercise stress test. A related technique called dobutamine stress echo uses a drug called dobutamine to simulate exercise while you lie still.

A related technique, transoesophageal echo (TOE), is used to diagnose many conditions of the heart and aorta. For the TOE, a thin ultrasound probe is passed through the mouth, down the throat into the oesophagus. As it is an invasive procedure that requires sedation, TOE is more expensive and slightly more risky than traditional ECHO. However it is better at detecting infection of some heart valves, looking for blood clots in certain heart chambers, and looking for the severity of aneurysms of the aorta.