Echocardiography and Stress Testing

Testing for possible cardiac disease usually begins with an echocardiogram. Echocardiography is a procedure that uses sound waves to create a moving image of the heart and its chambers. It is a noninvasive, safe, fast, and painless way for physicians to see the heart’s motion, size, and valves. Your primary care physician or your attending physician can refer you for this test.

Each of our diagnostic laboratories is equipped with state-of-the-art digital cardiac ultrasound systems that produce two- or three-dimensional images of the heart. Our interpreting cardiologists are specially trained and accredited by the American Society of Echocardiography to read echocardiograms. All echocardiograms are read within 48 hours.

Types of echocardiograms include:

• Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram (resting)
• Stress echocardiogram (while using an exercise treadmill)
• Pharmacologic stress echocardiogram for patients unable to use treadmill (use of a medication that mimics the effects of exercise on the heart)
• Two- and three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiogram
• Exercise stress testing with treadmill
• Metabolic stress testing, to monitor both heart and lungs during exercise in patients with congestive heart failure; may be done with a treadmill or bicycle