Echocardiography Department

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Part of the Seton Medical Center Department of Diagnostic Services, the Echocardiography Department offers diagnostic tests using state-of-the-art digital imaging system, which provides superior quality studies. Echocardiography uses high frequency ultrasound to evaluate the structural, functional, and hemodynamic status of the cardiovascular system. Echocardiography is one of the most frequently used techniques for diagnosing cardiovascular diseases, is usually non-invasive and quite portable.

Types of Echocardiography:

Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE)
This study provides high-resolution images of cardiac structures and their movements so that detailed anatomic and functional information about the heart can be obtained. 2D, m-mode, Doppler and color flow imaging are utilized for this study. Quantitative, as well as qualitative data, can be derived from 2D images or 2D derived M-mode.

Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
This study provides exceptional clarity and high-resolution images of cardiovascular abnormalities. A transesophageal echocardiogram is usually effective in evaluating aortic dissections and intracardiac tumors. It has all the capabilities of the transthoracic echocardiogram, so that cardiac anatomy, function, hemodynamics, and blood flow can be evaluated reliably.

Stress Echocardiogram
Common indications for a Stress Echo are the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and the identification of severe coronary artery disease. These are based on the concept that new or worsening regional myocardial contractility induced by ischemia is reliably detected by echocardiographic wall motion analysis before and after exercise (usually on a treadmill). Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram (DSE) uses a pharmacologic agent, dobutamine, to stress the heart rather than a treadmill. When a patient cannot exercise, stress is induced with dobutamine.