ECHO, short for echocardiogram, is a medical test that uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to produce images of the heart. This non-invasive test helps doctors visualize the heart’s structure and function, allowing them to examine the heart’s chambers, valves, walls, and blood flow. Typically performed by a sonographer and interpreted by a cardiologist, an echocardiogram is instrumental in diagnosing and monitoring various heart conditions.
Echocardiography is invaluable in diagnosing heart diseases like heart failure, valve defects, congenital abnormalities, and cardiomyopathy, as well as in monitoring existing conditions and guiding treatment plans. It is a safe, quick, and painless procedure widely used in cardiology.