Dr Swapnil Mate Cardiologist

Types Of Echocardiography

The types of echocardiography include :-

This is the standard procedure of performing echocardiography. The transducer is placed on the top of the chest and ultrasonic waves are sent to the heart bounce off and show the live image of the heart, using a monitor.

This procedure is done when a clearer image of the heart is required. The transducer is placed at the tip of a specialized probe. It is passed through the esophagus and allows the image from a location that is just behind the heart.

This procedure is taken in two phases. In the first phase, the echocardiography is done while the person is lying down. In the second phase, the procedure ( also known as the cardiac stress test) is done by monitoring the patient's heart activity while they are undergoing vigorous training or while running on a treadmill. Cardiac stress tests like these are done by exercise physiologists under the supervision of a cardiologist.

This procedure uses a catheter instead of a transducer to capture the images of coronary arteries. This helps the specialists to see whether the blood flow is obstructed or not. Coronary angiography also uses a catheter but before inserting it in the body through wrists or legs, it injects a dye into the bloodstream to create X-ray images of the coronary arteries.

This procedure uses catheters to insert the transducer inside the heart to view the 2d structures inside the area. This technique is used to cross the wall that separates the two upper chambers of the heart, to gain access to the left and right chambers of the heart.

Who Needs A 3-D Echocardiography

The types of echocardiography include :-

3-D echocardiography is done for those who :

Are suffering from heart failure. Congestive cardiac failure can take place when the heart has completely lost its ability to pump blood to other organs of the body. Heart failure results in developing excess fluid in and around the lungs, coughing blood, shortness of breath, swelling of the abdomen, legs, and ankles. Even though in some situations, a heart attack can be cured by restoring blood supply to the heart muscle, in the case of heart failure, the only treatment is replacing the heart or installing an artificial pacemaker which might help the heart to function well.
Are suffering from Arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is a condition referring to abnormalities in heartbeats due to issues in the electrical conduction system of the heart. When the heart beats too slow, it is known as bradycardia, and when beats too fast, it is known as tachycardia. In some cases, arrhythmia arises with no symptoms. Symptoms, if present, may include shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain, sensing a pause between heartbeats, blackouts, etc. In a few situations, it may even lead to heart failure or sudden cardiac death.
Are suffering from cardiomyopathy. In cardiomyopathy, blood flow to the heart muscle is restricted, which makes the heart muscle work harder, to the limit where it enlarges and stiffens, causing the death of the tissues of the muscle. Cardiomyopathy is one of the main causes of a heart attack or heart failure.
Are suffering from congenital heart defects. Congenital heart disease is inherited, either genetically or through unhealthy habits practiced by pregnant women. This can lead to heart defects in infants, which might progress to a possible heart failure in the future. If caused by genes, it results in disorders like Turner's syndrome, Holt-Oram syndrome, Di George syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Alagille syndrome. If caused due to environmental factors, causes disorders in the infant are caused due to unhealthy practices carried out by the mother like alcohol consumption, smoking, antidepressants, and so on.
Are suffering from valvular disorders, where either there is a narrowing of the valves or the valves are not able to close properly after receiving blood, causing leakage(regurgitation).
Are suffering from coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease is a condition where the coronary arteries are narrowed and hardened due to a lack of oxygen-rich blood supply to the heart muscle by the cholesterol deposits in the walls of the coronary arteries. This results in the death of the heart muscle, leading to a heart attack or gradually progressing to heart failure.

What To Expect Before The Procedure?

Before the procedure :

The physician will do a thorough physical examination of you. Physical examination includes blood pressure test, triglyceride test, etc. The examiner might ask for any unusual changes that might have occurred in your body. This helps the examiner to analyze your medical history. They also analyze the patient's condition by checking the individual's height and weight. Doctors or nurse practitioners or an assistant of a physician do certain tests to analyze the condition or disease and recommend proper instructions respectively.
The physician will ask you to not take certain medicines like aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, or blood thinners before the procedure. You need to mention the medicines that you have been given by your doctor, to the physician.
You should not eat or drink three hours before the procedure. This is applied only in the case of those patients who will be going through stress cardiography.
If you have valvular disorders or any kind of cardiovascular disease, report this to your physician.
Gather all the medicines that have been approved by the physician.
If you are allergic to any medicines, inform the sonographer before the procedure.

What To Expect During The Procedure?

During the procedure :

The patient will be given a gown to wear. Then, he/she will be asked to lie down on the table.
A colorless gel will be applied to various areas of the chest wall to obtain images of the heart from different angles. The places from where the images are recorded are the left side of the breastbone, the lower left side of the ribs, and under the rib cage, which is done while the patient is lying down on their back.
The transducer will be moved to various areas of the chest wall. The gel helps the transducer in capturing an accurate image of the heart.
While the procedure is performed, the sonographer will ask you to breathe in and breathe out so that clearer images of the heart are obtained.
The cardiologist and the physician analyze the kind of image captured and recommend precautionary measures to the patient accordingly.

The results of the echocardiography will be given to the cardiologist of the facility or to the patient's physician, who then, analyses the report and gives instructions to their patient accordingly.

The faculty of Dr. Swapnil Mate's Cardiology clinic includes experienced cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac imaging specialists, a preventive cardiology team, experienced pediatric cardiac surgeons and assisting surgeons, physical therapists, nutritionists, geneticists, child-life specialists, a multidisciplinary interventional cardiology team, and a group of pathologists who run by tests and give the proper cause of diseases. The cardiologists and surgeons recommend the ideal surgery to the patients. They mention the advantages and risks associated with the surgeries they plan to do on them. Together, they provide services that cater to their needs. Consult Dr. Swapnil Mate for the best medical assistance.