Echocardiography (echo)
An ultrasound scan of the heart. It shows the chambers moving in real time, measures how strongly the heart pumps, and examines each of the four valves. No radiation is involved.
- How long
- 20 to 40 minutes
- Preparation
- None for a standard scan
- Does it hurt
- Mild pressure from the probe. Cool gel
- Results
- Usually explained the same day
What happens
- 01
You lie on your left side on a couch
This position brings the heart closer to the chest wall and gives clearer images. The room is dimmed so the screen is readable.
- 02
Gel is applied and a probe is moved over the chest
The gel is cool and conducts sound. The probe is pressed at several points, including below the ribs and at the base of the neck.
- 03
You are asked to breathe in, out, or hold briefly
Lungs scatter ultrasound, so breath-holds at particular moments produce a cleaner window to the heart.
- 04
Measurements and Doppler recordings are taken
The whooshing sound you hear is Doppler recording the speed and direction of blood flow across the valves. It is expected, not a sign of a problem.
What it shows
- Ejection fraction — the proportion of blood pumped out with each beat, and the standard measure of pumping strength
- Whether any part of the heart muscle is moving poorly, which can indicate a previous or ongoing blood supply problem
- The structure and function of all four valves, including narrowing and leakage and their severity
- The size and thickness of each chamber
- Pressure in the pulmonary arteries, estimated from flow measurements
- Fluid around the heart, and clots or masses within the chambers
What it cannot tell you
- Image quality depends on the acoustic window. It can be limited in people with obesity, significant lung disease, or chest deformity.
- A standard echo does not show the coronary arteries themselves. It can suggest a blood supply problem from how the muscle moves, but it cannot display the narrowing.
- It captures the heart at rest. Some abnormalities only appear under exertion.
How to prepare
- No fasting and no medication changes for a standard transthoracic echo.
- Wear something that opens easily at the front.
- Allow more time than the scan itself, since measurements are made during the study.
- Bring previous echo reports. Change over time is often the finding that matters.
Book a consultation
Tests are arranged after an assessment, so that each one is answering a question that matters in your case.
- Clinic
- 13, Ground Floor, M.K. Plaza, Hospital Road, near Madhav Dispensary
Gwalior 474001
Directions - OPD hours
- Monday to Saturday
12:30–2:30 pm, 5:30–6:30 pm
Closed Sunday - In an emergency
- Do not use this site. Call 108 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department.