Echocardiology

Echocardiology is based on techniques used by submarine navigators during World War II. The navigators would beam sound waves to find the presence of enemy submarines and undersea obstacles. When a sound wave passes through water and strikes an object, part of the sound wave is reflected back. By measuring the reflected sound waves, not only the presence, but the distance of another submarine could be detected... in the same way "enemies" within the heart such as diseased heart valves, enlarged chambers or structural defects can be detected by echocardiography.

Echocardiography iws non-invasive, which means there are no exploratory tubes or incisions (cuts) involved. Doctors use echocardiography to diagnose and evaluate the current status of the heart in terms of treatment such as congestive heart failure, hypertension, post heart attack, chest pains, heart palpitations, atrial fibrillation, and fainting spells. The exam is particularly helpful for evaluating a patient's heart status before having any major surgery, especially in older patients and/or patients with known heart problems. It is also used to evaluate heart status after open-heart surgery or heart catheterization.