Trauma Survivors Network - provided by ATS

Survive. Connect. Rebuild.

A Program of the ATS

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram is also called an echo test or an ultrasound of the heart. This test is not an operation and it is painless. During the test, a wand, like a flashlight, will be placed on your chest. The machine sends sound waves through your heart in motion. Jelly will be placed on the patient’s chest and the wand will then be placed on the chest. It “hears” the sounds that the heart makes and projects them onto a video screen so that the heart’s movements can be seen. Along with the heart measurements, the echocardiogram will give the doctor information about heart valves, the heart’s pumping ability, the size of each heart chamber and the pattern of the blood flow within your heart. These images are recorded onto a video tape, and pictures can also be printed. The test will take approximately 15-20 minutes