💓 Echocardiography
Echocardiography, or "echo," is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to create moving images of the heart. This technique provides detailed, real-time visualization of the heart's chambers, valves, major blood vessels, and the surrounding structures. It is a critical tool for assessing the heart's structural integrity and its functional performance, including the efficiency of its pumping action and the proper opening and closing of its valves.
Various modalities exist within echocardiography, including Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE), the standard procedure; Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE), which provides clearer images by placing the probe down the esophagus; and Stress Echocardiography, which assesses heart function during physical exertion. Advanced techniques like Doppler technology are integrated to measure the direction and speed of blood flow across heart valves, allowing physicians to quantify the severity of conditions like valve regurgitation or stenosis.
Recent technological advancements are focused on 3D echocardiography and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced…