What is echocardiography?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Do Xuan Chien and Master, Doctor Hoang Thi Hoa - Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Echocardiography is a method used to diagnose cardiovascular diseases, echocardiography is a method of echocardiography that combines the use of contrast agents to increase the likelihood of developing abnormalities in the heart structure. and flows. Currently, this method is being widely used due to its safety and effectiveness, at the same time, continuous research continues to further improve its effectiveness in diagnosis.

1. What is echocardiography?

An echocardiogram is a diagnostic test that uses high-frequency ultrasound waves to obtain dynamic images of the heart and its related structures (such as heart valves). Echocardiography can be done through the chest wall or through the esophagus.
Contrast echocardiography is an ultrasound method combined with the injection of contrast material into the blood vessels to increase the ability to detect abnormalities of the heart that are not clear or undetectable by conventional 2D echocardiography.
Principle of echocardiography method: When intravenous contrast is injected, these substances will follow the venous blood to the right atrium, then down to the right ventricle, then pumped to the lungs from there. This means that when the ultrasound rays pass through them, they will be blocked, causing the chambers of the heart to light up to clearly see normal and abnormal structures.
The nature of the contrast agents used are microbubbles of very small size, smaller than red blood cells, so they can easily travel in the blood vessel. These contrast agents are eliminated mainly through the lungs, so they can be used in patients with liver and kidney failure.

2. Application of echocardiography

2.1 Applications Congenital heart diseases: Shunt between the chambers of the heart, between the blood vessels... Identify the heart structures, evaluate the movement of the heart walls, especially in the case of unclear 2D ultrasound, suspicious suspected diagnosis. Investigating myocardial perfusion status, helping to diagnose myocardial ischemia. Assist in the exploration of the pericardial cavity, pericardial puncture. Helps enhance Doppler signals when probing flows. 2.2 Indications for echocardiography Contrast Congenital heart disease: Congenital heart disease: Atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect Oval septal defect And ductus arteriosus Anomaly vena cava malformation to the heart Pulmonary arteriovenous septal defect Other diseases: Inversion of origin major arteries, right ventricular double outlet, atrophy of the pulmonary valve, heart with 1 ventricle, pulmonary veins completely ectopic... Determination of heart structure: Identification of abnormal structures in the right heart and the left heart such as heart valves, myocardium... Probing the perfusion status of the myocardium: The microscopic echogenic foams can follow the blood flow into the coronary arteries, then penetrate the myocardium and increase the intensity. The tone of the myocardium helps to assess the perfusion level of the myocardium. Identification of the pericardial cavity, pericardiocentesis: Injecting contrast during pericardiocentesis under ultrasound guidance will help determine the position of the needle tip, determine whether the needle is in the pericardial cavity whether or not Contrast enhances the Doppler signal of flows: Used when regurgitation is suspected, the reflux is darker and easier to detect on conventional ultrasound.

3. How is echocardiography performed?

3.1 Steps to perform The patient is performed transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography like conventional echocardiography. Place a needle into the vein. Acoustic foaming can be self-made acoustic foams or pre-manufactured sound blocking agents. Self-made contrast agents are created from common infusion solutions, this contrast is quite large, so most only reach the right heart chamber very little through the pulmonary capillaries to enter the left heart chamber. Should be used mainly in the evaluation of the right heart, intracardiac shunts ... Pre-manufactured contrast agents: Injected directly into the blood vessels, they are very small in size so they can pass through the pulmonary capillary into the lungs. left ventricular chamber. Therefore, these substances are mainly applied to the left heart: clarifying the chambers of the heart, assessing the movement of the left ventricular walls and myocardial perfusion. Turn on the camera to record a video of the process to review and analyze the image, the direction of the acoustic foam. Observe the course of the air bubbles and evaluate the echocardiographic results. 3.2 Complications after contrast echocardiography Normally, if transthoracic ultrasound, this technique has no complications, only a few cases of people with congenital heart disease have mild headache symptoms, Rest a few minutes will help. In case of transesophageal ultrasound: The throat may be sore for several hours, rarely the ultrasound tube scratches the inner throat. During the ultrasound, you may experience breathing problems due to the sedation or the amount of oxygen you breathe.

4, Where is the echocardiogram?

Contrast echocardiography is a technique that looks simple, but it is not, because the heart works continuously, so it is difficult for the survey to accurately diagnose the disease, requiring the doctor to be a good professional. , rich experience, along with advanced equipment system for clear images.
Contrast echocardiography helps to accurately diagnose cardiovascular diseases, serving interventions in disease treatment, so now Vinmec Phu Quoc hospital deploys echocardiography technique.
The advantages of choosing Vinmec Phu Quoc hospital:
The technique is performed by Doctor Luong Vo Quang Dang - Cardiologist - Head of Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine, with years of experience in medical examination and treatment. and cardiology, rich experience in medical examination and treatment for many domestic and foreign patients. Full and advanced medical equipment for medical examination and treatment Very high accurate diagnosis rate Early detection of cardiovascular diseases, especially congenital diseases, and treatment interventions are very important, patients Congenital heart disease for a long time causes complications such as heart failure, high blood pressure... Contrast echocardiography is an effective and safe method to help screen and detect cardiovascular diseases early, especially congenital heart disease.

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