What types of problems can be seen with an echocardiogram?
Look for the cause of abnormal heart sounds (murmurs or clicks), an enlarged heart, unexplained chest pains, shortness of breath, or irregular heartbeats. Check the thickness and movement of the heart wall. Look at the heart valves and check how well they work. See how effectively an artificial heart valve is working. Measure the size and shape of the heart’s chambers. Check the ability of your heart chambers to pump blood (cardiac performance). During an echocardiogram, your doctor can calculate the how much blood your heart is pumping during each heartbeat (ejection fraction). Detect a disease that affects the heart muscle and the way it pumps, such as cardiomyopathy. Look for blood clots and tumors inside the heart. Look for congenital heart defects or to check the effectiveness of previous surgery to repair a congenital heart defect. Check how well your heart works after a heart attack. Identify the specific cause of heart failure. Look for a collection of fluid around the heart (p
