The echo-heart is a test done with ultrasound transmitted by a probe placed on the thorax. This examination, most commonly referred to as the ecocardio or cardiac ecocolordoppler at rest, allows you to reconstruct and visualize the heart on an echocardiograph. Venous and arterial blood are distinguished by different colors: the venous blood is shown in blue and the arterial blood in red. The doctor can see the heart chambers, measure their size, evaluate the condition of the heart valves, and see the pumping of blood.

Almost all heart diseases can be identified and evaluated by means of echocardiography, including:

• heart valve diseases
  
• congenital heart disease
  
• the outcomes of cardio-surgical interventions
  
• the size and movement of the walls of the heart
  

HOW THE ECO-HEART IS CARRIED OUT

The echo-heart is a normal ultrasound. The patient is invited to lie down on the bed and the doctor runs a probe at the level of the heart.

It is a non-dangerous, non-painful and non-invasive examination.

It lasts about 20 minutes and does not require any preparation.