Echocardiography

What to expect

• Preparing for your appointment

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  You will be given different instructions depending on the type of echocardiogram (transthoracic, transesophageal, stress). 

  Arrival
  
  Please arrive early for your appointment. Give yourself time to find parking and check in at Medical Imaging before your appointment. Bring a government-issued photo identification and your BC Services Card (personal health number). 

  Duration
  
  The test can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 60 minutes.

  Clothing
  
  For your comfort, please wear clothing that can easily be moved out of the way or removed if necessary. In some cases, you may be asked to wear loose and comfortable clothing or you may need to remove clothing from the waist up and put on a hospital gown.

  Bringing a support person
  
  If you need a patient companion, they may accompany you before and after the test. Your patient companion may be asked to wait outside the examination room during the time that the sonographer is performing the test.

   

• During the procedure

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  Room set-up
  
  You will be taken to an examination room and asked to lie down on a stretcher. The room will typically be dimly lit to help the sonographer see the monitor and the images that are taken during the test.

  While the sonographer is scanning, they cannot turn the screen towards you.

  Gel application
  
  A water-based gel will be applied to the area of your body that will be examined. This gel helps the ultrasound probe/transducer make better contact with your skin and allows sound waves to pass through more easily.

  Comfort
  
  Ultrasound examinations are generally painless. You will feel slight pressure as the sonographer moves the ultrasound transducer, but it is usually well-tolerated.

  Doppler sound
  
  During the procedure, you might hear “whooshing” sounds, which are the sounds of blood flow.

  Positioning
  
  You’ll be asked to lie on your side or your back during the echo examination. Small adhesive patches (electrodes) may be placed on your chest to monitor your heart activity.

• Getting your results

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  A cardiologist will read and interpret the images captured during the ultrasound examination. They will then send the final report to your healthcare provider with any findings and may provide recommendations.

  Our cardiac sonographers are registered and trained to perform your exam and take special images. Cardiologists or Radiologists are physicians who are qualified to read and interpret your images. For this reason, cardiac sonographers cannot discuss the results with you. The final report from the radiologist/cardiologist will be sent to your referring health-care provider.

  Final report 

  The final report takes approximately 2 to 3 business days to be sent to your referring health-care provider. Urgent results will be phoned to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.