Echo
Searching for an Advanced Echocardiogram Clinic Located Near Homestead, FL?
An echocardiogram, also known as an echo or heart sonography, provides a visual outline of a patient’s heart and accurately records all of the essential movements made by your heart muscles during the echo test. Valves and chambers within the heart are carefully monitored to help the professional sonographer at Homestead Diagnostic Center evaluate the health and pumping capability of a patient’s heart.
An echo is often used to assess a patient’s overall heart health, and can be used to more accurately determine the presence of heart disease and other valve disorders, myocardial disease, cardiac masses, and congenital heart disease. Echocardiograms can also help patients and their caregivers study and determine the effectiveness of surgical and medical treatments the patient may have chosen.
Q:
How Do I Prepare for an Echo?
A:
Request an appointment online or call us to book your appointment.
Echocardiograms are a fairly standard procedure and require no additional preparation on your part. It’s perfectly safe to eat and drink as you normally do before undergoing an echo, and it’s safe to take all of your doctor-prescribed medications at their usual times during the day of the test.
Q:
What Happens During the Test?
A:
You will be given a clean gown to change into for your echo procedure, and you’ll be asked to remove any valuables and jewelry that could potentially interfere with the medical equipment.
A cardiac sonographer at Homestead Diagnostic Center will ask you to remove your clothing from the waist up and place three electrodes secured by tiny, sticky patches to your chest. These record and relay information to an electrocardiograph (EKG) to monitor your heart’s naturally-occuring activity during the test.
Our sonographer will then request you to lie on your left side on a sterilized exam table. A sound-wave transducer (shaped like a small wand) will be placed on several areas of your chest to get more accurate data from your heart’s activity. These wands may have a small amount of cool gel on them to assist in getting a more accurate reading. This gel will not harm your skin. You may be asked to change positions several time throughout the echo procedure so multiple pictures can be taken of your heart so we can get a more reliable, comprehensive record of your heart’s activity. The sonographer may ask you to hold your breath for a few seconds at a time throughout the procedure as well.
Q:
What Happens After the Test?
A:
The echo procedure only takes about 30-50 minutes to complete, and once the procedure is finished, you are free to go home or attend other scheduled appointments.
After a professional sonographer at Homestead Diagnostic Center has reviewed your echo test, results will be recorded and added to your digital medical record. Your physician will have access to these results within one or two days and will likely reach out to you to discuss them.
All of your test results and images captured during the procedure are available to your referring doctor.
Homestead Diagnostic Center is committed to providing the best and most reliable echocardiogram services in the industry. If you have any questions for our radiology clinic, please contact us at 305-246-5600 today.