Second medical facility in Oregon to offer Gorge-area heart patients the
benefits of bubble echocardiography technology.
Echo can also identify areas of heart muscle that are contracting well
because of poor blood flow or injury from a heart attack, detect possible
blood clots, fluid build up and problems with the aorta.
Bubble echocardiography uses tiny gas bubbles injected into the blood stream
to help the MCMC | OHSU Cardiology physicians visualize the heart and
its function with greater detail than available through traditional echocardiography.
Our newest heart specialist, Dr. Kevin Wei, is one of the leading experts
in the use of this technology.
VIDEO PROFILE: Dr Kevin Wei, Cardiologist
The different types of echocardiograms are*:
- Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). This is the most common type. Views
of the heart are obtained by moving the transducer to different locations
on the chest or abdominal wall.
- Stress echocardiogram. During this test, an echocardiogram is done both
before and after the heart is stressed either by having the patient exercise
or by injecting a medicine that makes the heart beat harder and faster.
A stress echocardiogram is usually done to find out if a patient might
have decreased blood flow to the heart (coronary artery disease, or CAD).
- Doppler echocardiogram. This test is used to look at how blood flows through
the heart chambers, heart valves, and blood vessels. The movement of the
blood reflects sound waves to a transducer. The ultrasound computer then
measures the direction and speed of the blood flowing through the heart
and blood vessels. Doppler measurements may be displayed in black and
white or in color.
- Echo can be used as part of a stress test and with an electrocardiogram
(EKG or ECG) to help your doctor learn more about your heart.
*Test descriptions courtesy of WebMD