Ultrasound Procedures
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound test that uses high-frequency sound waves to look at the inside of the heart. It shows how well the heart muscle and valves are working and accurately measures the size of the heart. The length of the test is approximately one hour. For more information about this test, visit The American Society of Echocardiography's website. There are no special instructions for this procedure.
Carotid Doppler
This is an ultrasound test that uses high-frequency sound waves to look at the inside of the carotid arteries in the neck. The carotid arteries supply blood to the brain and this test is used to determine if there is any plaque or blockage in the arteries. Plaque, narrowing, or blockage can be a cause for stroke. The length of the test is approximately 1 hour. No special instructions.
Right to Left Shunt Study
This test is done to find out if there is abnormal flow of blood from the venous side of the circulation to the arterial side. Before the procedure, an IV will be inserted into a vein in your arm. A normal saline solution is injected into the vein through the IV. An ultrasound machine is used to detect the presence of this saline solution in the arterial circulation. The length of the test is approximately 30 minutes. No special instructions.
If you have any questions or need more information,
please contact our office at (360) 373-2547.
