Ultrasound Tests San Diego
Ultrasound tests involve the use of sound waves to create a visible image to evaluate the function of your heart, arteries, veins, or another area of the body. In this test, a gel is applied to the area to be evaluated, and the handpiece, called a transducer, is passed over that area to produce images. We perform several types of ultrasound tests at San Diego Cardiac Center, which are described below.
Now Accepting New Patients!
Echocardiogram
This ultrasound test is performed to check heart function. It allows your doctor to check for problems affecting the valves or chambers of your heart. The goal is to discover the cause of symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain.
Carotid Ultrasound
The carotid arteries are on each side of your neck. These arteries deliver blood from the heart to the brain. A carotid ultrasound is performed to identify blocked or narrowed carotid arteries, which may pose a risk of stroke. It is a safe and pain-free test that involves putting a special gel on the area and moving the ultrasound device over your skin, which emits sound energy that creates images of the arteries and the blood moving through them. These arteries may be narrowed due to the buildup of plaque.
Lower Extremity Venous Ultrasound
Your legs are the most distant limbs from your heart, and the veins in the legs can be prone to blood pooling due to the valves within the veins failing to halt the backflow of blood.
A lower extremity venous ultrasound can be performed to identify blood clots that may form in your lower extremities, called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or detect peripheral arterial disease.
This is a painless, non-invasive test that involves applying a gel to the legs and running the ultrasound device over the area.
Transesophageal Echocardiogram
This ultrasound test is used to evaluate the structure and function of the heart. It provides a very accurate picture of the structure, as it involves inserting a probe down the esophagus, which improves accuracy as the sound waves emitted by the device do not have to pass through your skin, muscle tissue, and bone.
The waves bounce off the heart structure, creating an “echo,” which translates into images your heart doctor can use in diagnosing a condition.
This test may be necessary for people who have a large amount of excess weight or a lung condition that makes it more difficult to get a good image through the surface of the skin. This test may be performed to diagnose mitral valve disorders, blood clots, damage to the aorta, clogged arteries, enlarged heart, congenital heart disease, heart failure, an aneurysm, a range of other heart diseases and conditions, or to evaluate how an artificial heart valve is functioning. A local anesthetic is administered to the back of your throat to make the procedure more comfortable.
