Also known as a cardiac ultrasound, an echocardiogram is diagnostic sonography of the heart. In other words, it uses sound waves to take “moving pictures” of the heart in order to create a two- or three-dimensional image. It can provide a wealth of helpful information, including the size and shape of the heart, its pumping capacity, and the location and extent of any damage to its tissues

Additionally, an echocardiogram may be used to produce an accurate assessment of the velocity of blood and cardiac tissue at any arbitrary point using pulsed or continuous wave Doppler ultrasound. This is helpful in assessing the function of cardiac valves.

To learn more about echocardiograms, visit WebMD stress echocardiograms.