Echo questions

[Sarabarberra]

I just had an echocardiogram today for palpitations. At the last point when she was scanning the aorta, she kept having me hold my breath and then took a measurement of something that looked like a flap over to the left of the aorta. I came home to look this up and all of these pictures keep popping up of AAA and dissection. What else could it have been? Wouldn't she be required to have me stay there if she found something like that, or would they just send the results to my doctor still? I am nervous now after havig this done, and have to wait all weekend for results :(

[CCFHeartMD20]

Hi joshtaylor3,

I'm not sure what you were having the echocardiogram for.  Given you are young, they may have been focusing on something specific and took very focused images.  The other possibility is that because you are young, the images were easier to get (particularly if you are thin).  We usually give patients a maximum amount of time it will take, so that they can plan accordingly.  I wouldn't worry.  Your doctor will call you if there are any concerns.

Hope this helps,
CCFHeartMD20

[joshtaylor3]

i have just had echo ultra sound and im only 18 i went into the room and she done the ultra sound but i got told it was about 30 to 45 miniuts long but i was only like 5 to 10 miniuts it was very quick she said to me that is anouth i have what i need  what do you think she ment and why was it so fast

[joshtaylor3]

ok i had a echo test and i got told it is about 30 to 45 miniuts long but my test was only like 5 miniuts she said that will be all i have what i need what do you think she ment and why was it so fast

[Sarabarberra]

Thank you for your response. It was when she was scanning my abdominal area that I saw all of this. I will definitely call them next week for results. I'm not good at waiting :)

[CCFHeartMD20]

Hi Sarabarberra,

It's obviously hard to answer this question not having been there, but I can tell you what I think is going on.

First off, the left side of your heart (the part of the heart that pumps blood to the the rest of the body) has two valves we look at with echocardiography: the mitral and the aortic valve.  If you were in fact looking at the region of the aorta close to the heart, the flap you probably saw was the aortic valve moving back and forth.  I'm not sure what view of the heart they were taking at that point, but that would be my guess.  

As for holding your breath, the techs will often tell you to hold your breath at certain times to get better views of the heart.  That is pretty routine.  

If they find something of concern, the tech will usually notify your cardiologist right away.  They wouldn't send you home to wait for results if they found something life threatening.  I would wait until you hear from your doctor early next week.  If you don't hear from him/her, give them a call for the results.  

Hope this helps!
CCFHeartMD20