What You Should Know
On the day of the test, you should register with Outpatient Registration Area on the first floor of St. Rita's Medical Center behind the Information Desk. Plan to arrive thirty minutes before your scheduled testing time. Following registration, you will be directed to the Echo Lab in Cardiopulmonary Services on the second floor.

No preparation is required, however you are asked to wear a two-piece outfit. The test will take approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

For the test, you will undress from the waist up. A hospital gown will be provided for all female patients. During the test, you will lie on you left side on a table or cart. A small amount of a warm colorless gel is applied to the chest to enhance the ultrasound waves. A small microphone-like device called a transducer is held against the chest. This transducer sends ultrasound waves that bounce off the various parts of the heart. A computer uses the information coming from the transducer to construct an image of the heart. The image is displayed on a television screen and recorded on videotape.

The recordings and measurements will be stored on videotape. This will be reviewed by a cardiologist within the next 48 hours. A report will be dictated and sent to the ordering physician and any referring physicians. Results will be shared with you directly from your ordering physician.