Echocardiogram: What to Expect

An echocardiogram — often just called an "echo" — is one of the most common tests we perform, and for good reason: it's painless, uses no radiation, and gives your cardiologist a live, moving picture of your heart. If you have one coming up, here's exactly what to expect.

What an echocardiogram actually measures

The test uses high-frequency sound waves — the same basic technology used for prenatal ultrasound — to create real-time images of your heart's chambers, valves, and major vessels. Your sonographer and cardiologist use these images to check how well your heart is pumping, whether your valves are opening and closing properly, and whether there's any unusual fluid, thickening, or structural change.

Before your appointment

There's very little prep required. Eat and drink normally, take your regular medications unless your doctor says otherwise, and wear a shirt that's easy to remove from the waist up — you'll be given a gown for the exam. Plan to be at the clinic for about 45 minutes to an hour, though the actual scanning time is usually 30–40 minutes.

During the scan

You'll lie on an exam table, usually turned slightly onto your left side, while a small handheld probe (transducer) is moved across your chest with a bit of gel to help conduct the sound waves. You may be asked to hold your breath briefly or shift position so we can capture clear images from different angles. It's completely painless — most patients say it feels similar to a regular ultrasound.

Will it hurt?

No. You might feel gentle pressure from the probe, and the gel can feel cool at first, but there is no discomfort, needles, or radiation involved.

After the test

You can resume normal activities immediately — there's no recovery time needed. Your images are reviewed by a cardiologist, and results are typically sent to your referring physician within a few business days. If you have any urgent concerns in the meantime, please call our office.