Our state-of-the-art equipment provides you with the latest advances in cutting-edge care. Dr. Maddahi uses the 2D echo heart scan to get a picture of your heart in action. Using sound wave technology, he can see how your heart valves and chambers are operating, providing you with excellent, non-invasive cardiology technology in Los Angeles. A two-dimensional echocardiogram is a completely non-invasive test, so there’s no need for an operation.
How Does It Work
A two-dimensional echocardiogram (2DE) is an ultrasound scan that produces a moving image of your heart. Unlike a traditional echocardiogram, which only produces still images, a 2DE allows your doctor to see your heart in motion. During the procedure, a transducer (a small hand-held device) is placed on your chest to emit sound waves that bounce off your heart. These sound waves are converted into electrical signals and displayed on a monitor as moving images of your heart.
Why Is It Done
The 2D echo heart scan can provide important information about the size and shape of your heart chambers, the thickness of your heart walls, and the pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart). By using Doppler sound waves, Dr. Maddahi will also view the direction and velocity of blood and check the major blood vessels that exit the heart. This information can help your doctor determine if you have a heart condition, such as a heart murmur or an enlarged heart. 2DE can also assess how well your heart is pumping blood and identify areas of your heart that do not receive enough blood flow.
What to Expect
Before a 2D echocardiogram, you will be asked to complete paperwork about your medical history and medications. You will be asked to remove any clothing or jewelry that might get in the way of the test. During the test, you will lie on your left side on an exam table. A clear gel will be spread over your chest. A transducer will be moved around on your chest. The transducer is a small, hand-held device that sends sound waves and picks up their echoes, creating a picture of your heart on a monitor. The test usually takes 30 to 60 minutes.
Prevent Needing Unnecessary Surgeries
Providing patients with a 2D echo heart scan is just one more example of how Dr. Maddahi works to provide you with the best cardiology in Los Angeles and the least amount of discomfort. By having the best equipment available and by using non-invasive procedures, there is no reason to put off getting your heart tested. We provide the care and skill to bring your vision of health into reality.