Echocardiogram at The Children’s Hospital
An echocardiogram (ECHO) is a non-invasive test that is essentially an ultrasound of the heart and uses sound waves to create images of the heart. From this test, doctors can learn an enormous amount of information about the structure and the blood flow within the heart. It can show critical heart defects and structural or valve abnormalities in children of all ages. There is no known risk from exposure to ultrasound waves.
The ECHO Lab at The Children’s Hospital
A team of sonographers and board-certified cardiologists is on call at all times to image little hearts whenever necessary. All clinical activities of the echocardiography laboratory are closely linked with an active research program, which means you are getting the best care possible for your child. Services of the ECHO Lab include:
- Standard transthoracic echocardiography
- Transesophageal echocardiography
- 3D-echocardiography
- Tissue Doppler
- Strain imaging
- Intravascular ultrasound
The fetal echocardiography program also uses ultrasound to diagnose heart defects in utero, before the baby is born. Many questions can be answered before a child with a heart defect is born and there is continuity of care for the infant. Telemedicine is practiced on a daily basis so that hospitals in other parts of the state can transmit echocardiographic studies to The Children's Hospital for review. This means that patients can now be examined locally and do not have to travel to Denver.
What to Expect From an Echocardiogram
The technician at The Children’s Hospital will need for your child to lie very still for 30-45 minutes. So in some cases, very small children may need to be sedated to get an adequate result from this test.
Parent Tip from mom, Kellie:
"My child had just turned 4 when we did our first echocardiogram. He was able to be still enough for the test and did not require sedation. I was able to sit right on the table with him during the entire test. Do not expect the technician to tell you if they are finding anything abnormal; they are not allowed to give out this information during the testing process. However, if they do find an anomaly, a cardiologist will usually see you at this same visit so you shouldn’t have to wait long for a diagnosis. Absolutely bring your own special stuffed animal to hold onto during the test. We do this every time, and it makes all the difference in the world to my son. Also, they have to take their shirt off and have stickers placed on their chest. My son doesn’t like this very much, but once again, knowing what to expect and how to prepare him helps us greatly."
