Can an Echocardiogram Detect Heart Failure?
If you’re wondering if you can see heart failure on an echocardiogram, the answer is usually yes. This medical imaging tool, which is also known as an echo, is an ultrasound scan of your heart and its main blood vessels.
An echo can create images of your heart in real-time. This allows your doctor to assess its structures and its function.
Here, we will explore how echocardiograms identify heart failure, how they compare to other tests of your heart and when you might need one.
What is an echocardiogram?
There are different types of echocardiograms. However, the standard echocardiogram, which is the recommended method for heart health checks, is called a transthoracic echocardiogram or TTE.
This is a non-invasive ultrasound scan of your heart. It uses high-frequency sound waves that pass into your body. The sound waves are beyond the range of human hearing. As they pass through your body, they bounce back whenever they encounter a boundary between different body tissues.
The sound waves that bounce back are called echoes. They are detected by the ultrasound probe and converted into electrical signals. The electrical signals are sent to a computer, where they are converted into dots of brightness on a screen.
As over 1,000 echoes can be detected in just one second, an echocardiogram can create real-time images of your heart as it beats.
How echocardiograms identify heart failure
As an echocardiogram creates images of the structures of your heart in real-time, it provides key indicators of whether it is working well or not.
Key indicators of heart failure in scans
There are several measurements that can be observed during an echocardiogram that can indicate heart failure. These include:
Ejection fraction
This refers to how much blood is pumped out of the bottom left chamber of your heart (left ventricle) every time your heart beats. It is measured as a percentage of the total blood in the left ventricle. A healthy heart has an ejection fraction of 55–70%.
It is important to note that you can still have heart failure if you have a normal ejection fraction. This is called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Left ventricle size
If your left ventricle is enlarged, it can be a sign that it is not able to pump out enough blood with every heartbeat.
Left ventricle thickening
Left ventricular hypertrophy can be a sign that you are developing heart failure. This refers to thickening of the wall of your left ventricle.
Blood flow
A measurement called the E/A ratio changes during heart disease. It refers to the speed of blood flow through the mitral valve (the valve that opens into your left ventricle) at two different points when your heart relaxes during a heartbeat.
Comparing echocardiograms to other tests
Echo vs ECG
An echocardiogram measures the structures of your heart in real-time, which allows it to determine how well it is functioning. An ECG, on the other hand, does not provide any visual information. Instead, an ECG measures the electrical activity of your heart.
An ECG is, therefore, recommended for detecting:
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arrhythmias
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heart block, ie problems with the transmission of electrical signals from the upper part of your heart to the lower part
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signs of a heart attack
An echo is recommended for:
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detecting heart failure
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diagnosing the type of heart failure
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detecting heart valve problems
Echo vs Cardiac MRI scan
Both an echo and a cardiac MRI create images of the structures of the heart. However, a cardiac MRI provides higher-resolution images. It can, therefore, provide more accurate measurements of the key indicators of heart failure compared to an echocardiogram.
What’s more, a cardiac MRI can clearly image every part of the heart. However, a standard echo (transthoracic echocardiogram) can sometimes struggle to create clear images of structures at the back of the heart. This is because the soundwaves used in an echo must pass through a greater depth of tissue to reach the back of the heart.
However, an echo is less expensive than a cardiac MRI and does not require you to have a contrast agent.
Echo vs cardiac CT scan
Although cardiac CT scans and echocardiograms both detect the structures of the heart and its main blood vessels, they usually investigate different aspects of the heart.
Cardiac CT scans are better at imaging the blood vessels that supply your heart (coronary arteries). They are, therefore, best suited for diagnosing narrowing of the coronary arteries and coronary artery disease.
Echocardiograms are better at imaging your heart valves and assessing how well your heart is working. They are, therefore, best suited for diagnosing heart valve defects and heart failure.
Moreover, echocardiograms do not use any contrast agent or ionising radiation — both are used in cardiac CT scans.
When to consider an echocardiogram for your heart health
If you have a family history of heart problems, an echocardiogram can help you find out the status of your heart health. You may also want to check your heart health with an echo if you have any of the following symptoms:
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breathlessness
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dizziness
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fainting
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fatigue
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lightheadedness
These can all be signs of heart failure or other heart problems.
At Vista Health, you can self-refer for a private echocardiogram. Once your echo is booked, you do not need to do anything special to prepare. You can eat and drink as normal and take your usual medications in the run up to your scan.
Next steps after an echocardiogram test
After your echo at Vista Health, we aim to send you a report of your results within 3 working days. This report can also be sent to your NHS GP and will contain insights from one of our experienced cardiologists.
You can then book an appointment with one of our expert GPs to discuss your results and how they may affect your particular circumstances. Your dedicated Vista Health GP will provide advice and guidance on how to get your heart health back on track if necessary.
Ready to take charge of your heart health?
Book your private echocardiogram at any one of our nationwide clinics today.
Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373148
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-failure/