ECHOCARDIOGRAPH

Typical Number in Hospital: 2

Cost Bands: 4,5

References: 1

The pattern of movement of structures within the heart can be visualized from the changing echo pattern from ultrasonic waves delivered through the skin above the heart. There are two main types of echocardiograph. The most common type is the M-mode scanner which produces a single line B-scan on a cathode ray tube which shows bright dots corresponding to the various surfaces within the heart. This line of dots is swept slowly across the screen so that the movement of each surface is drawn out showing the waveform of these movements. See M-mode scanner for further details.

Modern echocardiographs may also show a section scan of the heart as seen through a 'window' between the ribs, or from a point on the abdomen below the rib cage. Such scanners are usually sector scanners which provide a triangular image of a part of the heart to show the motion of the chambers and valves. Such devices are used in the cardiology department for investigation of heart valve defects.

There are many types of scanner providing these moving pictures and further details can be found under entries for B- scanner, Section scanner, and Phased array scanner.