heart ultrasound is an informative and safe method of diagnosis, another name for this procedure is echocardiography( Echocardiography), what will this study show, what diseases it reveals and who needs to go through it?
The value of this diagnostic method lies in the fact that it is able to determine the pathologies of the heart muscle at the earliest stages, when the patient does not yet have any symptoms of heart disease. The simplicity and safety of the method makes it possible to apply it in children and adults.
In case of serious indications, it is possible to determine the pathologies of heart development in the fetus by the echocardiography before the birth of the child.
Why is echocardiogram used
Echocardiography is used to detect changes in tissue structurecardiac muscle, dystrophic processes, malformations and diseases of this organ.
A similar study is conducted in pregnant women with suspected fetal developmental pathologies, signs of developmental delay, the presence of epilepsy in a woman, diabetes, endocrine disorders.
Indications for echocardiography may be symptoms of heart defects, with suspected myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm, inflammatory diseases, neoplasms of any etiology.
The ultrasound of the heart of must necessarily be performed if symptoms such as
- are present;
- weakness during exercise and regardless of it;
- heart palpitations:
- heartbeat interruptions;
- swelling of the hands and feet;
- complications after the flu, ARVI, sore throat, rheumatism;
- Hypertension.
The examination can be done in the direction of the cardiologist and at will. There are no known contraindications to its conduct .Special preparation for ultrasound of the heart is not carried out, enough to calm down and try to keep a balanced state.
The specialist evaluates the following parameters during the study:
- myocardial state in the phase of systole and diastole( contraction and relaxation);
- dimensions of the heart chambers, their structure and wall thickness;
- condition of the pericardium and the presence of exudate in the cardiac sac;
- functioning and structure of arterial and venous valves;
- presence of thrombi, neoplasms;
- presence of consequences of infectious diseases, inflammatory process, noises in the heart.
The processing of results is most often done using a computer program.
More details about this research technique are described in this video:
Normal indices in adults and newborns
It is impossible to determine uniform standards of the norm of the heart muscle condition for men and women, for adults and children of different ages, for young and elderly patients. The values below are average values, in each case there may be small discrepancies between .
| Indicators | In adults | In newborns | |
| The thickness of the wall of the left ventricle in the phase of systole | 10-16 mm | 4 - 5 mm | |
| The same in the diastole | 8-11 mm | 3-4 mm | |
| Right ventricular wall thickness | 3Thickness of interventricular septum in phase of systole | 10-15 mm | 4 - 8 mm |
| Same in diastole | 6-11 mm | 3 - 5 mm | |
| Diameter of aorta | 18-35 mm | ||
| Left ventricular ejection fraction | More than 50% | 66 - 76% | |
| Heart rate | 70 - 75 | 120 - 140 | |
| The mass of the myocardium | 90-140 g - for women 130 - 180 g - for men |
The aortic valve in adults should open at 1.5 or more centimeters, the opening area of the mitral valve is 4 cm2 in adults. The volume of exudate( fluid) in the heart bag should not exceed 30 square meters.
Deviations from the norm and the principles of deciphering the results
As a result of echocardiography, it is possible to detect such pathologies of development and functioning of the heart muscle and concomitant diseases:
- heart failure;
- slowing, acceleration or irregular heartbeats( tachycardia, bradycardia);
- pre-infarction, a heart attack;
- arterial hypertension;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- Inflammatory diseases: myocarditis of the heart, endocarditis, exudative or constrictive pericarditis;
- cardiomyopathy;
- signs of angina pectoris;
- heart defects.
The examination protocol is filled in by a specialist who performs ultrasound of the heart. The parameters of the functioning of the cardiac muscle in this document are indicated in two meanings: the norm and the parameters of the subject. In the protocol, abbreviations incomprehensible to the patient may occur:
- MMLJ - mass of the left ventricle;
- LVMI - mass index;
- CRA - the final diastolic size;
- BEFORE - long axis;
- TO - short axis;
- LP - left atrium;
- PP - right atrium;
- FV - ejection fraction;
- MK - mitral valve;
- AK - aortic valve;
- DM - motion of the myocardium;
- DR - diastolic size;
- UO - stroke volume( the amount of blood that ejects the left ventricle in one cut;
- TMZHPD - the thickness of the myocardium of the interventricular septum in the diastole phase;
- TMMZHPs - the same, in the systole phase.
Dangerous diagnoses when additional studies and treatment are required
Features of the structure of the heart, the thickness of its walls, the features of functioning, the condition of the valves, reflected in the protocol of ultrasound of the heart, help to establish the correct diagnosis. Based on the results of EchoCG, a cardiologist can offer to undergo additional laboratory and instrumental examination of , and will prescribe a treatment.
Heart muscle ultrasound results requiring refining diagnostics:
-
Slowing of the opening of the arterial valve, closing of this valve in the systole phase, excessively increased right ventricular ejection - signs of pulmonary hypertension. In other words - , the pressure in the pulmonary artery increases with the growing .The same diagnosis can be indicated by an increase in the right ventricle, a paradoxical systolic pressure. In acute form of hypertension, the thickness of the ventricular wall is from 6 to 8 to 10 mm.
- Increased ventricle and atrial wall, the presence of a discharge of blood from the aorta into the pulmonary artery is a sign of such congenital heart disease as an open arterial duct that connects the aorta to the pulmonary artery.
- An increase in the thickness of the walls and volume of the cardiac cavity in combination with a delay in development, the discharge of blood into the right ventricle from the left - signs of a congenital defect of the interventricular septum, a gap between the left and right ventricles.
- Thickened atria, a gap in the interatrial septum are signs of the congenital defect of this septum.
- Thickening of the walls of the mitral valve, stenosis of the right ventricle and left atrium are signs of stenosis. It is a reduction in the gap between the left ventricle and the left atrium. Additional symptoms of : tachycardia, pain in the heart, shortness of breath, dizziness.
- Increased thickness and volume of the left atrial and ventricular wall, weak compression of the valves of the mitral valve in the phase of systole - signs of prolapse of this valve. Additional signs: weakness, shortness of breath, intolerance to physical exertion.
- Pathologically weak contractions of the myocardial portion are a sign of the myocardial infarction transferred .
- Moisture accumulated in the pericardium( cardiac sac) is a sign of of exudative pericarditis .
- Reduction in the function of contraction, an increase in the size of the heart chambers, a reduction in the total volume of left ventricular ejection below 50% is a sign of the inflammatory process that affected the myocardium .
- Branches and tears on the heart valves - signs of infective endocarditis.
For the statement of the specified diagnosis, the cardiologist will collect an anamnesis, prescribe an additional examination and the optimal treatment for each case.
