Specialised cardiac imaging

A transthoracic echo is a test which provides information on heart muscle and valve function. It's useful before and after cardiac surgery and if you've had a heart attack. 

The physiologist will move a small, hand-held probe across your chest to get ultrasound images.

The test takes around 30 minutes. 

A Trans oesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) is a detailed ultrasound image of your heart done by using a long flexible probe that is passed into your mouth and down your food pipe.

This helps our specialists to see your heart chambers and valves which allows us to examine how efficiently they are working. 

This procedure provides the most accurate information when diagnosing:

• Infection of the heart valves (endocarditis).
• The need to repair or replace the valve, or whether the valve needs stretching (valvuloplasty).
• A blood clot (thrombus) in the heart chambers.

The procedure is performed as a day case, under sedation. You will be able to go home two to three hours after the procedure.

The Dobutamine Stress Echo (DSE) aims to make the patient's heart beat faster and harder using the drug Dobutamine and occasionally atropine. Abnormalities not seen at rest can then be detected (ischemia) and areas of muscle which are thought not to be working can be assessed to see if they have the ability to recover (viability).

The test is performed by a team including a consultant, a physiologist and a nurse. Patients are admitted to Thames Ward as a day patient, and the procedure and is usually performed under a light sedation.

If you have this test, you will be asked to cycle on a specially designed exercise bike. 

This will tip into a position allowing the physiologist to take images of your heart while cycling. This helps us to see and measure changes to your heart whilst exercising without having to use medication.

This may be unexplained shortness of breath, valve disease and heart muscle diseases can all be diagnosed using this procedure.