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Imagine a test that isn't invasive, causes no pain, only takes a minute or two to perform and produces an instantaneous, three dimensional picture of a beating heart that can be manipulated so a doctor can see the organ from any angle — almost as if he were holding the patient's heart in his hands.
Sound like futuristic science fiction? It's not. Instead, it's a new advance in echocardiography in use now at Emory where the echocardiography laboratory is the first in Georgia to offer 3D ultrasounds of the heart.
Echocardiography, which uses sound waves to create moving pictures of the heart, is one of the most widely used diagnostic tests for heart disease. Without exposing patients to radiation, echocardiograms provide detailed images that can provide a wealth of helpful information — including the size and shape of the heart, its pumping strength, and the location and extent of any damage to its tissues. The new 3D technology can help doctors make better diagnostic decisions because they can view the data from any angleand see views not obtainable from conventional two dimensional echo.
For more information about 3D Echo at The Emory Clinic at ECLH, call (404) 778-7777.
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