Scans and heart tests
Echocardiogram report explainer
An echo report goes through the heart chamber by chamber and valve by valve, with a measurement or a grade for each. Add your report below to see every line restated, with the abbreviations spelled out.
Explain your echocardiogram report
- 1. Add itDrop a PDF, take a photo or paste the text.
- 2. Check itPersonal details are removed on your device. You approve what is sent.
- 3. Read itSummary, table of results, terms and questions to ask.
The explainer opens on its own page with no adverts and no outside scripts. Your file is read on your device and is never uploaded.
What you get
- Chambers and valves listed separately with what the report says about each.
- Abbreviations such as LVEF, LA, RVSP and TR written out.
- Grades such as trace, mild, moderate and severe kept exactly as written.
- Questions to ask your cardiologist or doctor.
What the report contains
- LVEF (ejection fraction)The percentage of blood the left ventricle pumps out with each beat
- Chamber size and wall thickness for the left and right sides of the heart
- Wall motionWhether all parts of the heart muscle move as expected
- RegurgitationA valve letting some blood leak backward
- StenosisA valve opening that is narrowed
- Diastolic functionHow the heart relaxes and fills between beats
What this tool cannot tell you
Echo measurements vary a little from scan to scan and between operators, and mild findings are frequently reported in people with healthy hearts. What any finding means depends on your symptoms and history. MedicDecode restates the report and does not assess your heart. If you have chest pain, breathlessness or fainting, seek medical care; do not wait for an explanation.
Common questions
My report says trace or mild regurgitation. Is that a problem?
Reports grade valve leakage from trace to severe, and trace leakage of some valves is a frequent finding. Whether your grade matters is a question for your cardiologist.
What is the difference between TTE and TEE?
A transthoracic echo (TTE) is done with a probe on the chest. A transesophageal echo (TEE) uses a probe passed down the food pipe for a closer view.
Why is the ejection fraction given as a range?
It is an estimate, so many reports give a range such as 55 to 60 percent instead of a single number.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- Cardiomegaly
Cardiomegaly means the heart looks larger than expected, usually on a chest X-ray, and it is a description rather than a diagnosis.
- Ejection fraction
Ejection fraction is the percentage of blood the heart's main pumping chamber pushes out with each beat. It is one measure of heart pumping.
- Atelectasis
Atelectasis means part of a lung is not fully expanded, so the small air sacs there are partly or completely deflated.
- BI-RADS
BI-RADS is a scoring system from 0 to 6 used on mammogram, breast ultrasound and breast MRI reports to describe findings and next steps.
- Clinical correlation
Clinical correlation means the radiologist is asking your doctor to compare the scan with your symptoms, examination and other tests.
- Consolidation
Consolidation on a chest scan means part of the lung that is normally filled with air is filled with something else, such as fluid or pus.
- Contrast
Contrast is a dye given before or during a scan to make blood vessels and certain tissues show up more clearly.
- Cyst
A cyst is a closed sac with a thin wall that usually holds fluid, and simple cysts seen on scans are very common and usually harmless.
- Degenerative changes
Degenerative changes means wear-and-tear changes in joints or the spine that commonly happen with age and use.
- Disc bulge
A disc bulge means a spinal disc extends a little beyond its normal edge, usually evenly around a wide area. It is very common.
- Effusion
An effusion is extra fluid that has collected in a space in the body, such as around the lungs, in a joint or around the heart.
- Enhancement
Enhancement means an area becomes brighter on a scan after contrast dye is given, which shows it has a blood supply.
Medicines connected to this test
Their official labels mention this kind of test. Each is explained in plain English.
- Atenolol
a beta-blocker (beta-adrenergic blocker). The label describes it as a beta 1-selective, or cardioselective, blocking agent.
- Atorvastatin
a statin, a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor type
- Carvedilol
A beta-blocker. The FDA lists it as both an alpha-adrenergic blocker and a beta-adrenergic blocker.
- Dapagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a type of diabetes medicine
- Diclofenac Sodium
A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The FDA class is not listed on the label.
- Enalapril
An angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor
- Furosemide
A loop diuretic, a type of medicine that helps the body get rid of extra fluid through urine
- Loperamide
a synthetic antidiarrheal medicine