Color flow Doppler imaging is a method of visualizing direction and velocity of movement using Doppler ultrasonography and coding them as colors and shades, respectively. Echocardiography is a diagnostic procedure that uses ultrasound waves to form an image of the heart muscle. Ultrasound waves that bounce off or echo from the heart can show the size, shape, and movement of the heart's valves and chambers as well as the flow of blood throughout the heart. Echocardiography may show such afflictions as poorly functioning heart valves or damage to the heart tissue from a past heart attack. The technique is very similar to ultrasound scanning commonly used to visualize the fetus during pregnancy.
Echocardiography is used to diagnose certain cardiovascular maladies. In fact, it is one of the most widely used diagnostic tests for heart disease and the damage it causes. It can provide a great deal 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. It is especially useful for assessing diseases which strike the heart valves.
Echocardiography not only lets doctors evaluate the heart valves, it can detect abnormalities in the pattern of blood flow, such as the backward flow of blood through partly closed heart valves. This is known as regurgitation. By assessing the motion of the heart wall, echocardiography can help find and assess the severity of coronary artery disease, as well as help determine whether any chest pain is caused by heart disease.
A Doppler echocardiogram measures the speed and direction of the blood flow inside the heart. It screens the four valves for suspected leaks and other such abnormalities. By assigning color to all directions of blood flow, (Color Flow Mapping), large areas of blood flow may be studied. These color flow mappings allow abnormal blood flow characteristics to be interpreted by the cardiologist and researched and treated accordingly.
At OFMC, we provide comprehensive Cardiology services, testing and treatments. Whether you have been diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition or are just looking for a Cardiologist, we can meet all of your needs. Dr. James London, M.D. is our Board Certified Cardiologist.
Phone: 352-237-4133
Fax: 352-873-4581
E-mail: info@ocalafmc.com
