A Guide to Understanding Echocardiogram Results (2024)

FAQs

How do you read an echocardiogram test results? ›

A normal EF is about 55-65 per cent. It's important to understand that “normal” is not 100 per cent. Measuring the EF helps your doctor to understand how well the heart is pumping. Generally an EF below 40 per cent is considered a sign that the heart is not pumping as well as it should.

In most cases, this is estimated by eye from all the available echo views. A normal ejection fraction is 50%–80%, but values as low as 5% are compatible with life (end-stage heart failure).

A normal ejection fraction range is between 52 and 72 percent for men and between 54 and 74 percent for women. An ejection fraction that's higher or lower may be a sign of heart failure or an underlying heart condition.

A low number can be serious. If your ejection fraction is 35% or below, you're at high risk of developing a dangerous arrhythmia or even heart failure.

b) What does 60% mean in an echo report? The 60% in a 2D echo test report is the ejection fraction (percentage of blood pumped out of the filled left ventricle with each contraction of the heart). A normal ejection fraction ranges between 50-70%. –

Atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD): While an echo cannot show blockages in arteries, narrowing and clogged arteries can affect the heart's pumping ability and wall motion. This is more evident during stress, making a stress echo a good diagnostic test.

Why do they check your stomach during an echocardiogram? ›

This is similar to how gastroscopy (a stomach examination) is done. Because the food pipe is located right behind the heart, this examination can deliver more exact images than an echocardiogram done from outside the body. TEE is especially good at examining the atria and the valves of the heart.

In general, follow-up after an echo is focused on the treatment of your heart condition. For example: If the test was used to diagnose a congenital heart condition, the next steps may include surgical repair. If it detected heart failure, medication adjustments may be needed.

Heart failure due to systolic dysfunction is relatively easy to diagnose by echocardiography which demonstrates a dilated left ventricle with a reduced ejection fraction.

An echocardiogram can help detect: damage from a heart attack – where the supply of blood to the heart was suddenly blocked. heart failure – where the heart fails to pump enough blood around the body at the right pressure. congenital heart disease – birth defects that affect the normal workings of the heart.

You may have trouble breathing, an irregular heartbeat, swollen legs, neck veins that stick out, and sounds from fluid built up in your lungs. Your doctor will check for these and other signs of heart failure. A test called an echocardiogram is often the best test to diagnose your heart failure.

LV EF (%) Left ventricular ejection fraction (Biplane) 52 - 72.

According to the American Heart Association: A left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction of about 50% to 70% is categorized as normal. A mildly reduced LV ejection fraction is usually between 41% and 49%. A reduced LV ejection fraction is usually 40% or less.