Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español
Government Funding Lapse
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

echocardiogram

(EH-koh-KAR-dee-oh-gram)
A computer picture of the heart created by bouncing high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) off internal tissues or organs of the chest. Echocardiograms show the size, shape, and position of the heart. They also show the parts inside the heart, such as the valves, and the motion of the heart while it is beating. An echocardiogram may be used to help diagnose heart problems, such as abnormal heart valves and heart rhythms, damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack, and heart murmurs. Echocardiograms can also show an infection on or around the heart valves, blood clots or tumors inside the heart, and fluid buildup in the sac around the heart.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms