Anyone ever have an echo that could not visualize ANY of the valves??

[Nancy]

I'm looking at Joe's latest echo.

None of the four valves was well visualized. They were able to get measurements, and I guess it was sufficient to be able to determine most things.

The technician did mention that the study was technically difficult and that Joe had poor echocardiographic windows.

So, if you think the echo is the end-all, be-all, NOT.

It seems that for Joe, at least, TEEs are much better.

 

[McCln]

Nancy

Nancy

On my echo's, they had to give me a medication to make my aortic valve showup on the screen. You should talk to the tech that did the echo cardiogram about the valve not showing up clearly. Never hurts to ask questions. Take care and be careful if there is now your way.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I think that the material that the valves are made of don't "photograph" well on an echo. Mine is kind of a blob. They look at the blood flow, opening, etc. to make sure it's working. When I had an upper GI, I was able to see it easily.

 

[bvdr]

I don't know how common it is Nancy. Were they able to get the information that they needed, and if so, was it good?

By the way, I'm sorry that Joe didn't make the year without having to go back in the hospital. I'm also glad he is doing better.
I hope that you are too.

 

[Nancy]

It looks as if the Doppler got the measurements, and the other measurements seem to be there. Maybe he's got too much scar tissue for the transducer to do a good job. Joe said she spent a lot of time and was using some heavy pressure.

At any rate, there seems to be no changes from the last echo they did while he was in the hospital a year ago in January, and it's quite a bit better than the one he had a few years ago. I guess the Tracleer and the other medicine changes helped a lot.

I think I'll discuss it with the cardiologist and pulmonologist at the next visit and see what they think.

 

[terry40]

Nancy

Nancy

This is just a thought, pre-surgery they would press on my chest so hard I'd swear I was going to have bruising, but I never complained, 'cause I wanted a good clear echo.

But my post surgery one was as uncomfortable, they didn't press all that hard, and the picture wasn't as clear either. Maybe the TEE is best for me too.

 

[Bryan B]

As far as the medication they inject to get a better view, I think you may be talking about the bubble echo (which I had when they were checking to see if I had endocarditis). They start a heplock and inject some saline into the heplock. As that travels through your vein and into the heart, the bubbles in the saline show up as "sparkles" which give the tech a better view if there are any defects. Even though they are injecting a solution, there are still very small air bubbles in the saline that gives them a better view. When they did mine they think they found a small PFO that has gone undetected until now. I may be getting that patched along with the VSD and valve replacement...a total overhaul...lol.

 

[Kathy]

Nancy,

Every time I have had an echo I feel like the guest star at a medical freak show. I have dextrocardia (heart on the wrong side) with an unusual twist as well. It seems as though the original tech can never get a view, then after a prolonged attempt to find the valve, they call someone else in to assist. Sometimes a third person is called.

I especially disliked the stress echo where it seemed that everyone in the department kept running in as I was on the treadmill in an exposed state. I said to one of the techs that I felt like a sideshow. He had a rather distressed look on his face as he insisted that I was not. I explained that he was running the machine and that did not qualify him to evaluate my feelings! He did close the door.

The echo that I had after surgery was very uncomfortable. The second tech came and finally got a picture. The original tech was so excited about the whole show that she ran over to the radiologist's office and waited in line to have the echo reviewed. In her excitement, she forgot to send the pics over to the radio's computer! I had to wait on that guerney while she sent it over again. She came back 1/2 hour later and told me how much everyone enjoyed my film. I said that while they were enjoying my film I was on sitting on a guerney feeling very uncomfortable.

The whole set of experiences has made me wonder about the validity of my own echograms!

 

[Bunny_Rabbit]

I remember going for an echo one time and the lady doing it mentioned how a persons weight can affect the picture of the valves. I know mine always show up rather well (because I've got some meat on my bones). My boyfriend went for an echo to rule out heart problems, and they had a difficult time because he's so super skinny.

Just a thought.

 

[Nancy]

Could be, Bunny. Joe is rather thin.

 

[chilihead]

valve pictures

valve pictures

I was always told that I took "great pictures" at the echoes. Then when I had my AVR they found that I actually had a bicuspid aortic valve. The third cusp of the valve was fused together. So all this time I thought I had regurgitation from a tricuspid and actuall had a bicuspid. It just goes to show that the echoe doesn't always tell the whole story.

Regards,

Jim
Ross procedure 11/18/04

PS I'm doing cardiac rehab and just got back from a 30 minute bike ride!