Your doctor may use an echo test to look at your heart’s structure and check how well your heart functions. The test helps your doctor find out:

• The size and shape of your heart, and the size, thickness and movement of your heart’s walls.
• How your heart moves.
• The heart’s pumping strength.
• If the heart valves are working correctly.
• If blood is leaking backwards through your heart valves (regurgitation).
• If the heart valves are too narrow (stenosis).
• If there is a tumor or infectious growth around your heart valves.

The test also will help your doctor find out if there are:

• Problems with the outer lining of your heart (the pericardium).
• Problems with the large blood vessels that enter and leave the heart.
• Blood clots in the chambers of your heart.
• Abnormal holes between the chambers of the heart.