Echocardiography Echocardiography refers to a family of examinations that provide images of the heart and great vessels by use of ultrasound. Echocardiography is painless, harmless and usually takes less than an hour to perform. Echocardiography is an excellent way to examine heart chamber size, wall thickness, left ventricular function and valvular function. There are different forms of echocardiography.  Transthoracic Echocardiography Transthoracic echocardiography is the standard form of testing. You will be asked to remove your clothing from the waist up. Women will be given a gown to wear during the procedure. You will lie on your back or left side on a bed or exam table during the test. A sonographer will apply gel to your chest that helps the sound waves reach your heart. A wand-like device or transducer will then be moved around your chest to capture and record images of your heart.    Doppler Ultrasound Doppler ultrasound technique is often used during transthoracic echocardiography. Doppler ultrasound is used to measure direction of blood flow and velocity through the heart valves and chambers. Blood flow direction is represented by different colors that will appear on the screen of the echocardiogram machine. Stress Echocardiography Stress echocardiography is a transthoracic echocardiogram combined with either an exercise or chemical stress test. For an exercise stress test, you walk or run on a treadmill to make your heart beat fast and pump hard. For a chemical stress test, you are given a medicine to make your heart beat fast and pump hard. Echocardiography images are obtained prior to and after the exercise portion of the test. Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is used for certain heart conditions or if the standard echo images are not clear. A cardiologist performs this type of echocardiography. When undergoing transesophageal echocardiography, the transducer is attached to the end of a flexible tube. The tube is guided down your throat and into your esophagus. For TEE, you will be given medicine to help you relax during the test. This technique allows for more detailed images of the heart structures, chambers or major blood vessels leading to and from the heart.