Echocardiograms are the workhorse of the cardiac imaging world. And at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, it’s no different. We use our large fleet of state-of-the-art echo machines to perform about 24,000 echo tests each year.
Our echo experience improves yours. From timely appointments to the latest equipment, you can count on us for on compassionate, world-class heart care close to home.
What’s an Echocardiogram?
Echocardiography uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to create a moving picture of your heart. The picture is called an echocardiogram. Echocardiography is painless and doesn’t involve radiation.
Doctors use heart ultrasounds to see the structures and motion of your heart. Echo tests check how well your heart pumps blood and how well the valves work.
Your doctor may order an echocardiogram to identify problems with the heart’s walls, valves or chambers. It can help find the causes of unexplained chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath and other symptoms.
Heart ultrasounds also help doctors make tiny incisions during minimally invasive procedures to repair and replace damaged valves. This capability leads to less pain and shorter recoveries. Read more about our Structural Heart Program.
Echocardiography: The Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Advantage
All our echo labs have accreditation from the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL). Only the highest quality labs with modern equipment and technical expertise earn ICAEL accreditation. You can also expect:
- State-of-the-art 3D echocardiograms: Our echo machines use the latest technology to provide high-quality, 3D images in less time. They also help doctors detect heart problems related to cancer treatments, heart valve problems and cardiac amyloidosis earlier. Learn more about cardio-oncology and cardiac amyloidosis treatment.
- Timely care: You can access cardiac testing when you need it. We make echocardiography available soon after your initial appointment. And with Heart Group cardiologists at every location, your images are read and interpreted quickly.
- Accurate diagnosis: Our quality assurance program gives doctors constant feedback about their image interpretations. This information ensures they deliver the highest quality exams and thorough diagnoses.
- Full scope of heart testing services: We offer the full range of cardiac tests, including stress tests, cardiac CT and cardiac MRI. If your heart ultrasound shows you need more testing, we quickly arrange it at the location of your choice.
- Heart echo expertise: All our staff have expert-level imaging certifications, including from the American Society of Echocardiography. Our special echocardiography expertise ensures you have accurate images when making important care decisions.
Echocardiogram Locations
We offer inpatient echo tests at our main Heart & Vascular Institute location at Lancaster General Hospital. You can also get an echocardiogram at one of our convenient outpatient cardiac testing locations:
- Columbia
- Ephrata
- Harrisburg Ave – Lancaster City
- Kissel Hill
- Lebanon
- Lititz
- Norlanco
- Parkesburg
- Suburban Pavilion
What to Expect During an Echo Test
Your doctor may recommend an echocardiogram when you are in the hospital or during a scheduled doctor’s appointment. During an echocardiogram:
- A cardiac sonographer puts a special gel on your chest.
- The technician then puts a transducer on the gel and moves it around your chest. A transducer is a handheld instrument that sends sound waves into your chest.
- The sound waves create pictures that the technician can see on a video monitor.
- The test takes about an hour.
- A cardiologist and other providers then review the images.
- You receive your results. We also send the results to you via MyLGHealth if you have an account.
- If you have questions or concerns, you can send us a message on MyLGHealth or call us 24/7 at 717-544-5511.
Types of Heart Echo Tests
We provide the full range of echo tests, including:
- Exercise stress echo: A stress echo takes pictures of your heart before and after exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike.
- Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE): During a TEE, we get images of your heart by putting a small flexible probe with a transducer in your esophagus (food pipe). To keep you comfortable during this procedure, we give you a sedative and pain medication. Learn more about transesophageal echocardiography.
- Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE): During a transthoracic echocardiogram, we get images of your heart by moving a transducer around your chest.
Schedule an Echocardiogram
To schedule a heart ultrasound, call 717-544-5941.