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When performing a chest echocardiogram, the doctor first applies a coupling agent (gel-like substance) to the chest. Then, the doctor places the ultrasound probe on the chest wall where the gel was applied. The probe emits ultrasound waves toward the heart (ultrasound is non-invasive and painless, and people cannot feel it). The sound waves bounce back from the heart, and the echoes are received by the sensor (the underlying principle is the Doppler effect). Through conversion, the condition of the heart's chambers and valves will be displayed on the screen. Doppler echocardiography can record blood flow echoes by observing the speed and direction of blood flow, and assess the quality of the heart's blood flow. The color on the color Doppler ultrasound indicates the direction of blood flow: red indicates flow towards the probe, while blue indicates flow away from the probe. Stress echocardiography can assess the heart's function before and after exercise, or simulate heart stress using medication.
