Q:
Hi. Thank you for taking my question. I had a heart ultrasound this past year. I have 3 related questions.
1. Why did the tech also put the thing on my neck?
2. Is mild leaflett thickening to mean my arteries are plugging?
3. Does an ultrasound show if you have CAD?
A:
An ultrasound is the same as an ECHO study.
You can read more about it here:
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/heart-disease-diagnosis/heart-disease-tes
The ultrasound probe was put on your neck to check for a blockage in your carotid arteries, that occasionally occur together with coronary artery disease blockages.
Leaflet thickening is described of your mitral valve inside your heart, nothing to do with your coronaries and not clinically significant. You can read about your heart & valves here:
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/heart-information/anatomy-of-heart
An ultrasound is an excellent tool to look at heart function, and also for valve malfunctions (as well as a number of other things). It will not (as a rule) tell anything about the presence or absence of coronary artery disease.
If you know your cholesterol and blood pressure you can calculate whether you are at risk:
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/app/risk-assessment.php
Hope this helps,
Dr T
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/