Echocardiography in children

Echocardiography is a specialised, non-invasive, medical imaging technique used to evaluate heart health in children.

Here, Dr Owen Miller, renowned Consultant in Paediatric and Fetal Cardiology, offers an expert insight into echocardiography in children.

What is the importance of echocardiography in children?

Echocardiography allows a specialist to evaluate the structure, function, and blood flow patterns of the heart without the need for invasive procedures. This information then aids in the early detection of a wide range of cardiac conditions, including congenital heart defects, heart muscle abnormalities, valve disorders, and abnormalities in blood flow patterns.

What are the indications for echocardiography in children?

Echocardiography is performed in children for various reasons. These include:

• Assessment of heart murmurs: Determining the cause and significance of heart murmurs that have been detected during physical examinations.
• Evaluation of congenital heart defects: Assessing the presence and severity of structural abnormalities in the heart.
• Investigation of chest pain or palpitations: Identifying underlying cardiac issues contributing to symptoms in children.
• Monitoring of cardiac function: Tracking changes in heart function in children with congenital heart disease or other cardiac conditions.
• Screening for cardiomyopathies: Detecting abnormalities in the heart muscle that may affect its pumping ability.

How is echocardiography performed in children?

Most children including infants tolerate echocardiography very well, it is not painful and does not require any preparation. A complete echocardiogram for a child may take approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Parents will be present to provide comfort and support to their child throughout.

During echocardiography, the cardiologist will apply a small amount of water-based gel to the chest area to facilitate ultrasound transmission.

The cardiologist will then place a handheld device called an ultrasound transducer against the chest area and move it around to capture images of the heart from different angles. The transducer will emit high-frequency sound waves, which will bounce off the heart structures and create real-time images on a monitor.

The specialist will record images of the heart chambers, valves and blood vessels. Specialised techniques, such as Doppler ultrasound, will also be used to assess blood flow patterns and detect abnormalities.

What information does echocardiography provide about heart health?

Following echocardiography, the images will be analysed to evaluate various parameters. These include:

• Assessment of cardiac structure: This includes information about the size and shape of the heart chambers, the thickness and movement of the heart muscle, and the integrity of the heart valves.
• Evaluation of cardiac function which assesses the heart's pumping ability.
• Detection of abnormalities in blood flow: This includes information about the direction and velocity of blood flow to identify any abnormalities or malformations, such as valve narrowing (stenosis) or leakage (regurgitation).

Is echocardiography in children safe?

Echocardiography is considered safe and painless, posing minimal risk to children. The procedure doesn’t involve radiation or exposure to harmful substances, making it suitable for repeated use and for children of all ages, including newborns and infants.

What follow-up measures might be recommended after paediatric echocardiography?

Following echocardiography, various follow-up measures may be recommended based on the findings and the child's medical history. These may include:

• Regular monitoring: Children with congenital heart defects or other cardiac conditions may require periodic echocardiography to track their heart health and assess the effectiveness of treatment.
• Further diagnostic tests: In cases where echocardiography reveals abnormalities, additional tests or consultations will be recommended to formulate a comprehensive treatment plan.
• Healthy lifestyle advice.

Fetal echocardiography

This is a highly specialised ultrasound of the unborn baby’s heart, looking to confirm normal development of the heart during pregnancy and highlighting any heart structural abnormalities.

Reasons for fetal echocardiography include:

• Abnormality suspected at 20-week anomaly scan
• A previous pregnancy where a child was born with a heart condition
• Family history or potentially inherited heart problems
• Heart rate or rhythm abnormality found by midwife or obstetrician

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr Owen Miller, head on over to his Top Doctors profile today.