Introduction to echocardiography

The use of ultrasound to provide noninvasive evaluation of cardiac structure and function was a revolutionary advancement in cardiac care in the late 20th century (1). Development of the field of echocardiography has allowed detailed serial examinations of the development, structure, and function of the human heart in normal physiological states and in pathological conditions. Echocardiography has increased the diagnostic accuracy of noninvasive cardiac evaluation and provides a tool for the monitoring of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The goals of this chapter are to: (1) provide a brief overview of the types of echocardiography in clinical use today, (2) review the physical principles that underlie this clinical tool, and (3) demonstrate how echocardiography can be used to assess cardiac structure and function.