Transoesophageal Echo or T.O.E
What is a TransOesophageal Echocardiogram?
This is a test that looks at the structure of the heart, its chambers and the heart valves.
It shows how well the heart valves open and close.
It shows how well the two lower pumping chambers called ventricles work during the contraction (working) and resting stage of the heart muscle.
To get the best images of the heart a probe (pictured above) is inserted into the throat and placed close to the heart. The probe is steered into position using the wheels on the hand unit. The probe emits high freqency sound waves which pass through the tissues of the throat, heart and chest. The different tissues reflect the sound waves differently and these differences are picked up and measured by the equipment and converted into an image.
Benefits of the procedure
This procedure is an accurate way of assessing the heart's structure and function. The most common reasons for performing this test include
1. Assessing infection on the heart valve (endocarditis)
2. Prior to certain operations such as repair of the mitral valve
3. Looking for birth defects of the heart (congenital heart disease).
This is what the picture looks like when they do a TOE
Having a TOE at Manchester Royal Infirmary? Click here to find out more
