Does An Echocardiogram Show Blockages? (Blocked Arteries)

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There are a lot of things that an echocardiogram can tell us. Echocardiograms can tell us how healthy your heart valves are. They can tell us how well your heart is pumping. Echocardiograms can even tell us what the pressures are inside each of the chambers of your heart.

Can An Echocardiogram Detect Blocked Arteries?

But there are some things that an echocardiogram cannot tell us. And one of those things that an echo is unable to tell us is whether or not you have clogged arteries, or blockages. There are other medical exams that are excellent at detecting clogged arteries, but echocardiography just isn’t one of them.

Keep reading to find out what those things are.

Why Can’t Echocardiograms Show Blockages?

Generally speaking, the coronary arteries are just too small to see on an echocardiogram. Ultrasound technology has improved significantly over the years. So much so that we are able to visualize heart structures that we’ve never really been able to see before. This, combined with 3D ultrasound technology and image enhancing agents, such as Definity, I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ll soon be able to better visualize coronary arteries and better detect blockages.

But for now, the technology just isn’t there to detect blocked arteries.

With that said however, there are instances when we are able to see just the very origin of the coronary artery. But this tiny section that we can see is not where blockages occur, nor is it something that we are able to see on everyone.

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