Heart ultrasound (echocardiography)
Echocardiography, or heart ultrasound, is an ultrasound examination during which the doctor sees the heart chambers, the valves, the wall thickness and the blood flow through them in real time. No radiation. No contrast, no needles. That is why adults, children and pregnant women can repeat it as often as treatment requires. At Oberig Clinic, cardiologists do the scan on an expert-class digital ultrasound system with all Doppler modes. You get the report and a consultation in the same visit.
What a heart ultrasound shows
Ultrasound waves bounce off the heart walls and valves, and the probe turns the echo into a moving image. The doctor measures the structures and watches them work through the cardiac cycle. The standard protocol starts with the size of the ventricles and atria and the thickness of the septum and the walls. Next comes contractility and the ejection fraction, the share of blood the left ventricle pumps out in one beat. Each valve gets its own description: is there stenosis (narrowing) or regurgitation (backward flow)? Finally the doctor checks the aortic root, the pulmonary artery and the pressure in it, and looks for fluid around the heart (in the pericardium), blood clots and congenital septal defects.
In short, an echo answers three questions: how the heart is built, how it contracts and whether the valves close tightly. Based on this data, the cardiologist confirms or rules out heart failure, valve disease, cardiomyopathy, the consequences of a heart attack, pericarditis and pulmonary hypertension.
A separate question is the ultrasound of the heart vessels. The coronary arteries that feed the myocardium are not visible on an echo. They are too thin and move with the heart. People asking for it usually mean an echo with Doppler. It shows the blood flow through the valves, the aorta and the pulmonary artery. The coronary arteries themselves need CT coronary angiography. Your cardiologist will tell you if you need it.
When echocardiography is prescribed
Most often the referral comes from a cardiologist or a general practitioner, but you can book the examination yourself if you have complaints. The most common one is shortness of breath during usual activity or when lying down, together with quick fatigue. Then come pain, pressure or burning behind the breastbone, skipped beats, a pausing or racing heart. Swollen legs by the evening and the need to sleep with the head raised are warning signs too. With high blood pressure, the echo checks whether the walls of the left ventricle have thickened. A heart murmur that a doctor heard during an examination, including in a child, also needs an ultrasound to confirm or dismiss it.
There are planned reasons as well. After a heart attack, myocarditis, heart surgery or stent placement, the scan is repeated to follow the changes over time. Some chemotherapy drugs damage the myocardium. The doctor checks contractility before and during treatment. An echo is part of sports clearance, preparation for surgery under anaesthesia and pregnancy planning with a known heart condition. Swelling that lasts until the morning, or blood pressure that stays high despite medication, is no reason to wait for a routine check-up. One visit shows whether the heart is the cause.
Types of examination: one-dimensional and two-dimensional heart ultrasound, Doppler
A modern scanner combines several modes, and the doctor switches between them during one examination. M-mode (one-dimensional) gives precise measurements of wall thickness and chamber size over time. B-mode (two-dimensional) shows the familiar moving "picture" of the heart. Doppler shows the speed and direction of blood flow. It detects valve regurgitation and calculates the pressure gradient in stenosis.
Oberig Clinic performs transthoracic echocardiography with Doppler, the basic examination through the chest wall. Speckle-tracking echocardiography detects reduced contractility before the ejection fraction drops, which matters for cancer patients and athletes. The bubble test looks for a patent foramen ovale. Children receive a comprehensive echocardiogram, and a detailed view of the atria, valves or prosthetic valves calls for transoesophageal echocardiography.
Preparing for a heart ultrasound
No special preparation is required. Come at any time of day. No fasting needed. A few simple rules make the result more accurate:
- no coffee, strong tea, energy drinks or smoking for 2-3 hours beforehand, as they speed up the heart rate,
- do not plan an intense workout before the examination,
- do not stop the medicines you take regularly on your own,
- bring your previous echo and ECG reports: a comparison over time is often worth more than a single scan,
- arrive 10 minutes early to sit down and let your breathing settle.
How a heart echo is done
The patient undresses to the waist and lies on the couch on the left side, left arm under the head. This brings the heart closer to the chest wall. The doctor applies gel and places the probe between the ribs at several points: by the left edge of the breastbone, under the left breast, below the ribs and above the collarbones. Sometimes you are asked to hold your breath after breathing out. The scan takes 20-40 minutes. It is painless. You can return to your usual activities right away.
How a heart ultrasound is done for women
The procedure is the same. Only the details differ. The bra has to come off, because the main scanning points lie under the left breast. If the breast is large, the doctor asks you to hold it aside with your hand. During pregnancy, an echo is safe for mother and baby. It is prescribed for shortness of breath, swelling and high blood pressure that the pregnancy itself does not explain.
How a heart echo is done for children: the child lies on the back or on the side, with the parents nearby. The doctor uses a smaller probe, which is why children have a separate item in the price list. Infants are often scanned in 15 minutes while they sleep. An older child should be told in advance that it does not hurt.
Heart ultrasound: normal values and interpreting the results
The report contains dozens of measurements, and each has its own normal range depending on sex, age, height and weight. The table gives approximate values for adults, only to help you read the protocol in general:
| Parameter | Approximate normal range for adults |
|---|---|
| Left ventricular ejection fraction | 55-70% |
| Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter | women 3.8-5.2 cm, men 4.2-5.8 cm |
| Interventricular septum and posterior wall thickness | 0.6-1.0 cm |
| Left atrium (anteroposterior diameter) | 2.7-4.0 cm |
| Aortic root | 2.0-3.7 cm |
| Systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery | up to 35 mm Hg |
| Pericardial fluid, blood clots, shunts | absent |
Interpreting the scan takes the doctor a few minutes, and the result is assessed as a whole. An ejection fraction of 50% means early heart failure in one patient and a stable state after a heart attack in another. Figures alone are not a diagnosis. At Oberig Clinic, the patient gets the report and the explanation right away from the cardiologist who did the scan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I eat before a heart ultrasound?
Yes, there are no restrictions. Just do not overeat right before the scan: a full stomach pushes the diaphragm up and slightly hampers the view from under the ribs.
How much does a heart ultrasound cost?
Transthoracic echocardiography with Doppler costs UAH 2,045. If you also need a cardiologist consultation with an ECG, the comprehensive appointment at UAH 2,980 is the better option. The full list is in the price section below.
Where can I get a heart ultrasound in Kyiv without a referral?
At Oberig Clinic, 3 Zoolohichna Street, no referral is needed. Book online or by phone. If the complaints appeared suddenly, a cardiologist will see you the same day.
Is echocardiography harmful, and how often can it be repeated?
No. Ultrasound carries no radiation, and there is no limit on the number of scans. For patients with hypertension or valve disease, the doctor usually schedules a follow-up every 6-12 months.
How does an echo differ from an ECG?
An ECG records the electrical activity of the heart and detects arrhythmias and ischaemia. Echocardiography shows the structure and the mechanical work of the heart. One does not replace the other, and cardiologists often order both.
What should I do if the ultrasound found changes?
Discuss the result with a cardiologist without delay. Some findings, such as a minor mitral valve prolapse, only need observation. For others, the doctor orders Holter monitoring, a stress test or a cardiac MRI.
Echocardiography: price at Oberig Clinic
The price of a heart echo in Kyiv varies from clinic to clinic. Ours includes the full protocol with Doppler, a written report and the doctor's explanation of the result. Cardiologists do the scan themselves. Need a consultation too? It happens in the same visit.
| Examination | Price |
|---|---|
| Transthoracic echocardiography + cardiac Doppler | UAH 2,045 |
| Speckle-tracking echocardiography | UAH 2,375 |
| Bubble contrast echocardiography (bubble test) | UAH 1,670 |
| Comprehensive echocardiography for children | UAH 1,895 |
| Transoesophageal echocardiography | UAH 6,975 |
| Comprehensive cardiologist consultation (echo, ECG) | UAH 2,980 |
| Comprehensive consultation with a cardiologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Honoured Doctor of Ukraine (echo, ECG) | UAH 3,095 |
| Resting electrocardiography (ECG) | UAH 735 |
Comprehensive consultations are booked through the contact centre. Prices are quoted from the clinic's price list as of 01.10.2026 and may change. Please confirm the current cost with the operators when you book.
Why choose Oberig Clinic for a heart ultrasound
- Expert-class equipment. The cardiologist's office runs a digital XARIO SSA-660A (Toshiba) ultrasound system with all Doppler modes and a BTL electrocardiograph. Early changes are visible. The ECG is recorded in the same room.
- The examination is performed by cardiologists. Olena Chervonopyska is a Doctor of Medical Sciences and Honoured Doctor of Ukraine, and the author of her own protocol for comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography. Olena Holubovska is a top-category cardiologist trained abroad in speckle-tracking echocardiography. Oksana Korytska is a top-category functional diagnostics doctor with 37 years of experience.
- Examination and consultation in one visit. Echo, ECG and, when needed, 24-hour monitoring and stress tests are done within one department. You leave with a diagnosis and a plan. Complex cases go on to a 3 Tesla cardiac MRI.
- A full-cycle clinic. If treatment is needed, there is an inpatient department, an in-house laboratory, vascular surgeons and the 3003 emergency service that works around the clock.
Where to have an echocardiogram: Kyiv, 3 Zoolohichna Street, buildings "G" and "V". Book the examination or a cardiologist consultation online at https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/ or by phone at +38 044 521 30 03.
Heart ultrasound (echocardiography)?
