The modern diagnostic tests in Cardiology, besides the ECG (Electrocardiogram or EKG for ElectroKardioGram as originated by the inventors in Europe), include the echocardiogram, commonly referred to as an "echo" in the medical field. This test is basically an examination of the anatomy and function of the heart using ultrasonic waves. The test uses an ultrasound probe applied to the anterior chest wall (or swallowed by the patient as in the case of the "transesophageal electrocardiogram") and ultrasound images are generated on a screen that can be interpreted by a technician or cardiologist. Some of the information that can be gathered by the echocardiogram includes the functional capacity of the heart as measured by its pumping ability, as well as heart valve anatomy and function, and finer details including vascular other structural anatomy.
