Echocardiography is a diagnostic procedure that uses high-frequency (ultrasound) waves bounced off the heart to produce a moving image of this vital organ.

The ultrasound waves are emitted by a handheld recording probe called a “transducer”. The doctor places gel on the chest over the heart and moves the transducer over that area. The transducer is connected to a monitor that displays an image, which can be recorded on a videocassette, a computer disk, or paper. By varying the placement and angle of the transducer, doctors can view the heart and nearby major blood vessels from various angles and thus get an accurate picture of heart structure and function.

Echocardiography is one of the most widely used procedures for diagnosing heart disorders because it is noninvasive, harmless, relatively inexpensive, widely available, and provides excellent images of the heart.

St. Luke’s Medical Center offers the Philips iE33 Echocardiography System—a new generation cardiac ultrasound equipment that uses high-definition imaging to help physicians diagnose heart disease, and on-cart data analysis tools that help doctors make treatment decisions and monitor their success.

The Philips iE33 Echocardiography System is the first premium echocardiography system to feature fully integrated two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cardiac quantification software for measurements such as left ventricle (LV) volume and ejection fraction—key indicators of heart health. St. Luke’s physicians can use these measurements to help them determine treatment options and monitor the patient’s progress.

With the growing number of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and valve disease, cutting-edge diagnostic tools such as the Philips iE33 Echocardiography System are playing an increasingly significant role in helping cardiologists arrive at fast and accurate diagnoses.

The Philips iE33 Echocardiography System provides improved image quality for both 2D and Live 3D imaging system. The system’s new line of transducers includes the S5-1 with PureWave crystal technology—the biggest breakthrough in transducer material in 40 years. PureWave is an entirely new class of piezoelectric material (the “crystal” that transmits and receives ultrasound) whose properties allow greater transmit efficiency than conventional transducers. The resulting 2D and color flow images display astonishingly crisp and clear anatomic and physiological details that help doctors make more accurate diagnoses, even on the most technically challenging patients.

With the acquisition of the state-of-the-art Philips iE33 Echocardiography System, St. Luke’s demonstrates its commitment to providing the best possible medical care to patients.