Cardiac Testing

UT Southwestern Medical Center offers state-of-the-art cardiac tests that help our heart experts evaluate patients’ cardiovascular health.

After experienced UTSW laboratory technicians perform the testing, our cardiologists interpret the results and use them to inform personalized patient care.

Comprehensive Heart and Vascular Center

Leaders in Heart and Vascular Care

Combining attentive, compassionate care with our extensive clinical and research resources, UT Southwestern's cardiology experts and vascular specialists deliver individualized care within pre-eminent healthcare facilities.

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What Are the Two Main Types of Cardiac Testing?

At UT Southwestern, we offer two main cardiac tests for diagnosing heart conditions: a type of echocardiography and an exam called a cardiac stress test, which can be conducted in several ways.

The two most common types of cardiac tests are:

Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE)
Cardiac stress test

An echocardiogram, often called an "echo", is a cardiovascular imaging study that uses ultrasound to visualize the heart. It enables doctors to see the heart in two or three dimensions to evaluate its structure, function, blood flow, and output to look for abnormalities and defects.

The noninvasive TTE, also called a “heart ultrasound” or “heart sonogram,” is considered the standard.

What Conditions Are Diagnosed with an Echocardiogram?

An echocardiography study might be appropriate for patients diagnosed with or suspected of having conditions such as:

Abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) findings
Problems with blood flow through the heart
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Congenital heart conditions such as:
- Atrial septal defect (ASD)
- Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
- Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
Congestive heart failure
Abnormal ejection fraction
Endocarditis, an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart
Heart murmur, which can indicate aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, or mitral regurgitation
Structural abnormalities

What Should a Patient Expect During an Echocardiogram?

An echocardiography technician places an external probe, called an echocardiographic transducer, on the patient’s chest wall. The technician takes images by moving the transducer around to view the heart from different angles on a video monitor. An enhancing agent or dye is sometimes administered through an IV to help the heart’s structures show up more clearly on the images. The resulting 3D images provide valuable details about the lower left heart chamber, which is the heart’s main pumping area.

person on treadmill during a stress test

What Is Cardiac Stress Testing?

In addition to echocardiograms, UT Southwestern also offers cardiac stress testing.

Conducted under the supervision of skilled cardiologists and healthcare professionals, these tests are instrumental in assessing the heart’s function and diagnosing various cardiac conditions. Patients are closely monitored to evaluate their heart’s response to physical exertion or pharmacological stimulation.

These noninvasive procedures help determine the presence of coronary artery disease, heart rhythm abnormalities, and overall heart health. They include:

Exercise treadmill test (ETT): Known as the standard cardiac stress test, this is a common diagnostic procedure used to evaluate the heart’s response to physical exertion. During an ETT, the patient walks on a treadmill while medical professionals monitor their heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram (ECG). The test gradually increases in intensity to stress the heart, helping identify abnormalities in heart rate, rhythm, and blood flow that might not be present at rest.
Stress echocardiograms: This test can be conducted in three ways – the treadmill stress echo, the bicycle stress echo, or the dobutamine stress echo. The first two are performed immediately before and after the patient exercises in our medical office, either on a treadmill or bicycle. The results can help to diagnose cardiac disease early on, or to assess the progress of patients with known heart disease. If a patient cannot exercise, clinicians can administer dobutamine to make the heart work harder in place of physical exertion.

What Support Services Are Available for Cardiac Testing?

UT Southwestern’s cardiac rehabilitation specialists create customized plans that integrate proper nutrition, exercise, and, if necessary, nicotine cessation into patients’ lifestyles to improve their cardiovascular health.

What Clinical Trials Are Available for Cardiac Testing?

As one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, UT Southwestern offers clinical trials aimed at improving the outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease.

These trials often give patients access to leading-edge treatments that are not yet widely available. Eligible patients who choose to participate in a UT Southwestern clinical trial might receive treatments years before they are available to the general public.