Electrocardiogram & Ultrasound Scans Midrand Johannesburg

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Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Ultrasound scans

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is the easiest method to test the heart’s health through the use of electrodes placed on the chest, legs or arms. An ECG measures the heart’s electrical impulses, which indicates how the heart is functioning and measures the rhythm of your heartbeat.

An ECG is often carried out to investigate the reason for the following conditions:

Chest pain (angina)
Fatigue, dizziness and trouble breathing
Heart palpitations
Abnormal, inconsistent heartbeats (arrhythmia)
Determine the efficiency of an already implanted pacemaker

Procedure

Dr Okeke will explain the procedure to you in full detail. Rest assured that you are not required to fast before the test. You will be asked to remove any jewellery and be requested to wear a gown. An ECG is carried out when you lie flat on the hospital bed. Bodily hair is removed, and electrodes are placed on specific body areas such as the arms, legs or chest. Lead wires run through the electrodes, helping the technician gather more information about you on the computer screen. An ECG is a quick, simple test that requires only a few minutes.

Different types of ECGs are carried out-Resting ECG can be done when you are at rest, lying flat, or Stress ECG recorded while exercising (stationary cycling or running on a treadmill). Lastly, a Holter monitor, also known as an ambulatory ECG, monitors the heart’s electrical activity over several days at home.

Recovery

There are no rules to follow after the test. You can resume work, sports or household chores right after the ECG.

Ultrasound scans

An ultrasound (sonogram) is a non-invasive imaging test that utilises high-frequency sound waves to capture images of organs and the body's soft tissue. Ultrasounds are used to identify and diagnose the cause of abnormalities present in the bladder, uterus, ovaries, kidneys, liver, prostate, scrotum, testicles, thyroid, muscles and joints and lungs.

Dr Okeke conducts an ultrasound to diagnose vascular abnormalities in the abdomen and neck, which include atherosclerosis and aneurysms affecting major blood vessels. Ultrasounds are commonly conducted to trace the causes of infertility in men and women. These scans can help determine a pregnancy, an ectopic pregnancy, the baby's development in the womb and congenital abnormalities in the growing foetus, and the baby’s sex and birth weight.

FAQ

11. Why do doctors carry out an ECG?

An ECG can check for heart arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, hypertrophy (thickening of the heart muscle), heart failure and cardiomyopathy when the heart's walls start to thicken.

22. Does circumcision carry risks?

Ultrasound scans are a non-invasive point of care investigation.

An ultrasound is done to diagnose changes in the appearance of organs, joints, muscles and surrounding tissues. An ultrasound uses a transducer to emit sound waves that are echoed to form images. Ultrasounds are conducted to detect tissue abnormalities such as tumours in organs or surrounding areas.

33. Does it take long to get feedback from an ultrasound?

The doctor can provide you with the ultrasound report immediately, but if there are strangely abnormal images, they can be sent to a specialist radiologist who will interpret the images. Usually, the results are available within two days after the exam. In some cases, the patient may be referred to a radiologist for more detailed imaging.