This examination is helpful in the evaluation for cardiomegaly and pulmonary edema. It is most commonly used in the acute setting.
Chest radiography is only sensitive for the late stages of cardiovascular disease.
The most common form of ultrasound used is two dimensional sector scanning with Doppler. Two-dimensional ultrasound visualizes the anatomic structures of the heart. Doppler signals can be reflected off the red blood cells measuring velocity through frequency changes as per the Doppler equation . In addition to cardiac evaluation, ultrasound is used in the evaluation of vessels including the carotid arteries, aorta, peripheral arteries and veins. Thallium 201 is handled by the myocardial cells similar to potassium.