What does a color Doppler echocardiogram examine?

Under normal circumstances, color Doppler echocardiography can evaluate the size of the atria and ventricles, myocardial thickness, morphology and motion of cardiac valves, myocardial systolic function, and myocardial diastolic function. Specific analyses are as follows:

1. Atrial and ventricular size: Accurately measures the internal diameters of each atrium and ventricle to determine whether they fall within the normal range; for example, assessing whether the left atrium is enlarged.

2. Myocardial thickness: Measures the thickness of the myocardium at different locations to detect potential myocardial hypertrophy. For instance, patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy often exhibit abnormal thickening of the myocardium.

3. Cardiac valve morphology and motion: Clearly visualizes the structure and opening/closing movements of heart valves—including the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves—to identify abnormalities such as valve stenosis or regurgitation. For example, rheumatic heart disease commonly causes valvular lesions.

4. Myocardial systolic function: Assesses the heart's contractile capacity by measuring parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Normal LVEF typically ranges from 50% to 70%. Values below this range may indicate impaired systolic function.

5. Myocardial diastolic function: Evaluates ventricular filling during the diastolic phase to determine whether diastolic function is normal. Diastolic dysfunction may be an early sign of heart disease.

Patients should avoid anxiety during the examination, as it may affect results, and should wear clothing that allows easy access for the procedure, facilitating better performance by the physician.