Echocardiography & Cardiac Imaging in Delray Beach
Ultrasound-based heart imaging — from a routine echocardiogram to advanced stress and transesophageal studies — read personally by the Medical Director of the echo lab.
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What an evaluation involves
A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) is the standard test — ultrasound through the chest wall, no needles or radiation, done right in the office in about 30 to 45 minutes. It shows how well each heart chamber is pumping (your ejection fraction), how the valves are functioning, and whether the heart muscle or its lining show signs of strain.
When we need to see the heart under exertion, a stress echocardiogram pairs that same ultrasound with treadmill exercise or medication to reveal wall-motion problems that only show up when the heart is working harder. For certain valve or clot questions a standard TTE can't fully answer, a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) images the heart from just behind it — performed at Delray Medical Center under mild sedation, giving a much closer view of the valves.
Where care happens
Routine and stress echocardiograms are performed in-office at either Delray Beach location. A TEE, since it requires sedation, is done at Delray Medical Center, where I direct the Echocardiography Laboratory and perform these studies.
Delray Beach, FL 33484
How I approach it
Echocardiography has been a core part of my practice since fellowship, and I recertified with the National Board of Echocardiography (ASCeXAM) in 2022 to stay current as the technology and guidelines evolve. As Medical Director of the Echocardiography Laboratory at Delray Medical Center, I also mentor FAU cardiology fellows in imaging every year, which keeps me close to how the field is actually changing, not just how it looked when I trained.
An echocardiogram is only as useful as the read behind it. I don't outsource interpretation — I read your study myself, in the context of your history and exam, and explain what it means in plain terms rather than handing you a report full of numbers with no context.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a TTE and a TEE?
A TTE, or transthoracic echocardiogram, is the standard ultrasound done through the chest wall — no sedation, about 30-45 minutes, and it's what most people picture when they hear "echocardiogram." A TEE, or transesophageal echocardiogram, images the heart from just behind it, through a thin probe passed into the esophagus under mild sedation. It gives a much closer, more detailed view of structures like the heart valves, and we reserve it for questions a TTE can't fully answer.
Is an echocardiogram safe, and does it hurt?
A standard echocardiogram is just ultrasound — the same technology used in pregnancy imaging, with no radiation and no needles. You'll feel gentle pressure from the probe on your chest, but it isn't painful. A TEE involves numbing spray and sedation since a probe is passed into the esophagus, so there may be mild throat discomfort afterward, but serious complications are rare.
How long does an echocardiogram take, and how do I prepare?
A standard TTE takes 30 to 45 minutes and needs no special preparation — eat and take your medications normally. A stress echocardiogram runs closer to an hour once you include the exercise or medication portion, and I'll usually ask you to avoid caffeine beforehand. A TEE requires fasting for several hours beforehand since you'll be sedated, and you'll need a ride home afterward.