Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)
Private Echocardiogram at home in London for £695, assessing heart structure, valves, pumping function and blood flow using cardiac ultrasound.
Turnaround time
1 day
Book your test
Choose Service Type
Professional phlebotomist comes to you
+ £{{ home_visit_fee }}
Visit our clinic for your test
{{ clinic_visit_fee > 0 ? '+ £' + clinic_visit_fee : 'Free' }}
Home Visit Details
Home visits require at least 24 hours notice.
Select a clinic: Sorting by distance…
{{ clinicAddress(clinic) }}
{{ clinicAddress(selectedClinic) }}
Select a date
Select an hour
Available time slots: {{ timeSlots.length}}
Overview of the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)
An Echocardiogram, often called an echo, is an ultrasound examination used to assess the structure and function of the heart.
Unlike an Electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the heart's electrical activity, an echocardiogram produces moving images of the heart itself.
It can show the size of the heart chambers, how the heart muscle contracts, how the valves open and close and how blood flows through the heart.
Doppler ultrasound can also measure the direction and velocity of blood flow.
The scan is commonly used when investigating breathlessness, a heart murmur, known valve disease, cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure affecting the heart or suspected heart failure.
Measurements can include left ventricular function and an estimate of ejection fraction.
The examination can also identify fluid around the heart, known as a pericardial effusion.
A standard transthoracic echocardiogram does not directly visualise coronary-artery blockages and cannot by itself rule out angina or a heart attack.
Other cardiac investigations can therefore still be required.
This service is provided as a home visit only.
What Does the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound) Assess?
The echocardiogram provides structural and functional information about several parts of the heart.
Left ventricle - Assesses the main pumping chamber, including size, wall motion and systolic function.
Right ventricle - Evaluates right-sided chamber size and visible function.
Atria - Assesses the size of the upper heart chambers.
Heart muscle thickness - Identifies selected patterns of ventricular thickening.
Wall motion - Assesses whether different parts of the heart muscle contract normally.
Ejection fraction - Estimates how effectively the left ventricle pumps blood.
Mitral valve - Assesses structure and function, including selected stenosis or regurgitation.
Aortic valve - Evaluates valve opening and blood flow.
Tricuspid and pulmonary valves - Assesses right-sided valve function where visible.
Doppler blood flow - Measures direction and velocity of blood moving through the heart.
Pericardium - Assesses for fluid around the heart.
Aortic root and selected nearby vessels - Relevant visible cardiovascular structures can be measured.
Who May Benefit From the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)?
People with a heart murmur - Echo can assess whether structural valve disease is present.
People with unexplained breathlessness - Heart pumping or valve abnormalities are among the possible causes.
People with known heart failure - Echocardiography is used to assess and monitor cardiac function.
People with known valve disease - Repeat scans can evaluate severity and progression.
People with cardiomyopathy - Heart muscle thickness and pumping function can be monitored.
People with longstanding high blood pressure - Hypertension can affect heart structure over time.
People with an abnormal ECG requiring structural assessment - ECG and echocardiography provide complementary information.
People with reduced mobility who require cardiac imaging at home - Mobile echocardiography can avoid clinic travel.
Symptoms and Reasons to Consider the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)
Persistent shortness of breath - Reduced pumping function or valve disease can contribute.
A heart murmur detected by a clinician - Ultrasound can assess the valves and blood flow.
Unexplained ankle swelling with cardiac concerns - Heart function may require investigation.
Palpitations with suspected structural heart disease - Echo can complement rhythm testing.
Reduced exercise tolerance - Cardiac structural or functional abnormalities are one possible cause.
Known heart failure or cardiomyopathy - Serial echo measurements can support monitoring.
An abnormal ECG or cardiac examination - Echocardiography can provide structural context.
Severe chest pain, sudden severe breathlessness, collapse, new neurological symptoms or symptoms suggestive of a heart attack require emergency medical assessment.
A home echocardiogram should not delay emergency ECG, blood testing or hospital care.
How to Prepare for the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)
No special dietary preparation is normally required for a standard transthoracic echocardiogram.
This is a home-visit cardiac ultrasound service.
What Happens During the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)?
The heart is imaged through the chest wall using portable cardiac ultrasound equipment.
Is the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound) Safe?
A standard transthoracic echocardiogram uses ultrasound rather than ionising radiation.
It is non-invasive and normally requires no needles or contrast.
The examination is generally painless.
Firm pressure from the probe can occasionally feel uncomfortable over the chest wall.
How to Book Your Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)
The Echocardiogram can be arranged privately as a cardiac ultrasound home visit in London.
Choose the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)
Select the private home heart scan.
Book your home visit
Provide your London address and preferred appointment.
Provide your cardiac history
Include symptoms, diagnoses, medications and previous heart investigations.
Prepare previous results
Keep ECG and earlier echocardiogram reports available where possible.
Have your echocardiogram at home
A trained cardiac imaging professional performs the examination.
Receive your report
The authorised cardiac ultrasound report is delivered securely.
When Will I Receive My Results?
The current London Blood Tests turnaround is approximately 1 day after the echocardiogram.
The report can include cardiac chamber dimensions, valve findings, ventricular function and Doppler measurements.
Clinically important abnormalities can require cardiology review or further investigations.
Understanding Your Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound) Results
A normal echocardiogram can show heart chambers of expected size, preserved ventricular function and valves without significant structural abnormalities.
An abnormal scan can identify reduced pumping function, chamber enlargement, valve narrowing, valve leakage, abnormal heart-muscle thickness or pericardial fluid.
An ejection fraction is one measurement used to describe left ventricular pumping function, but it should not be interpreted in isolation.
A normal echocardiogram also does not exclude coronary artery disease or every cause of palpitations and chest pain.
ECG, blood tests, ambulatory monitoring, stress testing, CT coronary imaging or other investigations can still be necessary.
What Can the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound) Detect?
Reduced left ventricular function - The scan can demonstrate impaired pumping ability.
Heart-valve disease - Stenosis and regurgitation can be assessed.
Cardiac chamber enlargement - Enlargement of the atria or ventricles can be measured.
Cardiomyopathy-related changes - Selected abnormalities of heart-muscle thickness and function can be identified.
Pericardial effusion - Fluid around the heart can be demonstrated.
Regional wall-motion abnormalities - Some areas of heart muscle may contract differently from others.
Selected congenital structural abnormalities - Certain structural differences can be identified.
Limitations of the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound)
It does not directly show coronary-artery blockages - Other cardiac tests are required for suspected coronary disease.
A normal echo does not exclude arrhythmia - ECG or longer rhythm monitoring may be required.
Image quality varies - Body habitus and lung tissue can sometimes reduce visibility.
Some valve or structural questions require specialised echocardiography - Transoesophageal or stress echo may occasionally be needed.
The scan does not replace clinical cardiac assessment - Symptoms and other investigations remain important.
Why Book the Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound) With London Blood Tests?
London Blood Tests provides private cardiac ultrasound at home for people requiring convenient assessment of heart structure and function.
Echocardiogram at home in London - Cardiac imaging is performed at your address.
Detailed structural heart assessment - Chambers, muscle and valves are examined.
Pumping function assessment - Left ventricular function can be evaluated.
Doppler blood-flow measurements - Valve and intracardiac blood flow can be assessed.
No ionising radiation - Echocardiography uses ultrasound.
Can complement an ECG - Electrical and structural cardiac testing answer different questions.
Fast reporting - The current turnaround is approximately 1 day.
Clear pricing - The Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound) costs £695.
Private Echocardiogram (Cardiac Ultrasound) at Home in London
London Blood Tests provides private Echocardiogram appointments at home in London.
The service costs £695 and is available as a home visit only.
The examination assesses heart structure, valves, pumping function and intracardiac blood flow.
The authorised report is expected approximately 1 day after the examination.