Echocardiography is a very important tool in diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and is used virtually in all categories of cardiovascular diseases. There are certain areas where echocardiography provides a definite answer with minimal discomfort and risk and may obviate the need for catheterization in selected patients. Some examples are listed below:
1) LV function
a) Systolic
b) Diastolic
2) Cardiac masses
a) LV-tumors, clot or vegetations
b) RA/RV masses
3) Diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
4) Pulmonary hypertension
5) To diagnosis complication of myocardial infarction, pseudoaneurysm, aneurysm, thrombus and VSD
6) Pericardial diseases
7) Evaluation of valvular stenosis and regurgitation
8) Prosthetic valve evaluation
9) To diagnose ischemia and viability by stress echocardiography
10) Congenital heart disease e.g. TOF, DORV, ASD, VSD, etc.