American Family Children's HospitalCommon Clinic Procedures and Examinations
When you visit the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic, there are common tests and procedures that the doctors and nurses may perform to better assess your child's condition.
Common Pediatric Cardiology Tests
A few common pediatric cardiology tests include:
Chest X-ray
A chest X-ray lets us check the size of the heart and gives us information about the blood vessels
to the lungs.
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
An EKG helps us determine how hard the heart muscle is working and lets us look at the heart rhythm.
Echocardiogram (Echo)
An echocardiogram allows us to take "moving" pictures of the heart using sound waves. It allows us to view the heart chambers, valves and blood vessels.
Holter Monitor
During a holter monitor test, a patient will wear a small device to measure the heart's rhythms over a 24-48 hour period.
Pacemaker Check
For patients with a pacemaker, a pacemaker check is a non-invasive, painless test to determine how well a pacemaker is functioning.
Pulse Oximetry (Pulse ox)
A pulse ox lets us measure the amount of oxygen present in the blood by taping a small removable patch to a finger or toe.
Stress Test
An exercise stress test measures the effects of exercise on the heart.
Thirty-Day Event Monitor
During a 30-day Event Monitor test, the patient wears a small device that records the heart rhythm during an event such as dizziness or heart racing.
