Electrocardiography (ECG) is a recording of electrical activity of the heart over a period of time.  Electrodes are attached to the outer surface of the skin (across the chest) and record the electrical activity of the heart by a device external to the body.  With each heartbeat, an electrical signal spreads from the top of the heart to the bottom.  As it travels, the signal causes the heart to contract and pump blood.  The process repeats with each new heartbeat.  The heart’s electrical signals set the rhythm of the heartbeat.  The recording of the heart’s electrical activity, produced by this noninvasive procedure, is termed an electrocardiogram.

An ECG shows:

• How fast your heart is beating
• Whether the rhythm of your heartbeat is steady or irregular
• The strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of your heart
• Test results can also suggest other disorders that affect heart function

Pulmonary function tests are a group of tests that measure how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they move gases such as oxygen from the atmosphere into the body’s circulation.

Pulmonary function tests are done to:

• Diagnose certain types of lung disease (such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema)
• Find the cause of shortness of breath
• Measure whether exposure to chemicals at work affects lung function
• Check lung function before someone has surgery

It also can be done to:

• Assess the effect of medication
• Measure progress in disease treatment

Carotid ultrasound is a painless test that uses high-frequency sound waves to create pictures of the insides of the two large arteries in your neck. These arteries, called carotid arteries, supply your brain with oxygen-rich blood.  There is one carotid artery on each side of your neck. A standard carotid ultrasound shows the structure of your carotid arteries.  Carotid ultrasound shows whether a substance called plaque has narrowed your carotid arteries.  Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood.  This condition is called carotid artery disease.  Too much plaque in a carotid artery can cause a stroke.  The plaque can slow down or block the flow of blood through the artery, allowing a clot to form.  A piece of the blood clot can break off and get stuck in the artery, blocking blood flow to the brain.  This is what causes a stroke.

Your carotid ultrasound test will include a Doppler ultrasound.  Doppler ultrasound is a special test that shows the movement of blood through your blood vessels. The results from both types of ultrasound allow the full assessment of blood flow through the carotid arteries.

• Lower Arterial Doppler – study of circulation in the legs
• Lower Venous Doppler – checks for blood clots and venous insufficiency

An X-ray is a quick, painless test that produces images of the structures inside your body — particularly your bones. This is a service that we provide at the South Valley Internal Medicine Facility.