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Among more severe cases, a physical examination will most likely indicate that something is preventing the baby from thriving in the first few days of life. Additional tests may be ordered to assess for heart problems, including:
- Chest x-ray. A noninvasive radiation-based imaging test that offers the physician a picture of the general size, shape and structure of the heart and lungs.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG). A painless recording of the heart’s electrical activity as a graph on a moving strip of paper or video monitor. The highly sensitive electrocardiograph machine helps detect heart irregularities, disease and damage by measuring the heart’s rhythms and electrical impulses.
- Echocardiogram. This noninvasive test uses sound waves to visualize the structures and functions of the heart. A moving image of the patient’s beating heart is played on a video screen, where a physician can study the heart’s thickness, size and function. The image also shows the motion pattern and structure of the four heart valves, revealing any potential leakage (regurgitation) or narrowing (stenosis). During this test, a Doppler ultrasound may be done to evaluate cardiac blood flow.
- Computed tomography scan (CAT scan) and magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA). Painless tests that are very useful for identifying coronary aneurysms.
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