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A physical examination in the baby’s first few days of life will usually indicate to a physician that the baby is not thriving and something is wrong. The physician may order one of the following tests to screen for a problem with the heart or lungs:
- Chest x-ray. A painless radiation-based imaging test that offers the physician a picture of the general size, shape, and structure of the heart and lungs.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). 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.
- Cardiac catheterization. This test allows the physician to delineate the anatomy of the heart and large vessels, coronary arteries and oxygen saturation in different heart chambers.
- Echocardiogram. This painless 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. Prenatal echocardiograms, or ultrasounds, are often used to diagnose the condition while the baby is still in utero. This allows the physicians and parents to prepare a treatment plan for immediately after birth.
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