Adult cardiac sonography (echocardiography) is a specialized ultrasound discipline focused on imaging the adult heart to assess structure, function, and hemodynamics. It is one of the most technically demanding and clinically impactful areas of diagnostic medical sonography.
Adult echocardiographers perform comprehensive transthoracic echocardiograms evaluating left and right ventricular size and function, valvular morphology and regurgitation, diastolic function, pulmonary pressures, and pericardial pathology. Stress echocardiography — using exercise or pharmacologic stress — identifies coronary artery disease. Sonographers may also assist with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the cardiac catheterization lab or operating room.
The RDCS credential from ARDMS (with Adult Echocardiography specialty) is the industry standard. CCI offers the Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) credential. Adult cardiac sonographers are employed in hospital cardiology departments, cardiac catheterization laboratories, outpatient echocardiography labs, and cardiologist offices.