Cardiac sonography (also known as echocardiography) is a possible specialization for ultrasound technicians that is rising in popularity along with improvements in ultrasound technology. It involves observing the heart through the ultrasound equipment in order to detect abnormalities in the heart itself as well as the surrounding blood vessels. Most of the time cardiac sonography is performed as an outpatient procedure in either a clinic or a hospital and takes no more than an hour or so.

How does cardiac sonography vary from other forms of sonography?

The techniques and methods used for cardiac sonography differ from those used from other forms of sonography. Because of the location of the heart, getting good images can be challenging and therefore special techniques are used to gather images. Cardiac sonography can either be invasive or totally non-invasive, depending on the technique used. The two techniques used in cardiac sonography are traditional, non-invasive sonography and transesophageal sonography, which is invasive.

Traditional sonography simply involves getting an image of the heart through the chest wall. The transducer, which emits the sound waves that result in the picture being generated, is placed against the chest along with a conductive gel (which ensures that the signal is passed through the chest wall).

Transesophageal sonography can be very uncomfortable for the patient, but it is more accurate than the non-invasive form. It involves inserting the transducer into the esophagus in order to get an image of the heart that is not obscured by the ribcage.

Cardiac sonography can generate either still images or videos of the heart. Different types of images are more useful for different conditions. Still images are used to look for structural abnormalities whereas videos are more useful for looking at the output of the heart and observing any leakages in the surrounding blood vessels.

Do cardiac sonographers earn more money than other sonographers?

It is possible to earn more money as a cardiac sonographer than as another type of sonographer, however many factors can influence how much you can earn as a cardiac sonographer. Your location and education are major contributing factors. The average starting salary for a cardiac sonographer nevertheless is around $48,000 per year, which is higher than the average starting salary for sonographers in general (around $35,000 per year).