Docs Tag: test
ECG or EKG (Electrocardiogram)
What is an EKG or ECGÂ (Electrocardiogram)?
An EKG is the short way of saying electrocardiogram. The electrocardiogram takes pictures of the electrical activity of your heart and around your body. As your heart works it sends electrical signals around your body. The EKG machine uses these electrical signals to create an electrocardiogram, a picture of your heart activity. The picture can show the doctor how fast your heart beats, and the rhythm (heart beat pattern) of your heart. No matter what you are doing, whether you are running, reading or sleeping, your heart is always working and sending electrical signals.
Why do I need to have an EKG?
When the doctor wants to see how your heart is working, special pictures need to be taken. The EKG takes pictures of the electrical activity in your heart and around your body. It helps the doctor to see how your heart is working, how fast it is beating and the rhythm (heart beat pattern) it makes.
What does an EKG machine look like?Â
An EKG is a computer that has lots of wires attached to it. It also has a printer attached to it. The wires have a sticky soft tape end that attaches to your chest, arms and legs. There is a bed that is beside the EKG computer, this is where you will lie down. The picture of how your heart beats is printed off to show the doctor.
What happens when I have an EKG?
A porter will come and bring you to the area where you will have the EKG. Sometimes the technologist (the person who will take the pictures) can come to your room to do this test. A technologist will greet you and explain what will happen. You may be given a gown to wear, this looks like a backward housecoat, or you may already be wearing one.
The technologist will ask you to lie down on a bed. She will then use the wires that are attached to the machine and place them on your chest, arms and legs. Small sticky soft pieces of tape are first placed on your chest, arms and legs. The wires called electrodes are then attached to the tape; they measure the electrical signals in your heart. Only the tape touches your skin, the wires do not.
It is important to lie very still on the bed while the test is happening. The test only takes a few minutes. Once it is done, the technologist will remove the soft tape from your chest, arms and legs, and you are able to go back to your room.
What will the EKG test feel like?
An electrocardiogram does not hurt. The tape is a special gentle tape that is less sticky than a regular Band-Aid. All you have to do is to remember to lie still, so that the pictures they take are clear.
Preparing for the test
Your nurse will give you the information you need to help you get ready to have your EKG. There is nothing that you really have to do to get ready for this test.
Remember
If you have any questions about the test, always ask!
Echocardiogram
What is an Echocardiogram?
Echo is the short way of saying echocardiogram. An echo is another test that lets doctors see inside your body.  The echo is special since it only takes pictures of your heart. It can show the shape and size of your heart. Just like the name, the echo uses sound waves to take the pictures; it bounces invisible sound waves off of your heart to create a picture of what it looks like. You will not feel or hear these sound waves in your body.
Why do I need to have an Echo?
The doctor needs to see a picture of your heart and the best way to take the picture is to use the echo machine. A regular X-Ray cannot see the heart, so an echo has to be used.
What does an Echo look like?
An echo machine looks like a computer. The technologist (the person taking the picture) uses a smooth flat wand and a special gel to take the picture. The gel and wand lets the computer hear the sound waves from your heart. Once the pictures have been taken, they are printed and shown to the radiologist. He is a special doctor who looks at the pictures.
What happens when I have an Echo?
A porter will come to bring you to the special room to have the echo. Â A technologist (the person who will take the pictures) will greet you and explain what will happen.
The technologist will give you a gown to wear, this looks like a backward housecoat, you may already be wearing one. You will lie down on a bed beside the computer. The technologist usually turns the lights down so that they can see the pictures on the computer better. Next the technologist will put gel on your chest over the area where your heart is. He or she will move the smooth, flat wand on your skin where the gel is. The wand is attached to the computer. While the technologist moves the wand over your chest, you will be able to see a wavy and fuzzy image on the screen.  While the technologist is moving the wand, he or she will also be touching buttons on the computer keyboard.
It is important to remember to stay still, if you move a lot, the picture will not be clear and the test will take longer. The test is usually short and takes about 15-30 minutes. Once the pictures are done, they will be printed off to show the doctor. The technologist will wipe the gel off with a soft towel and then you will be able to go back to your room.
What will the Echo feel like?
The echo will not hurt. The gel may feel a little cool and sticky.  The wand may press down onto your skin a little bit, but it will not hurt. Remember to lie still so that the technologist can get a clear picture. Thinking about your favourite thing to do may help you stay still.
Preparing for the test
Your nurse will give you the information you need to help you get ready to have your echo. Sometimes you may have to do nothing to get ready.
Remember
If you have any questions about the test, always ask!
This content has been reviewed and approved by health care team members at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. All content is for educational purposes only. For further information, please speak with your health care team.
Biopsy
What is a Biopsy?
The biopsy is a special test used to look at a tiny piece of your body, called tissue. The doctors look at the tissue under a microscope. The microscope makes tiny things look really big. The doctors are looking at the cells in your tissue. A biopsy can be done during a test or an operation.
Your whole body is made up of cells. Cells join together to make different parts of your body, for example your skin.
Why do I need to have a Biopsy?
You are having a biopsy because the doctor needs to check your tissue. They need to take a very close look at the tiny piece of tissue from your body to find out if it is sick and how they can help you.
What does a Biopsy look like?
There is no machine for this test. All that is used is a bed and a needle.
What happens when I have a Biopsy?
A porter will come to bring you to the special room to have the biopsy. A nurse will greet you and explain what will happen.
The nurse will give you a gown to wear, this looks like a backward housecoat, you may already be wearing one. The nurse will help you to get on the bed; she will also tell you how to lie down on the bed. The nurse will put a blanket over you to keep you warm and make sure you are covered.
There are many different biopsies that the doctors can do. Depending on the area of your body that the doctor needs to look at, you may be given special sleep medicine or a part of your body may be asleep for the test.
While you are asleep or while the part of your body is asleep the doctor will use a special needle to take a tiny piece of tissue to be tested.
It is important to remember to relax and lie still. The test can take about 45 minutes to complete. When it is over, you will rest for a little while and then you will be brought back to your room.
What will the Biopsy feel like?
Depending on the type of biopsy that will be done, it may happen during a test, or it may be done during a surgery.
If just the area of your body where the biopsy will be done is asleep, you will not feel pain because the doctor will numb the area on your skin where the biopsy will be done. They will use a small needle to numb the area; you may feel a small pinch. It may take a little while for the area to feel numb. Once it is numb the doctor will use a needle to do the biopsy. You may feel pressure like someone is pushing down on you (for example, you may feel the doctor putting pressure on your leg, but not feel the needle) and you may feel movement of your body.
If you are asleep during the biopsy; you will be given special sleep medicine to go to sleep. This medicine is usually given to you in an IV. If you do not already have an IV, the doctor may need to give you one. To learn more about IV?s, go to the What Is That? section. You will not hear, feel or see anything. This is usually done in the operating room.
Preparing for the test
Your nurse will give you the information you need to help you get ready to have your biopsy. You may be told that you will not be able to eat or drink anything before the test.
You may also be given a special medicine before the test that makes you feel sleepy and helps you to relax. This medicine goes into your IV. If you do not already have an IV, the nurse will give you one. The IV is a small straw that goes into the vein usually in your hand. This is the quickest way to get the sleepy medicine into your body. You will feel a pinch from the poke of the IV, and it may hurt a little. Remember the needle used to get the straw into your hand, comes out and is put into a special garbage. All that is in your hand is a tiny bendy straw, no needle. When it is time for the test, remember to relax and take deep breaths.
Remember
If you have any questions about the test, always ask!
Tilt Table Test
Why is a tilt-table exam done?Tilt tests are especially useful if you have been fainting without any explanation. These tests help doctors understand how your body posture affects your blood pressure. The goal is to find out if different drugs or different body positions will trigger an arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat) or symptoms.
Information take from https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart/tests/tilt-table-exam
Click HERE to learn more about a tilt table test/exam