TEE is a specialized type of cardiac exam where physicians obtain ultrasound images of the heart from a transducer positioned in the esophagus behind the heart. The transducer is a small device mounted on the tip of a gastroscope. It sends and receives sound waves reflected back from the heart. These reflected sound waves are processed by a special computer that displays an image of the heart on a video monitor. TEE provides very high quality images of the heart that are unobtainable from a traditional echocardiography exam where the transducer is placed on the chest. Because the back of the heart is very close to the transducer during the procedure and because there is no bone or lung interference, the highly detailed images produced have great diagnostic value. Your physician may want you to undergo a TEE exam for a wide variety of reasons. Frequently it is prescribed for patients who are difficult to image through the conventional method of placing a transducer on the chest. It is also used to gather information about patients with congenital heart disease, patients with replaced heart valves, and patients suspected of having blood clots in the left side of the heart. TEE is also used for patients who are candidates for open heart surgery, where repair or replacement of a valve is being considered. The TEE transducer is much smaller than the transducer used on your chest during a standard echocardiography exam and is no wider than a normal-size piece of food you might swallow. Since you may experience some discomfort when the probe is inserted, your doctor will probably anesthetize the back of your throat. Once the transducer is inserted into your esophagus, you should feel very little discomfort. | 
