Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)

A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is a minimally-invasive type of diagnostic ultrasound that is sometimes used by Hudson County heart specialists to get a clearer image of the heart and the arteries that lead to it and from it. A transesophageal echocardiogram is considered an invasive procedure because the transducer that produces the ultrasound waves is enclosed in a thin tube called an endoscope, which is then inserted into the mouth, down your throat, and into the upper part of the esophagus, so that it can be positioned directly behind the heart. This allows for clearer and more detailed images, because there is no interference from the ribs and lungs.