# Why can’t an echocardiogram detect narrowed/clogged arteries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2024, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486 "2024-07-20T09:09:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WalterBishop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/aeb1de/32.png) [@WalterBishop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalterBishop)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486/1 "2024-07-20T09:09:42Z")
I had an echo recently and was surprised when I read that an echocardiogram can’t detect narrowed/clogged arteries. Why not? If the echo can detect the arteries themselves, why can’t they detect if they’re stuffed full of plaque? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486/2 "2024-07-20T12:15:43Z")
At a guess, not high enough resolution. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486/3 "2024-07-20T13:15:06Z")
Paraphrasing, but according to [this](https://www.bestcardiologistpune.com/is-2d-echo-test-effective-in-detecting-heart-blockages-english/)… It is possible to have normal heart function or a normal electrocardiogram but still have multiple blocks, because when you do electrocardiogram you are resting on a table and you may have blocks in the heart and still have a normal heart function. An Angiogram is the only test that confirms blocks in the heart. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486/4 "2024-07-20T13:35:27Z")
I have witnesses an echocardiogram, and while IAN trained to read or understand them, the person doing it showed me a few things, and it seemed to me that the volume and shape of the heart were the primary concerns of the echocardiogram, and not the arteries, and that the person who said the resolution isn’t good enough is probably correct. WAG: because everything was moving during the test, it couldn’t really build up an image that showed layers of the arteries, which is what I think would be necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486/5 "2024-07-21T05:44:16Z")
The sound waves reflect back when encountering changes in density. The change has to be fairly distinct. A lot of energy passes through, but some reflects back. Once the wave has penetrated the artery, there is less energy and the clogging material is in contact with the artery interior. Not a clear boundary for reflection. I watched the screen as Doctor pierced and drained a small cyst on my thyroid. The cyst itself was barely visible in outline. The much smaller and finer needle was clearly visible.