Why do I need a heart scan?

A heart scan is effectively another term for a cardiac ultrasound that is useful for identifying cardiac abnormalities such as problems with the valves of the heart or a hole in the heart. The heart scan will also show heart size and therefore is very useful at identifying cardiomyopathy. So we normally use heart scans in people who we think may have cardiomyopathy, a valve disorder or a hole in the heart.
So the answer to the question is that anybody that’s worried that they may have a cardiomyopathy, a valve disorder or a hole in the heart should have a heart scan. The symptoms of cardiomyopathies, valve disorders or holes in the heart include breathlessness that’s disproportionate to the amount of exercise being performed, palpitation, dizziness and occasionally chest pain during exertion.