Echocardiography is a type of medical imaging that uses ultrasound waves to create images of the heart. It is used to diagnose heart disease and evaluate the structure and function of the heart. The images obtained from echocardiography can show the size and shape of the heart chambers, the thickness of the heart wall, the valves and the surrounding blood vessels. It can also be used to measure the amount of blood that is pumped from the heart with each beat, allowing doctors to detect abnormal heart rhythms and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments.