ECG/Stress Testing Laboratories at Mount Zion

The UCSF ECG/Stress Testing Laboratories at Mount Zion have the most advanced equipment available for diagnosing cardiovascular disorders. We perform technologically enhanced versions of traditional diagnostic tests, such as electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, Holter monitoring – wearing a device that records your heart's activity for a day or longer – and exercise stress testing, which assesses your heart's ability to function during exertion.

The lab offers a full array of echocardiography – heart ultrasound – procedures. This includes two-dimensional echocardiography done through the chest wall or by bringing the ultrasound probe into the esophagus with an endoscope, which can produce clearer images because the sound waves do not need to pass through skin, bone and other tissues. Also available are stress echocardiography – an ultrasound done before and after a period of exercise – and color flow Doppler, which can reveal problems with blood flow.

These methods complement other cardiac tests, such as nuclear imaging – a noninvasive technique that uses a small amount of radioactive material to produce a picture of your heart – and computed tomography, in which a computer combines many X-ray measurements to create a detailed image.

Preparing for Your Appointment

Since part of the stress test involves walking on a treadmill to monitor the heart’s functioning, be sure to wear comfortable clothing that you would exercise in. Also, it’s best to wear comfortable shoes like sneakers.

Please do not bring any valuable items like jewelry or other personal items with you to the laboratory.