Diagnosis of Aortic Stenosis

Electrocardiogram (ECG). This test involves placing sticky pads with small devices called electrodes on the chest, arms and legs. The electrodes then record the electrical activity of the heart.

Chest X-ray. An X-ray allows doctors to see whether the heart is enlarged, whether there is more calcium than normal in the aortic artery, whether there are signs of disease in the lungs, or whether there is fluid in the lungs or pleurae as a result of heart failure.

Echocardiography or echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). An ultrasound scan of the heart displays its shape, the dimensions of its chambers, the condition of the valves, the movement and the presence or absence of fluid within the membrane that covers it (the pericardium). 

Cardiac catheterisation. The heart is accessed by inserting a catheter through a blood vessel. This type of test is used to examine the anatomy of the heart and its arteries, as well as to study heart function. It is an invasive test that is usually performed under sedation and/or anaesthesia.