Ventricular septal defect Diagnosis: physical examination, medical history, electrocardiogram, cardiac catheterisation, echocardiogram, chest x-ray

Ventricular Septal Defect - Diagnosis

Diagnosis of ventricular septal defect (VSD) normally starts with a physical examination by a doctor, assessing your medical history and routine tests. During the physical examination, the doctor might hear a heart murmur when using a stethoscope. He/she might recommend other tests such as:

Cardiac catheterisation: A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel and guided into the heart. This allows the doctor to determine if a VSD is present and whether the heart is functioning well.
Chest X-ray: This allows the doctor to see if the heart is enlarged or if the lung has excess fluid.
Echocardiogram: This is an ultrasound scan of the heart that can be conducted on a fetus. It shows any issues with the heart structure. It can also determine the position, size and severity of the VSD.
Electrocardiogram (ECG): This helps detect any heart defects or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia) by measuring the heart’s electrical activity.
Cardiac MRI: This allows the doctor to measure the size of the heart and how much blood is flowing across the VSD.