Exams and Tests

To diagnose the condition, you will have a physical exam and your doctor will listen carefully to your heart using a stethoscope and discuss your health history.

An echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. It can show areas of the heart that may be enlarged and see if the valve is, in fact, leaking and to what extent.

Other tests may include:

• An electrocardiogram that can detect and record the heart's electrical activity and show signs of heart damage. Many people with tricuspid regurgitation also have atrial fibrillation, when the heart doesn’t always beat or keep pace the way it should.
• Heart catheterization may be done to measure blood pressure inside the heart and lungs.
• Heart computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

If you have a leaky valve, regular echocardiograms and follow-up visits are important to see how your condition is progressing.