In a transesophageal echocardiogram, a transducer is inserted through the mouth and down the throat into the esophagus. High-pitched sound waves (ultrasound) are sent through the transducer to produce an image of the heart and sometimes the aorta.

This method allows a clear view of the valves and their ability to function. It provides a better view of heart valves than a standard transthoracic echocardiogram, but the procedure is more complicated.