A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is a heart test where a thin tube with an ultrasound device is gently passed down your throat into your esophagus (the food pipe). Because the esophagus is close to the heart, this test gives very clear and detailed pictures of your heart and its structure.

TEE is often done before a procedure called cardioversion, which is used to reset an abnormal heart rhythm.

The main reason for doing a TEE first is to check for blood clots in the heart.

If a clot is present and cardioversion is done, the clot could travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

TEE helps doctors make sure it is safe to proceed with cardioversion by ruling out these clots