Python cardiology examination. Echocardiogram of the heart of a female albino Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) with pneumonia, showing valve insufficiency (arrow) caused by endocarditis. Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart (endocardium). Echocardiography is used in diagnosing heart disorders and for monitoring heart function. A transducer, held against the chest, emits ultrasonic waves and detects the reflected echoes. The change in frequency is used to build images of the heart structures and assess the velocity and direction of blood flow. Photographed at the Maison Alfort, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Veterinaire d'Alfort (CHUVA) veterinary clinic, Paris, France.