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Not always picked up on a trans thoracic ultrasound, there can be clues for further investigation though, but a trans esophageal ultrasound is better at checking the aorta. Trans thoracic is looking outside in, some people image better than others. Trans esophageal is looking from the inside out, more precise as there are no ribs, air, etc.

I'm assuming that a "trans thoracic" ultrasound is what I had. It was described to me as being an echo cardiogram. Are those just two different names for the same procedure?

When you talk about a "trans esophageal" looking from the inside out, I'm thinking that you're talking about having an instrument shoved down your throat. Is that the basic idea? I definitely didn't have one of those.