Procedures
Cardiac Imaging
Increasingly, there are non-invasive imaging techniques that Radiologists can perform to evaluate not only the heart, but also the entire anatomy of the chest. These non-invasive procedures can keep patients from having to undergo painful and much more invasive cardiac catheterization procedures. An additional benefit to imaging the chest along with the heart is the opportunity to find abnormalities outside the initial cardiac study. For more information on the types of Cardiac Imaging available, see below.
CT and CTA
CTA and CT of the coronary arteries are powerful tools used to perform Cardiac Imaging. Why have a CTA?
- CTA exams may take just a few short minutes
- CTA can, in many cases prevent patients from having to undergo painful and much more invasive cardiac catheterization.
- With typical Cardiac Catheterization, patients typically must not eat the night before and may spend most of the day in the hospital. Whereas with CTA, the vast majority of patients are able to have the procedure with minimal disruption to their day.
- CTA can be used to detect narrowing or obstruction of arteries in the pelvis and in the carotid arteries.
- CT angiography can also show whether a stent is serving its purpose.
- Examining arteries in the brain may help reach a correct diagnosis in patients who complain of headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, or fainting. Injured patients may benefit from CTA if there is a possibility that one or more arteries have been damaged.
- In patients with a tumor it may be helpful for the surgeon to know the details of arteries feeding the growth.
Cardiac MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging is becoming very important in the initial diagnosis and subsequent management of coronary heart disease. Specifically,
- MRI can help physicians to look closely at the structures and function of the heart and major vessels quickly and thoroughly, without the risks associated with traditional, more invasive procedures.
- Using MRI, physicians can examine the size and thickness of the chambers of the heart, and determine the extent of damage caused by a heart attack or progressive heart disease.
- An MRI examination can help the physician understand how well the heart is pumping,
- Whether the flow of blood is blocked in any chamber or major vessel
- Whether the heart muscles are damaged, or
- Whether the lining of the heart is swelling.
- MRI can also detect the buildup of plaque and blockages in the blood vessels, making it an invaluable tool for detecting and evaluating coronary artery disease.
- Showing the function of the heart muscles, valves and vessels.
More and more, MRI is being used as part of the traditional cardiac stress test to help physicians with earlier diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and to assess the patient’s recovery after treatment
PET Cardiac Imaging
- PET scans of the heart can be used to determine blood flow to the heart muscle and help evaluate signs of coronary artery disease.
- PET scans of the heart can also be used to determine if areas of the heart that show decreased function are alive rather than scarred due to a prior heart attack, called a myocardial infarction.
- Combined with a myocardial perfusion study, PET scans differentiate nonfunctioning heart muscle from heart muscle that would benefit from a procedure, such as angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery, which would reestablish adequate blood flow and improve heart function.
Patient Preparation Requirements
You will need to refrain from caffeine and sinus and allergy medicine 6 hours before your test as they may increase your heart rate making it difficult to acquire an accurate study. You will also be asked to remove all jewelry and metal objects in the chest area as well as putting on a hospital gown to ensure there is no obstructions to your chest. A beta blocker may be administrated if your heart rate is faster than what is required to complete the procedure. If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, inform the technologist before your test begins or beta blockers are administered. If you are currently breast feeding, you will also need to inform the technologist before your exam begins.
For the most up to date information, visit www.radiologyinfo.org, a website dedicated to radiology information from the patient perspective.
