What is Cardiovascular CT ?

Cardiovascular CT is a fast and effective, non-invasive imaging technique used to visualize, localize and quantify the earliest possible evidence of coronary artery disease for patients with congenital and acquired heart disease. It involves the use of a multi-detector CT scanner and the administration of intravenous contrast. Various forms of heart and aortic disease can be identified including dissections, aneurysms and stenosis.

The Need for Cardiovascular CT

Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer in America today. Left undiagnosed, heart disease and associated vascular problems can be life-threatening. Nearly 1 million people lose their lives due to cardiovascular disease in the U.S. every year. Discovering, diagnosing and treating symptomatic and asymptomatic heart disease early can decrease morbidity and increase patients' sense of control over their health. Helical scanning and multi-slice technology has made CT angiography not just feasible, but clinically relevant.

Common uses of Cardiovascular CT

Cardiovascular CT can be used to screen pericardial lesions, aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm, acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary embolus, and accurately show the extent and location of intracardiac masses and tumors adjacent to the heart. The exam visualizes blood flow in the arterial vessels to assess the plaque burden, which could cause a heart attack. Cardiovascular CT's ability to acquire multiple volumetric axial images in a short breath-hold enables the building of accurate 3D anatomical models of the entire heart and vascular structures without the risks of conventional catheter angiography.

Cardiovascular CT allows radiologists / cardiologists to characterize fatty from non-fatty plaques in vessel walls to determine the extent of coronary artery stenosis, identify ischemic zones of hypoperfusion in the myocardium and produce 3D cine movies of wall-motion defects. In addition, cardiovascular CT is also used for generating maps of the pulmonary veins, assessing the patency of stents and coronary artery bypass grafts and tracing collateral vessel development.

How does it work?

The CT scanner contains a large circular-shaped ring that your body quickly passes through on a moveable table. As you pass through the ring, the scanner takes a complete 360-degree picture of you that is sent to its computer. These pictures are then reconstructed to form a complete image of your internal anatomy. Contrast material will be injected into the vein in your arm. This will enable clear visualization of the blood vessels. An automated injecting device is used to control the timing and rate of injection, which continues during the time images are recorded.

As many as one thousand of pictures may be recorded in a matter of seconds. The real work comes in post production, after the images are acquired and the exam is completed. Powerful computer software programs process the images and make it possible to display them in many different ways, for instance, in cross-sectional slices or as three-dimensional models of the blood vessels.

 

Patient Comfort

Like most CT exams, you will receive intravenous contrast. We will also monitor your heart rate during the procedure by placing you on an EKG monitor. A Technologist or Registered Nurse will remain in contact with you during the exam. A cardiovascular exam takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete from the time you enter the examining room. You may experience a sensation of warmth throughout your body as the contrast material is injected, but you should not feel pain at any time. All CT exams require that you remain still during the exam. Pillows and foam pads are used to help make you comfortable. The examination table will move into and out of the scanner opening, but it is not enclosed and only part of your body will be inside at any one time. You will be asked to hold your breath for 10 to 20 seconds to ensure clear pictures.

Preparation

Prior to making your appointment, you will speak to our medical staff to determine if you may need to be given a prescription for medicine to steady your heart beat. You will be asked to change into a comfortable robe for most procedures. Metal objects can affect the image, so avoid clothing with zippers and snaps. You will be asked to remove hairpins, jewelry, eyeglasses, hearing aids and any removable dental work that could obscure the images. You will be instructed to refrain from eating or drinking anything for 4 hours prior to the exam. Women should always inform their doctor or CT technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant.

After the test

Once the images have been recorded, you will be free to leave. You can eat immediately and it is a good idea to drink plenty of fluids (4 to 5 glasses of water) in the hours after the exam to help flush contrast material out of your system. Patients are able to return to normal activities immediately following the scan.

Results

At Lifescape Imaging - Cypress, we have a radiologist/cardiologist on site for your exam to be interpreted promptly. All of our physicians are Board Certified by the American College of Radiology. The results will be phoned, faxed, mailed, or delivered electronically to your referring physician. Your referring physician will share the results with you.