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What is Coronary CTA? Patients
Coronary CTA is a non-invasive procedure used to investigate the vessels
of the heart through the use of a simple radiographic procedure. This
exam requires no anesthesia, no recovery time, and virtually no preparation.
Just like conventional CT, radiation is used to create thin slice images
through the heart to create hundreds of 2D images. After the
scan, these images will be stacked together to create virtual 3D models
of the heart structures and vessels.
As in many radiology procedures iodinated contrast is injected through
a simple IV during the study to highlight the coronary arteries. Talk
with your doctor about necessary blood work, or if you are allergic
to iodine before having this procedure.
A Coronary CTA usually requires no longer than ten minutes time inside
the CT suite, however since the exam requires the patient to have a
calm even heart beat, we ask patients to arrive at the center one
hour before the appointed time.
What will I experience?
Coronary CTA is a painless, fast and easy procedure. With the
64slice scanner patient exam time is dramatically reduced. You
will be required to lie flat without moving during the entire scan,
which is usually under twenty seconds. The total exam time is
typically 10 or 12 minutes.
As mentioned above there is no demanding preparation needed for this
study, however do not have anything to eat two hours prior to the study,
and no caffeine four hours before arrival.
We ask that you wear loose fitting comfortable clothing with no metal
around the chest area. Our cardiac nurse may request that you
change into one of our patient gowns which are open in the front for
easy placement of the ECG leads.
The CT machine has an exam couch of adequate width to hold a patient
up to 450lbs comfortably. Once on the scanner, ECG leads will
be attached to your chest to monitor the beat of the heart. Our
cardiac nurse may need to shave a small area on your chest to maintain
proper connection between the ECG pad and the chest. These ECG
leads send a signal to the CT scanner for accurate scanning at optimal
heart cycles.
Before the procedure begins, an IV will be placed into the arm to allow
for injection of the contrast during the procedure. When the
contrast is injected you may experience a warm, flushed sensation. This
will last for a brief moment and then will pass. Once the exam is complete
the IV will be removed.
Again, once in the CT suite, exam time is typically less than 10 minutes
and actual scan time is usually under twenty seconds. After the
procedure is completed, you can return to your daily activities.
Use of Beta Blockers
Beta Blockers (β-Blockers) are a pharmaceutical for managing coronary
arrhythmias or heart beat irregularities. Many patients are currently
using some form of β-Blocker regularly. For this exam IV β-Blockers
are used to help regulate the heart and help achieve a relaxed consistent
heart rhythm.
Who interprets the results?
Once your part of the study is complete, the task of putting all the
information together will begin. All of the thousands of images
which can be created by this ten second procedure are compiled to
generate the 3D images and 2D vessel images of the heart structure
and vessels.
Abacoa Imaging is proud to offer two cardiac certified radiologists
at our facility who are specially trained for cardiac scanning. Once
the procedure is completed the exam is sent to an additional highly
trained specialist in the field of cardiac imaging who will then send
a report to your physician.
What are the Benefits of Cardiac CTA?
- Coronary Calcium scoring can be used to help determine the risk
of a coronary event, measuring hard plaque in the vessels.
- Contrast-enhanced coronary CTA can effectively detect coronary
artery stenosis, showing both hard and soft plaque in the heart.
- Coronary CTA can characterize the difference between stable vs
unstable plaque by visualizing both hard calcified and soft plaques.
- Checking for arterial stent or bypass graft patency can now be
completed in a matter of minutes rather than hours.
- Coronary CTA can evaluate the extra-cardiac congenital heart disease
not seen with echocardiography.
- Substantially shorter scan times allow for consistent breath hold,
even in patients who have shortness of breath.
- The Philips 64Slice sub-millimeter CT scanner has the ability to
acquire thinner slice images than other CT scanners, resulting in
highly detailed 2D and 3D images.
- Less IV contrast is used due to the ability to start and complete
the CTA scan at the peak of vascular opacification.
If you have any questions regarding this exam or
any CTA procedure, please call our Cardiovascular CT Specialist, David
J. Espinosa, (561) 629-4457
Originally from Austin, TX. David comes to Midtown Imaging from Philips
Medical Systems clinical education training center in Cleveland, Ohio. With
15 years experience in CT and seven years experience supporting and
training Cardiovascular CTA, David brings together a multi-faceted
viewpoint to offer our patients and physicians the highest level of
care.
What is Coronary CTA? - Doctors
Coronary CTA is a non-invasive procedure used to investigate the vessels
of the heart through the use of a simple radiographic procedure. This
exam requires no anesthesia, no recovery time, and virtually no preparation.
Just like conventional CT, radiation is used to create thin slice images
through the heart to create hundreds of 2D images. After the
scan, these images will be stacked together to create virtual 3D models
of the heart structures and vessels.
As in many radiology procedures iodinated contrast is injected through
a simple IV during the study to highlight the coronary arteries. Although
Non-ionic contrast is less nephrotoxic than other studies, please discuss
with your patients any iodine allergies, and assess any necessary bloodwork.
A Coronary CTA usually requires no longer than ten minutes time inside
the CT suite, however since the exam requires the patient to have a
calm even heart beat, we ask patients to arrive at the center one
hour before the appointed time.
Why Schedule a Coronary CTA
With the evolution in Computed Tomographic technology, coronary CT
angiography has become clinically useful in replacing conventional
coronary angiograms in certain instances. These include but are
not limited to:
- Evaluation of patients with high risk factors like, high cholesterol
and diabetes who are asymptomatic. For these patients plaque
can be identified early and treatment started to prevent heart attacks.
- Evaluate patients with equivocal results from stress tests.
- Pre-surgical or post-surgical evaluation of the heart, especially
with patients who have had bypass surgery and need follow up, the
surgeon will know where grafts are located or have moved, and check
for graft patency.
- Evaluate ventricular function. The CT can image the heart
in both the systolic and diastolic phases and can measure ventricular
volumes or ejection fractions more accurately than nuclear stress
testing.
- Checking other heart chambers especially the left atrium and the
pulmonary veins before and after vein ablation. Afterwards,
ablated veins can be checked for thrombosis that may need to be stented.
- Doubles as a generalized chest scan in which tumors, aneurysms,
embolisms, and other anomalies may be identified.
Insurance Reimbursement
Currently Medicare, PHCS, and United have
announced reimbursement of Coronary CTA for diagnostic purposes. Talk
with your insurance representative if you have other insurance and
believe it will be covered. As always if there are any questions
please contact our marketing department for further information.
What are the Benefits of Cardiac CTA?
- Coronary Calcium scoring can be used to help determine the risk
of a coronary event, measuring hard plaque in the vessels.
- Contrast-enhanced coronary CTA can effectively detect coronary
artery stenosis, showing both hard and soft plaque in the heart.
- Coronary CTA can characterize the difference between stable vs
unstable plaque by visualizing both hard calcified and soft plaques.
- Checking for arterial stent or bypass graft patency can now be
completed in a matter of minutes rather than hours.
- Coronary CTA can evaluate the extra-cardiac congenital heart disease
not seen with echocardiography.
- Substantially shorter scan times allow for consistent breath hold,
even in patients who have shortness of breath.
- The Philips 64Slice sub-millimeter CT scanner has the ability to
acquire thinner slice images than other CT scanners resulting in
clear detail images.
- Less IV contrast is used due to the ability to start and complete
the CTA scan at the peak of vascular opacification.
Who interprets the results?
Midtown Imaging of Abacoa is proud to offer two cardiac certified
radiologists at our facility who are specially trained for cardiac
scanning. Once the procedure is completed the exam is sent to
a second highly trained specialist in the field of cardiac imaging. We
will then send a report to you with correlating images for you to review
with your patients.
What is included in a Coronary CTA
To assess the patients risk of a coronary event, the procedure starts
with a calcium score which is included in the exam. Following
the procedure a scan of the chest is performed to visualize extra-coronary
structures.
If you have any questions regarding this exam or
any CTA procedure, please call our Cardiovascular CT Specialist, David
J. Espinosa, (561) 629-4457
Originally from Austin, TX. David comes to Midtown Imaging from Philips
Medical Systems clinical education training center in Cleveland, Ohio. With
15 years experience in CT and seven years experience supporting and
training Cardiovascular CTA, David brings together a multi-faceted
viewpoint to offer our patients and physicians the highest level of
care.
*All images are actual studies performed at Midtown Imaging
of Abacoa
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