We know it can be worrying when your doctor recommends images be taken to diagnose a heart condition (called cardiac imaging). However, recent advances in cardiac imaging help you get better care, faster. Our expert team works to give you an accurate diagnosis quickly, which means less worry, pain and time spent waiting for the right treatment. A timely heart disease diagnosis may even save your life.
The main objective of cardiac imaging is to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD) and structural heart disease. These diseases affect the arteries, heart valves, heart muscle and other tissues in and around the heart. After diagnosis, we’ll connect you with our heart care team — some of the most experienced heart specialists in the region.
Take the next step: If you’re concerned about your heart health or have symptoms, talk to your primary care physician or cardiologist today.
“Early diagnosis saves lives. Once, a firefighter came in for chest pain. When he saw me he shouted, ‘I know this doctor! Ten years ago he said I’d have some bad problems, but I never came back for a follow-up.’ We found a life-threatening tear in his aorta and fixed it. Thankfully, he’s alive and well — but he could have avoided a medical emergency altogether.”
Structural heart diseases, which are problems with the tissues in your heart. These may include:
Congenital heart diseases (heart defects present from birth), like a hole in the heart (called atrial or ventricular septal defect).
Coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common and deadly heart disease. If you have chest pain, a key first step is evaluation to rule out CAD.
We offer a variety of imaging choices including echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography (CCT), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and nuclear imaging. Selecting the proper technique is essential to finding answers for each patient’s unique situation.
We may use one or more of the following procedures to diagnose your heart condition. We’ll work with you if you have any concerns about a certain procedure.
Echocardiogram (also called a heart echo or heart ultrasound) is the most frequently used cardiac imaging technique. An echo is performed with an ultrasound machine, which sends sound waves through your body to create images of the heart. It’s fast, effective and causes no pain or damage to the body. Our highly-experienced echocardiography team contributes to your care by:
To get the best diagnosis, an echo may be performed either through the chest (transthoracic echocardiography or TTE) or esophagus (transesophageal echocardiography or TEE). TEE is better for certain conditions, providing a clearer picture by avoiding the bones and muscles in the chest. TEE can also provide more detailed 3D images of the heart.
Echos are key in structural heart disease diagnosis and treatment. Echo is used not only to evaluate, but also to plan and perform operations, leading to better outcomes for our patients. Our heart care team uses echos in the catheterization lab and operating room for a variety of complex procedures and surgeries, including:
Chest pain can indicate a serious problem. Our team’s first priority is making sure your chest pain isn’t caused by a life-threatening condition like coronary artery disease (CAD). To evaluate chest pain, we use a variety of testing procedures.
Usually, patients first see their cardiologist or primary care doctor for symptoms that might be related to heart disease. Symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations feeling faint, weakness and more. Your doctor will evaluate your symptoms and any risk factors, like family history, high cholesterol levels or abnormal blood pressure. Depending on your unique case, your doctor may recommend heart imaging services at our lab. You’ll find the lab on the fourth floor of the medical center.
Your doctor’s office will contact us to schedule your appointment. Most patients don’t need to do anything special to prepare for their appointment. However, if you’re getting a nuclear heart test you will need to avoid caffeine for 24 hours beforehand.
At your appointment, we’ll help you understand how your heart test will be performed and what to expect afterward. Depending on the tests you need, you may see different members of our team (including cardiologists, cardiac radiologists and sonographers). After the test, you’ll be able to go home the same day — most procedures can be completed in about an hour.
Our team will carefully evaluate the results of your testing to make an accurate diagnosis. We’ll share the results with your doctor and make sure you’re on the best path to treatment. Your doctor will let you know your next steps, including further procedures for diagnosis or treatment.
Many patients won’t need a follow-up appointment at our lab. In some cases, your physician may recommend regular follow-up imaging services to monitor your condition.
If your heart condition requires ongoing care, we’ll schedule follow-up appointments to check up on your heart health. No matter what comes next, we’ll be here to work with your care team and guide you to the best possible outcome.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. If you’re concerned about your heart health or have symptoms, talk to your primary care physician or cardiologist today. Detecting heart disease early can improve your treatment options, help you live healthier and even save your life.