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February 9, 2012

CT Coronary Angiogram

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What is a CT coronary angiogram?

A new test is available to diagnose coronary artery disease. In the past, noninvasive functional tests of the heart were used, such as treadmill tests and nuclear studies, to indirectly assess if there were blockages in the coronary arteries. The only way to directly look at the coronary arteries was via a cardiac catheterization and coronary angiogram.

CT scans have been used to look at various anatomic regions, but have not been useful for the heart because the heart is continuously in motion. CT is very effective in looking at "static" areas, such as the brain, abdominal cavity, and extremities. Most early CT scanners take 1-8 pictures (slices) a minute, much slower than the rate of the heart. Just as taking a picture of a moving object with a camera results in a blurry picture, conventional CT scans of the heart are not helpful. A new generation of CT scanners which can take 64 pictures a minute is now available; with the use of a little medication to slow the heart rate to less than 64, CT images of the coronary arteries are now possible.

How is CT coronary angiogram performed and what are the risks of the procedure?

This procedure use intravenous dye which contains iodine and CT scanning to image the coronary arteries. While the use of catheters is not necessary (thus the term "noninvasive" test applies to this procedure), there are still some risks involved. In people allergic to iodine, pretreatment with medications is necessary to prevent allergic reactions to the dye. In people with abnormal kidney function and/or diabetes, the dye may worsen kidney function. Finally, there is radiation exposure which is similar to, if not greater than, that received with a conventional coronary angiogram. Nonetheless, this is generally a very safe test for most people, but should only be undergone when ordered by a physician familiar with the patient and their underlying medical condition.




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CT Coronary Angiogram

Intoduction to How The Heart Works

Your heart is an amazing organ. It continuously pumps oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout your body to sustain life. This fist-sized powerhouse beats (expands and contracts) 100,000 times per day, pumping five or six quarts of blood each minute, or about 2,000 gallons per day.

How Does Blood Travel Through the Heart?

As the heart beats, it pumps blood through a system of blood vessels, called the circulatory system. The vessels are elastic, muscular tubes that carry blood to every part of the body.

Blood is essential. In addition to carrying fresh oxygen from the lungs and nutrients to your body's tissues, it also takes the body's waste products, including carbon dioxide, away from the tissues. This is necessary to sustain life and promote the health of all the body's tissues.

There are three main types of blood vessels:

  • Arteries. They begin with the aorta, the l...

Read the How the Heart Works article »







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