Health Care and Medical Blogs » CT Scan

cardiologist – A Look into the Heart with innovative CT Scanning Techniques

admin — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:47:56 +0000

Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart. The field includes the diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology. A physician specializing in this field of medicine is called a cardiologist. Cardiologists however should not be confused with cardiac surgeons, who perform cardiac surgery. Cardiologists investigate and treat a host of critical cardiac conditions like High Blood Pressure, Arrhythmia, Congestive Heart Disease, Coronary Artery Disease, Valvular Disease, Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Raised Cholesterol, Breathlessness, Fluid Retentions, Palpitations, Dizzy Spells and Blackouts. Screening plays a major role in identifying high risk individuals and introducing lifestyle modifications and, if appropriate, medication to reduce their risk of heart problems in later life.Modern cardiology uses hi-tech medical equipment for diagnosis of anomalies. For evaluating coronary calcium in coronary heart disease, a CT Scan is often resorted to. A Cardiac CT is a painless test that uses an x-ray machine to take clear and detailed pictures of the heart. During a Cardiac CT Scan, an x-ray machine moves around the patient’s body in a circle. The machine takes pictures of each part of the patient’s heart. Subsequently, a computer puts the pictures together to make 3D pictures of the entire heart. CT Scans performed with a contrast injection are extremely useful for evaluating coronary blockage. Also diagnosable are aortic aneurisms and pulmonary embolisms.

Non-invasive imaging technologies continue to revolutionize every sub-specialty of medicine. Cardiology is no different; new imaging devices have shown enormous promise to diagnose a variety of cardiovascular abnormalities. Recent advances have allowed cardiologists to experience the next generation of extremely fast scanners that enable 64 Slice CT Scans in seconds. Combined with unparalleled resolution, a 64 Slice CT Scan has short scan times that allow the visualization of the heart and entire coronary tree within one breath. Now, a comprehensive evaluation of the health of one’s heart can be done in just a few minutes. One can simply walk in for a Non-invasive Coronary CT Angiography to identify any blockage in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. 64 Slice CT Scan is safe and is not an invasive procedure unlike conventional catheter angiography. Coronary CT Angiography is also extremely useful in evaluating patency of stents and the condition of the bypass graft post-CABG.

Heart Disease is the #1 cause of death and disability in the United States. As such, early detection and prevention of heart disease is extremely important. A CT Heart Scan is a simple non-invasive test used for early detection of heart disease. It is a painless test that takes about 10 minutes. The individual lies on the scanner table and multiple images of the heart are taken. A qualified cardiologist then interprets these images to determine the amount of calcified plaque in the arteries of the heart. Calcified plaque is an indicator of heart disease. The heart scan may be appropriate for men 35 or older and women 40 or older possessing any of the risk factors.

CT Scan – Scanning your health, how CT and Heart Scans can help you

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:10:16 +0000

A CT Scan (computerized tomography) is a non-invasive medical examination used to diagnose and monitor medical conditions. It is a fast and highly effective tool which provides detailed cross-sectional views of areas of the body that are hard to reach. While a standard x-ray only sends out one beam to capture the image, in a CT scan several beams of x-rays are sent out at different angles. It then uses a computer to create images of the inside of the body. Highly detailed pictures in two and three dimensions are obtained. Bones, internal organs, soft tissue and brain can all be imaged in detail with CT scan. SC scans help to diagnose inflammation, cancer and other diseases and help in monitoring many other health conditions.

Cardiac Computed Tomography or Heart Scan is a painless examination that uses a CT scanner to take clear, detailed pictures of the heart. This common examination is used to look for problems in the heart. During a heart scan, an x-ray machine moves around the body in a circle. The machine takes pictures of each part of the heart. A computer then puts the pictures together to make 3D pictures of the entire heart. Sometimes an iodine based dye (contrast dye) is injected into one of the veins in order to highlight the blood vessels on the x-ray pictures. Heart scans are common for evaluating coronary heart disease, problems with heart function and heart valves, problems with the aorta, aneurysms, pulmonary embolisms and other heart diseases.

Los Angeles Cardiologist is a highly reputed cardiology consultant, known for his excellence and innovation in the diagnosis, investigation and treatment of patients with all forms of heart disease. He has extensive experience in all aspects of adult cardiology; in particular the prevention and treatment of heart attack, angioplasty and stenting. Los Angeles Cardiologist and his team are committed to providing an efficient service in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

Cardiologist Los Angeles is keenly interested in cardiac risk assessment and screening, and offers an extensive range of investigations and treatment for cardiac conditions including high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, breathlessness, palpitations, dizzy spells, chest pain (angina) and all aspects of coronary artery disease.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.apexcardiology.com/
501 East Hardy St. Suite 200
Inglewood, CA 90301

CT Heart Scan – Monitoring Your Health

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:27:31 +0000

The efficiency of a hospital is amplified by the addition of medical technology. One of the many machines that make life a little easier in an emergency is the CT scan. This procedure is used to diagnose a myriad of different conditions. The heart especially can easily be viewed by a doctor for heart disease or other health risks. Doctors can visit more patients and get more people home with the fast use of a CT scanner. Many hospitals have them, and you have probably seen them before on a television show or if you have needed a personal scan.

More commonly known as a CAT scan, the CT heart scan will take 64 complete images of the area the doctor is interested in. The machine rotates 360 degrees around the patient. This rotating motion allows the 64 images to be precise and even. Imagine being cut into 64 different slices, similar to a loaf of bread, and you will know what the images the CT scanner is producing look like. Doctors can see all the layers of the organ they are focusing on because each slice penetrates a little deeper into the patient’s body, so finding a trouble area is much easier.

There are several other tests that can be run and performed to determine what is wrong with a patient, but generally the lab is backed up and processing will take time. The patient would need to be admitted to the hospital, and have to wait for the doctor’s diagnosis without the use of this scanner. There is even some danger involved if the patient is high risk for heart attack and they come in complaining of chest pain. With a quick Heart scan both doctor and patient can relax knowing what the diagnosis is, and what can be done to make things better.

Sometimes diagnosis still requires laparoscopy or other invasive procedures that take time and cost both hospital and patient a lot of money. This is only necessary when the CT scan does not yield conclusive results on what the doctor is seeing. The difference between a malignant tumor and a harmless one is virtually indistinguishable with just a picture. Doctors love using CT scan to diagnose their patients because it is faster and more affordable for everyone. Spending less time diagnosing the problem means more time can be spent making the patient feel better and fixing the problem they are having.

CT scan – Detecting a Heart Attack and Heart a Attack Prevention

admin — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:09:57 +0000

A failing heart can cause a person to always be tired fatigue and worn down. If one is past the age of 45 and is experiencing these signs then he or she should have their heart checked. More people every year die of sudden heart attacks than our diagnosed with heart disease. In order to keep up good heart health men and women at the age of 45 should visit their local Cardiologist have their heart checked and get information of ways to improve their cardiovascular system.

The first step to detecting heart problems is to known ones symptoms and see a cardiologist. In this visit most cardiologist will conduct a CT heart Scan in order to be sure that nothing is or isn’t wrong. If the hear scan is clear one can be sure that they do not have major heart disease. Although ones scan is clear he or she should still learn the necessary steps to take if a sudden heart attack occurs.

The first hour of the heart attack is the golden hour if one gets help in this first hour then he or she is likely to survive the heart attack with a good recovery. Heart attack symptoms may vary from person to person. In women heart attack symptoms often hide and are more visible in men. A sudden heart attack may feel like digestive disturbances and some individuals are afraid to embarrass to ask for help in this moment. Embarrassment should not stop you, as the worse that can happen is be taken to the ER have a CT scan that may detect something wrong with the heart or something irregular.

The most common sign of a heart attack in the making is chest pain. Chest pain that is generally brought on by physical exertion, stress and may go away with rest. Fatigue is also a common side effect and present while doing any physical activity even ones that one was able to do in the past. Another common reason that heart attack symptoms hide is because most people experience indigestion. However this indigestion may seem different as it often does not respond to antacids.

All of these things may help to diagnose symptoms of a heart attack and urge many individuals to have a heart scan but the only way to avoid heart attack is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A healthy life style includes daily exercise, eating healthy and staying at a good weight for ones stature.

admin

Diabetes and increased chances of heart disease

admin — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:27:36 +0000

People who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease they are also twice as likely to develop heart disease at an earlier age. It is important for individuals especially diabetes patients to keep a good diet and exercise. After about age 45 or some say 50 if one has a family history of heart disease he or she should see make an appointment with their local or referred to cardiologist. Seeing ones primary physician will not due, a specialist can run the proper test and best detect if there is a problem with ones heart.

Individuals who have diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease because of the effect of diabetes. Diabetes means that one’s pancreas does not create sufficient insulin to break down glucose to enter cells which is the body’s main source of energy; this means the cells will be energy starved. Over time high blood glucose levels damages nerves and blood vessels leading to heart disease and stroke. Individuals with type two diabetes are also, more likely to suffer from heart disease. These patients like all other patients can benefit greatly from early detection. This can be done by undergoing simple test such as a heart scan or CT scan.

This is especially necessary if one is has diabetes and has already had one heart attack because they are in greater risk of suffering another heart attack. It is critical for individuals who have an escalated risk of heart disease to know the symptoms and undergo the suggested testing. Diabetes patients who suffer heart attack run very high risks of not living through it.

Leading Los Angeles Cardiology specialist say changing ones diet for the better will significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack even in diabetic patients. Although many people say that diabetic individuals should not eat sugar this is not necessarily true, like all other individuals they should consume from all the food groups but should exercise regularly. Taking a 15-30 minute walk will greatly improve the cardiovascular system improving ones heart health. Cardiovascular specialists suggest individuals take a 45 minute walk everyday for best cardiovascular improvement and reduce heart disease risks.

CT scan : What is a heart attack and what are its consequences

admin — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:46:10 +0000

Knowing the basic information about how to survive a heart attack is important to people of all ages. The chances that one self or someone they love will suffer from a heart attack during their life time, and whether or not one survives the heart attach will be solely based on what he or she and the doctors does about the heart attack in the first few hours and then over the long term. The best way to prevent a heart attack is to avoid it. If one feels that they are experiencing symptoms of heart attack he or she should consult with their cardiologist who will then order a CT heart scan and if nothing is identified and the symptoms still persist then he may order a Full body scan.

A myocardial infraction commonly known as a heart attack is the most severe form of acute coronary syndrome. Cardiologist say a heart attack is generally triggered by the rupture of a plaque within a coronary artery. The rupture causes a blood clot to form and this leads to blockage of the artery. The area of the heart muscle which is supplied blood by the blocked artery begins to die. It is the death of the heart muscle that defines the heart attack.

The consequences of a heart attack depend on how much of the heart muscle dies, and which of the coronary arteries was blocked, and where in the artery did the blockage occur. Blockage near the origin of an artery will affect more heart muscle than a blockage farther down the artery. If the muscle damage is sever, he or she may develop acute heart failure during the heart attack, this is very dangerous. If the amount of heart muscle damage is less severe but still substantial one may develop heart failure later on. Therefore taking precautions to avoid heart failure after heart attack are imperative to treating a heart attack. Heart attacks also, produce hazardous heart arrhythmias. During the heart attack electrical instability may trigger ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. After this scare tissue results from the healing process may cause permanent electrical instability. Unfortunately this means sudden death from cardiac arrest is risk during heart attack and after heart attack recovery. However after heart attack recover cardiologist can run scans such as 64 Slice CT scan in order to ensure that one is out of danger although it may take time to get there.

Maintaining Americans’ Heart Health

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:42:33 +0000

Heart health care is a serious concern for millions of Americans. A CT scan is a very helpful and popular way for cardiologists to diagnose potential or current heart problems. A warm greeting and attention to detail can go a long way towards making the patient feel comfortable in what can be an uncomfortable situation. For this reason, it is very important for doctors and other staff to help a patient to feel more at ease when they visit the cardiologist

CT imaging is one of the best and fastest tools for studying the chest, abdomen and pelvis because it provides detailed, cross-sectional views of all types of tissue. Doctors can confirm the presence of a tumor as long as well as measure its size and precise location. In addition, they can note its proximity to vital organs in the body. Los Angeles cardiologists often perform CT scans, including full body scans because of its quick accurate results. Therefore, southern California residents can return to their day-to-day routine immediately! CT scans are not only beneficial for heart patients, they can diagnose and treat spinal problems and injuries because they can clearly show even very small bones as well as surrounding tissues such as muscle and blood vessels. CT scans have been compared to slicing a loaf of bread into very thin slices. When the image slices are reassembled by the computer software, the result is a very detailed multidimensional view of the body’s interior. The images are real-time so it is also a great tool for guiding minimally invasive procedures of many parts of the body, especially the lungs, abdomen, pelvis and bones.

Cardiologists can now use cardiac CT imaging to perform a non-invasive coronary angiogram. This advanced procedure can create a non-invasive image of the beating heart. It allows you to obtain detailed information about the structure of a patient’s heart and coronary arteries. CT heart scans have been known to save many lives because cardiologists can discover arterial problems to prevent a heart attack or even death! Many hospitals can perform these tests and obtain results within 24 hours.

Maintaining Americans’ Heart Health

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:04:39 +0000