128 SLICE CARDIAC CT ANGIOGRAPHY
128 Slice Cardiac CT Angiography
A CT Coronary Angiogram is an outpatient non-invasive CT scan imaging technique performed using intravenous contrast (dye) toproduce high-resolution three-dimensional images of the moving heart and coronary arteries. Capturing a moving heart is as difficult as capturing clear still picture of a running horse, which requires a very high-end camera. Similarly, now it is possible to get sharp and clear images of a moving heart with the advent of state-of-the-art ultrafast 128 slice cardiac CT scanner
Using state-of-the-art 128 slice CT scanner we can detect calcium and fatty deposits (plaques) in the arteries of the heart (coronary arteries) at an early stage with great accuracy and with much lower radiation doses than before. Hence by detecting early coronary artery disease in an individual can help preventing a future Heart attack.
What are the benefits of this test?
- Diagnose the presence of coronary artery disease at an early stage so that treatments to reduce the progression to severe blockages and heart attacks can be initiated early
- Coronary CTangiography allows a definitive evaluation of patients with atypical chest pain with unclear/equivocal TMT results.
- The severity of narrowing of the coronary arteries can be accurately calculated and guides the physician in planning the next step of treatment (like lifestyle modifications, cardiac medications, stenting or bypass surgery).
- The risk of blockages developing within coronary stents and bypass grafts increases with time and especially if risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol are not well controlled.
- Coronary CT angiography may be used to assess the current status of stent or bypass grafts and reduces the need for an invasive coronary angiogram
- Diagnose coronary artery anomalies that can lead to sudden cardiac death.
Who will benefit from this test?
- Patients with atypical chest pain and discomfort.
- Family or personal history of coronary artery disease
- Having risk factors like Chronic smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, Inactive lifestyle
- Patients with inconclusive stress test (borderline positive TMT)
- Patients suspected of having anomalous coronary arteries
- Post stenting or bypass patients with new/worsening symptoms.
- Patients with unexplained and recurrent syncope (fainting) or history of sudden cardiac arrest
Accuracy of the test
- Coronary CT angiography has a very high negative predictive value of > 95%, that means if this test detected negative, than the chances of having a coronary artery disease is unlikely
- There may be 10-20% variation in the test results in persons who are having very high calcium deposition in the corona arteries.
