Cardiac CT scans have been in the news recently. CT scans have been around for many years, but recent technology of 64-slice capability is particularly significant because it allows non-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries.

Time Magazine had a front-page cover story in their Sept. 5, 2005 issue. The article “How to Stop a Heart Attack” had several color images of various heart scans. According to Time, the new CT scan “combines rapid X-ray scanning with multislice computed tomography (CT) to produce the most detailed images available of the heart's arteries without surgery.” The Oprah Winfrey Show also was in on this new technology. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a renowned surgeon, was on the Oct. 19, 2005 show “Love your Heart” to talk about and demonstrate this new technology. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. “In fact, more women will die from cardiovascular disease than from the next six causes combined” according to Dr. Oz.

CT scans allow doctors to see images of your internal organs and structures, including your heart and cardiovascular system, in great detail from a variety of angles. This gives your physician critical information more quickly and, in many cases, more economically than they could achieve with other tests or invasive techniques. In those cases where doctors are trying to assess the risk of heart disease, the information from the CT scan can help them uncover disease at its earliest stages, and recommend changes in lifestyle or more aggressive treatment if needed.

According to Time, “The standard for discovering the location of blockages in a patient's coronary arteries has been a procedure called a cardiac catheterization, in which a specialist inserts a probe through an incision into a blood vessel in the groin, then snakes it up toward the heart, where an opaque dye is released. The process can take anywhere from four to six hours and carries a one percent risk of serious complications — which is why doctors don't order it lightly. Yet 20 to 40 percent of patients who take the risk turn out not to have needed it: they show no significant blockages in their arteries.”

CT uses x-rays in conjunction with advanced computer technology to generate very accurate and detailed 3-D images. During this non-invasive test, the patient is placed on a table and moved incrementally through the squared off donut-shaped scanner while an x-ray beam is projected through cross sections of their anatomy. The x-ray energy passes through the patient and is recorded on electronic detectors in the scanner. This information is then sent to a specialized computer that reconstructs the information into individual slices and combines them sequentially into a comprehensive volume image of the entire area scanned. The thinner the slices, the more revealing the detail is in the resulting images and the more definitive the exam results. At the American Heart Association meeting in November, research groups will be sure to discuss their latest studies and results, as well as standards to determine under which conditions these scans make the most sense.

This new technology is recently available at Advanced Medical Imaging (AMI) at its Silverdale location in the Harlow Medical Building at Harrison Silverdale. The upgrade to a 64-slice scan allows AMI to produce these cardiac scans.

According to Dr. Michael Cook, Medical Director, Body Imaging at AMI, “Patients needing a CT scan will find that our new scanner offers a much more pleasant experience. There is no hospital stay required. With much faster scan times patients will usually be completely scanned during one brief breath hold.” Older patients and those with breathing difficulties will appreciate the shorter exams. They will be in and out much faster, and their doctors will be able to access detailed, definitive results.

This new technology's leap in acquisition speed makes advanced applications such as cardiovascular imaging and whole body CT angiography routine. According to Cook, “We can obtain whole heart examinations in just seconds. With the speed and specialized software of this new scanner, we can now overcome the challenges that prevented us from being able to offer such definitive and non-invasive cardiovascular exams in the past”.

This new technology will be demonstrated at an upcoming open house to physicians, the medical community and the public this month.