Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures

The diagnostic tests in cardiology are methods of identifying heart conditions associated with healthy vs. unhealthy, pathologic, heart function. Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Bedside. Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - History. Obtaining a medical history is always the first "test", part of understanding the likelihood of significant disease, as detectable within the current limitations of clinical medicine. Yet heart problems often produce no symptoms ...

Including:

• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Bedside
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - History
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Auscultation
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Laboratory
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Blood tests
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Electrophysiology
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Electrocardiogram
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Holter monitor
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Event monitor
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Cardiac stress testing
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Medical imaging
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Coronary catheterization
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Echocardiogram
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Intravascular ultrasound
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Positron emission tomography
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Computed axial tomography
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Magnetic resonance imaging
• Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Related topics

Read more here: » Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures: Encyclopedia - Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures

Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Coronary catheterization. Coronary catheterization uses pressure monitoring and blood sampling through a catheter inserted into the heart through blood vessels in the leg to determine the functioning of the heart, and, following injections of radiocontrast dye, uses X-ray fluoroscopy, typically at 30 frame/s, to visualize the position and size of blood of within the heart chambers and arteries. Coronary angiography is used to determine the patency and configuration of the coronary artery lumens. ...

See also:

Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Bedside, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - History, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Auscultation, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Laboratory, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Blood tests, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Electrophysiology, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Electrocardiogram, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Holter monitor, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Event monitor, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Cardiac stress testing, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Medical imaging, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Coronary catheterization, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Echocardiogram, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Intravascular ultrasound, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Positron emission tomography, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Computed axial tomography, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Magnetic resonance imaging, Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Related topics

Read more here: » Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures: Encyclopedia II - Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures - Medical imaging

Computed tomography (CT), originally known as computed axial tomography (CAT) and body section roentgenography, is a medical imaging method employing tomography where digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation. The word "tomography" is derived from the Greek tomos (slice) and graphia (describing). CT produces a series of axial images which can be manipulated, through a process known as windo ...

Including:

• Computed tomography - History
• Computed tomography - Principles
• Computed tomography - Diagnostic use
• Computed tomography - Cranial CT
• Computed tomography - Chest CT
• Computed tomography - Cardiac CT
• Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT
• Computed tomography - Extremities

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia - Computed tomography

A cardiac stress test is a medical test performed to evaluate relative arterial blood flow increases to the heart muscles during exercise, as compared to resting blood flow rates (i.e. myocardial perfusion reserve). Stress tests also reveal overall physical fitness. Stress test abnormalities reflect major imbalances of blood flow to the left ventricular muscle more so than in other regions. Such stenoses are the usual basis for stable or reproducible exercise related angina and reflect adv ...

Including:

• Cardiac stress test - Test Overview
• Cardiac stress test - Purpose
• Cardiac stress test - Variations
• Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value
• Cardiac stress test - Risks
• Cardiac stress test - Further Research
• Cardiac stress test - Reference

Read more here: » Cardiac stress test: Encyclopedia - Cardiac stress test

The CT system was invented in 1972 by Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield of EMI Central Research Laboratories (now Sensaura [1] owned by Creative Technology Ltd.) using X-rays. Allan McLeod Cormack of Tufts University independently invented the same process and they shared a Nobel Prize in medicine in 1979. The first scanner, known as the EMI Scanner, took several hours to acquire the raw data and several days to produce the images. The first EMI scanner was limited to making tomographic sections of the brain. It required the use of a water-containi ...

See also:

Computed tomography, Computed tomography - History, Computed tomography - Principles, Computed tomography - Diagnostic use, Computed tomography - Cranial CT, Computed tomography - Chest CT, Computed tomography - Cardiac CT, Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT, Computed tomography - Extremities, Computed tomography - Three dimensional 3D reconstruction, Computed tomography - The principle, Computed tomography - An example, Computed tomography - Segmentation, Computed tomography - CT imaging as graphic art

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia II - Computed tomography - History

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has expanded the choice of modalities available for cardiac stress testing. MRI has superior spatial resolution (on the order of around 1.5 mm for cine imaging and 2.5 mm for perfusion imaging), and temporal resolution (around 40 ms for cine imaging), compared with that of a nuclear or PET stress test (spatial resolution of around 9mm for nuclear and 6mm for PET). The increased spatial resolution allows for more sensitive detection of ischemia, which initially starts at the thin subendocardial layer, due to s ...

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Cardiac stress test, Cardiac stress test - Test Overview, Cardiac stress test - Purpose, Cardiac stress test - Variations, Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value, Cardiac stress test - Risks, Cardiac stress test - Further Research, Cardiac stress test - Reference

Read more here: » Cardiac stress test: Encyclopedia II - Cardiac stress test - Further Research

Since its introduction in the 1970s, CT has become an important tool in medical imaging to supplement X-rays and medical ultrasonography. Although it is still quite expensive, it is the gold standard in the diagnosis of a large number of different disease entities. Computed tomography - Cranial CT. Diagnosis of cerebrovascular accidents and intracranial hemorrhage is the most frequent reason for a "head CT" or "CT brain". Scanning is done without intravenous contrast agents (contrast may rese ...

See also:

Computed tomography, Computed tomography - History, Computed tomography - Principles, Computed tomography - Diagnostic use, Computed tomography - Cranial CT, Computed tomography - Chest CT, Computed tomography - Cardiac CT, Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT, Computed tomography - Extremities

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia II - Computed tomography - Diagnostic use

The CT system was invented in 1972 by Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield of EMI Central Research Laboratories (now Sensaura [1] owned by Creative Technology Ltd.) using X-rays. Allan McLeod Cormack of Tufts University independently invented the same process and they shared a Nobel Prize in medicine in 1979. The first scanner, known as the EMI Scanner, took several hours to acquire the raw data and several days to produce the images. The first EMI scanner was limited to making tomographic sections of the brain. It required the use of a water-containi ...

See also:

Computed tomography, Computed tomography - History, Computed tomography - Principles, Computed tomography - Diagnostic use, Computed tomography - Cranial CT, Computed tomography - Chest CT, Computed tomography - Cardiac CT, Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT, Computed tomography - Extremities

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia II - Computed tomography - History

The heart (Latin cor) is a hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. The term cardiac means "related to the heart", from the Greek kardia (καρδια) for "heart". Heart - The human heart. Heart - Early development. The human embryonic heart (EHR) begins beating at approximately 21 days after conception, or five weeks after the last normal menstrual period (LMP), which is the date normally used to ...

Including:

• Heart - The human heart
• Heart - Early development
• Heart - Structure
• Heart - The cardiac cycle
• Heart - Regulation of the cardiac cycle
• Heart - Other physiological functions
• Heart - Diseases and treatments
• Heart - First aid
• Heart - The hearts of other animals
• Heart - Heartbeat
• Heart - Food use
• Heart - As an icon

Read more here: » Heart: Encyclopedia - Heart

A coronary catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure to access the coronary circulation and blood filled chambers of the heart using a catheter. It is performed for both diagnostic and interventional (treatment) purposes. Coronary catheterization is one of the several Cardiology diagnostic tests and procedures. Specifically, coronary catheterization is a visually interpreted test performed to recognize occlusion, stenosis, restenosis, thrombosis or aneurysmal enlargement the coronary artery lumens, heart chamber size, h ...

Including:

• Coronary catheterization - History
• Coronary catheterization - Patient participation
• Coronary catheterization - Equipment
• Coronary catheterization - Diagnostic Procedure Description
• Coronary catheterization - Catheterization to physically treat luminal disease
• Coronary catheterization - Advances in catheter based physical treatments

Read more here: » Coronary catheterization: Encyclopedia - Coronary catheterization

Computed tomography - The principle. Mathematically the result of a CT scan is a 3 dimensional matrix of numbers representing the radiodensity of the different parts of the body examined. Let us call this matrix the volume. Now consider a certain level of radiodensity and cast an imaginary ray through the volume. There are two possibilities: (a) our ray goes through the volume without hitting a point of the given or greater radiodensity, (b) there is a point at which the ray first hits a value equal or greater th ...

See also:

Computed tomography, Computed tomography - History, Computed tomography - Principles, Computed tomography - Diagnostic use, Computed tomography - Cranial CT, Computed tomography - Chest CT, Computed tomography - Cardiac CT, Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT, Computed tomography - Extremities, Computed tomography - Three dimensional 3D reconstruction, Computed tomography - The principle, Computed tomography - An example, Computed tomography - Segmentation, Computed tomography - CT imaging as graphic art

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia II - Computed tomography - Three dimensional 3D reconstruction

Since its introduction in the 1970s, CT has become an important tool in medical imaging to supplement X-rays and medical ultrasonography. Although it is still quite expensive, it is the gold standard in the diagnosis of a large number of different disease entities. Computed tomography - Cranial CT. Diagnosis of cerebrovascular accidents and intracranial hemorrhage is the most frequent reason for a "head CT" or "CT brain". Scanning is done with or without intravenous contrast agents. CT genera ...

See also:

Computed tomography, Computed tomography - History, Computed tomography - Principles, Computed tomography - Diagnostic use, Computed tomography - Cranial CT, Computed tomography - Chest CT, Computed tomography - Cardiac CT, Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT, Computed tomography - Extremities, Computed tomography - Three dimensional 3D reconstruction, Computed tomography - The principle, Computed tomography - An example, Computed tomography - Segmentation, Computed tomography - CT imaging as graphic art

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia II - Computed tomography - Diagnostic use

The American Heart Association recommends EKG treadmill testing as the first choice for patients with medium risks of coronary heart disease based on the risk factors of smoking, family history of coronary stenosis, hypertension, diabetes and high blood cholesterol. Perfusion (Cardiolite) stress testing is approriate for select patients, especially those with abnormal resting EKG. More severe stenosis, probably greater than 70%, can produce both abnormalities in both EKG waveforms and wall motion on rest or stress echocardiogra ...

See also:

Cardiac stress test, Cardiac stress test - Test Overview, Cardiac stress test - Purpose, Cardiac stress test - Variations, Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value, Cardiac stress test - Risks, Cardiac stress test - Further Research, Cardiac stress test - Reference

Read more here: » Cardiac stress test: Encyclopedia II - Cardiac stress test - Purpose

The patient either walks on a treadmill or is given IV medications to "simulate exercise" while connected to an EKG machine, usually the standard 10 connections used to record a 12 lead EKG. Patient symptoms and blood pressure response is repeatedly checked. Using EKG and blood pressure monitoring alone, the test is variously called a cardiac stress test, exercise stress test, exercise treadmill test, stress test or exercise EKG test. If radioactive isotopes are also used,commonly (technetium Tc99m Sestamibi) and rarely(thallium-201), ...

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Cardiac stress test, Cardiac stress test - Test Overview, Cardiac stress test - Purpose, Cardiac stress test - Variations, Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value, Cardiac stress test - Risks, Cardiac stress test - Further Research, Cardiac stress test - Reference

Read more here: » Cardiac stress test: Encyclopedia II - Cardiac stress test - Test Overview

X-ray slice data is generated using an X-ray source that rotates around the object; X-ray sensors are positioned on the opposite side of the circle from the X-ray source. Many data scans are progressively taken as the object is gradually passed through the gantry. They are combined together by the mathematical procedure known as tomographic reconstruction. Newer machines with faster computer systems and newer software strategies can process not only individual cross sections but continuously changing cross sections as the gantry, with ...

See also:

Computed tomography, Computed tomography - History, Computed tomography - Principles, Computed tomography - Diagnostic use, Computed tomography - Cranial CT, Computed tomography - Chest CT, Computed tomography - Cardiac CT, Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT, Computed tomography - Extremities

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia II - Computed tomography - Principles

Some patients with abnormal resting EKG's or those who are unable to walk safely can be exercised pharmacologically instead of walking on a treadmil. The patient will typically recieve a pharmaceutical such as dypridamole or adenosine (both vasodilators) while a Cardiologist or Physician's Assistant reviews the Electocardiogram tracing and checks blood pressure periodically. A radiotracer (typically Sestamibi although Thallium is possible) will be injected during the simulated exercise portion. After a suitable waiting period, picture ...

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Cardiac stress test, Cardiac stress test - Test Overview, Cardiac stress test - Purpose, Cardiac stress test - Variations, Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value, Cardiac stress test - Risks, Cardiac stress test - Further Research, Cardiac stress test - Reference

Read more here: » Cardiac stress test: Encyclopedia II - Cardiac stress test - Variations

X-ray slice data is generated using an X-ray source that rotates around the object; X-ray sensors are positioned on the opposite side of the circle from the X-ray source. Many data scans are progressively taken as the object is gradually passed through the gantry. They are combined together by the mathematical procedure known as tomographic reconstruction. Newer machines with faster computer systems and newer software strategies can process not only individual cross sections but continuously changing cross sections as the gantry, with ...

See also:

Computed tomography, Computed tomography - History, Computed tomography - Principles, Computed tomography - Diagnostic use, Computed tomography - Cranial CT, Computed tomography - Chest CT, Computed tomography - Cardiac CT, Computed tomography - Abdominal and pelvic CT, Computed tomography - Extremities, Computed tomography - Three dimensional 3D reconstruction, Computed tomography - The principle, Computed tomography - An example, Computed tomography - Segmentation, Computed tomography - CT imaging as graphic art

Read more here: » Computed tomography: Encyclopedia II - Computed tomography - Principles

Absolute contraindications to cardiac stress testing include acute MI within 48 hrs, unstable angina not yet stablized with medical therapy, uncontrolled arrythmia which may have significant hemodynamic responses (for example ventricular tachicardia), symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, pericarditis. Major side effects from cardiac stress testing include palpitation, chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, nausea, fatigue. Adenosine and dipyridamole can cause mild hypotension. Hypotension caused by exercise stress testing or dobutamine is almost always abnorma ...

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Cardiac stress test, Cardiac stress test - Test Overview, Cardiac stress test - Purpose, Cardiac stress test - Variations, Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value, Cardiac stress test - Risks, Cardiac stress test - Further Research, Cardiac stress test - Reference

Read more here: » Cardiac stress test: Encyclopedia II - Cardiac stress test - Risks

The American Heart Association journal, Circulation, describes: Aa treadmill test sensitivity of 68%; specificity of 70%: Nuclear test sensitity 81%; specificity 99%. Unfortunately, the value of such a test is limited, especially for asymptomatic individuals. According to United States data, 2004, for about 65% of men and 47% of women, the first symptom of cardiovascular disease is heart attack o ...

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Cardiac stress test, Cardiac stress test - Test Overview, Cardiac stress test - Purpose, Cardiac stress test - Variations, Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value, Cardiac stress test - Risks, Cardiac stress test - Further Research, Cardiac stress test - Reference

Read more here: » Cardiac stress test: Encyclopedia II - Cardiac stress test - Diagnostic Value

Heart - Structure. In the human body, the heart is normally situated slightly to the left of the middle of the thorax, underneath the sternum (breastbone). It is enclosed by a sac known as the pericardium and is surrounded by the lungs. In normal adults, its mass is 250-350 g, but extremely diseased hearts can be up to 1000 g in mass. It consists of four chambers, the two upper atria (singular: atrium< ...

See also:

Heart, Heart - The human heart, Heart - Structure, Heart - The cardiac cycle, Heart - Regulation of the cardiac cycle, Heart - Other physiological functions, Heart - Diseases and treatments, Heart - First aid, Heart - The hearts of other animals, Heart - Heartbeat, Heart - Food use, Heart - As an icon

Read more here: » Heart: Encyclopedia II - Heart - The human heart