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General Invasive Cardiology – At the heart of CANM's capabilities, Cardiac Catheterization or an Angiogram is the most common and recognizable invasive, diagnostic technique our cardiologists employ. This is a procedure done on the heart and involves the use of a thin plastic tube or catheter inserted into a vein or artery in the arm or leg. Upon insertion, it is advanced into the chambers of the heart or into the coronary arteries. It is used to measure blood pressure, blood flow within the heart and how much oxygen is in the heart. It's also used to get information about the pumping ability of the heart muscle. X-ray dye may also be injected through the catheters to aid in viewing the beating heart. In most cases, cardiac catheterization is recommended when a partial or complete coronary artery blockage is suspected. It is used to evaluate how well the heart is functioning and to obtain information about blockages. This procedure produces angiograms (i.e., x-ray images) of the coronary arteries and the left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber. Back To Top Interventional Cardiology – A distinct subspecialty within the field of cardiovascular medicine, Interventional Cardiology is a vital component in the treatment of patients with diseases of the heart, blood vessels or coronary artery. It involves “intervening” via highly specialized procedures where tools mounted on small catheters are used to clear blockages or cure arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). These procedures serve to restore blood flow to and from the heart and allow for revascularization. Two other procedures commonly performed by CANM doctors are Angioplasty and Coronary Stenting. Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA), or Angioplasty, is performed to reduce or eliminate blockages in coronary arteries. The goal of PTCA is to restore blood flow to blood-deprived heart tissue, reduce the need for medication, and eliminate or reduce the number of episodes of angina (chest pain). Opening a blockage, or a plaque, in a coronary artery typically involves the use of an angioplasty balloon. When the blockage is calcified or so dense that a balloon cannot be placed, other devices are used. Plaque can be cut out, ablated with a laser, or bored out using a surgical drill bit. Often, a stent is implanted after angioplasty to keep the artery open and prevent regrowth of plaque. Interventional cardiology has played a vital role in improving the health and quality of life of many patients, helping relieve symptoms and allowing patients to become more active. Back To Top Nuclear Cardiology – Nuclear Cardiology involves noninvasive diagnostic techniques that assess blood flow to and from the heart, evaluate the pumping function of the heart and visualize the size and location of a heart attack. The most widely used nuclear cardiology technique, Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, is playing an increasingly important role in identifying which patients are at an increased risk for a heart attack and may be candidates for an invasive procedure. Myocardial Perfusion Imaging carries no risk beyond that of the treadmill testing itself. The radioactive isotope injected for the study produces less radiation than x-ray procedures such as a CAT scan. The heart is imaged both at rest and during exercise. The exercise portion of the test is similar to that of Treadmill Testing. The isotope tracer is injected into an arm vein one to two minutes before you quit walking. After the termination of the treadmill test the isotope will be imaged in the heart area. This imaging will take 20 to 25 minutes during which time you will be asked to lie on a bed with your arms over your head. You are asked not to move during the imaging. Nuclear cardiology is a time-tested imaging technology with an excellent safety profile. It provides quantifiable and cost-effective information for the clinical management of patients with suspected or proven coronary artery disease. Back To Top Electrophysiology – Electrophysiology focuses on diagnostic procedures used to evaluate and treat patients with heart rhythm abnormalities. Electrophysiology studies can help determine what the heart rhythm abnormality is and help the doctor decide on the treatment. The Electrophysiologists who is a specially trained Cardiologist might use several tests to help diagnose the abnormality.
Treatment for a heart rhythm problem sometimes only requires medication. Other treatment may be catheter ablation where the abnormal electrical pathway that is causing the heart rhythm problem is destroyed. Slow heart rhythms may require that a pacemaker be inserted permanently inside the heart. If the heart rhythm is dangerously fast an implantable cardioverter defibrillator can be permanently inserted inside the heart to slow the heart down. Back To Top Echocardiography – Echocardiography utilizes high frequency ultrasound transmitted by a recorder (probe) on the chest wall in order to be record an image of your heart. This noninvasive diagnostic procedure commonly know as a Echocardiogram. Echocardiograms allow CANM physicians to visualize the anatomy, structure and function of the heart as it is beating. This includes heart valve problems, the strength and thickness of your heart muscle and the size of the chambers in your heart, as well as determine abnormal flow within the heart. The echocardiogram takes about one hour. There are no special preparations or instructions for the study. CANM also offers non-invasive peripheral vascular studies as a part of our Echocardiography program. Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound uses sound waves to obtain images and measure speed (velocity) of blood flow in carotids (neck), arms, legs, abdominal aorta and renal (kidney) blood vessels. These images are analyzed to determine whether or not you have blockages in your arteries, blood clots in your veins or if an abdominal aortic aneurysm is present. Back To Top |
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