Diagnostics & Screening

Carotid Duplex Screening is a safe, simple, and painless non-invasive procedure for patients who may be at risk for stroke.

This procedure uses an ultrasound to look for blood clots, plaque buildup, and other blood flow problems in the carotid arteries.

The carotid arteries are located in the neck and supply blood to the brain. Almost 40 percent of strokes originate from blockages in these arteries.

In a stress test, you are asked to walk on a treadmill until your heart rate increases over its normal resting rate. Your heart’s electrical activity (EKG) is monitored by your physician to learn about your heart’s function and the blood supply provided to the heart muscle during exercise.

• Stress Cardiolite - this test incorporates the use of a cardiolite which is a nuclear tracer injected via IV prior to and during the exercise. This makes it easier to scan pictures of the heart before, during and after the test.
• Adenosine Cardiolite - patients who are unable to walk on the treadmill are given adenosine, an IV medication, to dilate the heart vessels and mimic the effects of exercise.
• Stress ECHO - an ultrasound of the heart is performed prior to testing and immediately following the exercise.
• Dobutamine Echo - patients who are unable to walk on the treadmill are given doubutamine, an IV medication, to cause the heart to beat faster mimicking the effect of exercise.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed pictures of the structures within the heart. It is used to detect or monitor cardiac disease and to evaluate the heart’s anatomy and function in patients with congenital heart disease. Cardiac MRI does not use ionizing radiation, and it may provide images of the heart that are better than other imaging methods for certain conditions.

Cardiac scoring is a simple, painless non-invasive procedure lasting approximately three-minutes. During the test your heart is scanned by an advanced high-speed CAT scan. The scan detects dangerous calcium buildup in the coronary arteries which could block blood flow and cause heart failure.

Physicians recommend a cardiac scoring exam for those in three or more of the following categories:

• Men over age 45
• Women over age 55
• Current or former smokers
• A family history of heart disease
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Overweight
• Diabetes

A Holter monitor is a machine that continuously records the heart’s rhythms. The small monitor is hooked to electrodes on your chest and records a digital, continuous EKG tracing of your heart. It’s usually worn for 24 - 48 hours during normal activity.

The cardiac event monitor, also known as an arrhythmia monitor, continuously monitors the heart’s EKG tracing. The cardiac event monitor is used to help diagnose transient symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest discomfort, fainting, palpitations or dizziness. Once you feel these symptoms you can call the hospital and transmit your recordings over the phone for immediate review. It’s can be worn for up to 30 days, or until your symptoms are diagnosed.

An echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart. The picture is much more detailed than a plain x-ray image and involves no radiation exposure. This ultrasound procedure provides information about the heart’s structure and valves that can help to diagnose and treat heart conditions. The test is completely painless and takes about 30 minutes.