Computed Tomography to Detect Arterial Blockages

Computed tomography, also known as CT or CAT scan or cardiac CT, is a test that creates a series of X-ray images of your heart and the surrounding blood vessels such as the coronary arteries. These images are like visual slices of your heart, which, when put together, show your heart and surrounding blood vessels.

“CAT scans give us enormously useful information, such as whether there is blockage in the arteries, the kind of plaque that is building up,” says cardiologist Tomasz P. Stys, MD, in practice with Sanford Health Partners in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Worried about your heart health? Find a cardiologist in your area.

How Computed Tomography Works

A CT scan is a noninvasive test performed in a machine that looks a lot like a giant donut. You will be given an injection of a material containing iodine, called a contrast dye, that shows blood flow in your heart vessels, and you may also be given a beta blocker to slow down your heart slightly so that the X-ray machine can take more accurate images. While you are lying on your back, you will be moved into the machine while an X-ray camera takes a series of images of your heart.

Cardiac CT scans have many uses in heart health management and diagnosis. They can be used just as effectively as more invasive tests to find out whether there is buildup in blood vessels around a heart transplant, for example. Recent studies show that when combined with a calcium score, they are quite effective in identifying which patients who have known heart disease are at increased risk for serious problems in the next five years.

There are different types of CT scans for your heart:

* Coronary CT angiography. This type of CT scan shows whether there are any blockages in the coronary arteries.
* Calcium scoring CT scan. This is performed with electron beam computed tomography (EBCT). It is a test that helps your doctor understand whether you have atherosclerosis and how far it has progressed.

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When Is Computed Tomography Used?

A CT scan may be ordered to help understand why you are having symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath, or to better understand results of a stress test. A CT scan may be helpful when your doctor wants to know:

* If you have coronary artery disease
* What kind of calcium buildup there is in your arteries, if any
* Whether a stent is blocked
* How your heart is functioning
* Whether you have any problems in your aorta (the blood vessel that takes oxygen-rich blood to your body) such as weak or separated walls
* If you have a blood clot in your lung
* If the area around your heart (the pericardium) is diseased
* Whether you need a more invasive procedure, such as angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft

Benefits of Computed Tomography

* It's less risky than cardiac catheterization.
* It's painless.
* A CT scan takes less than 20 minutes and you can immediately return to normal activities.
* Accuracy is high, particularly with negative results. If the test says that you do not have signs of plaque or blockages in your coronary arteries, it’s 99 percent accurate, says Dr. Stys.

For the best results, make sure that your doctor has access to the most recent CT scan technology — newer systems produce much better images.

Risks of Computed Tomography

* Exposure to radiation. Although the dose of radiation you get in a CT scan is safe for adults, it can be harmful to babies in the womb — let your doctor know if you are pregnant.
* Rarely, patients have an allergic reaction to the contrast dye that is injected for the test. An antihistamine may be given to ease this reaction.
* Breathing problems may occur in people who have a severe allergic reaction to the contrast dye or in people who have asthma or emphysema as a result of the beta blockers.

Always let your doctor know about any allergies or chronic health problems you have before taking these and other tests. For many patients, computed tomography is a good tool for making a heart disease diagnosis.
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