Testing & Diagnostic Services 

Arterial studies are dopplers (or ultrasounds) of the arteries in your legs. The physician uses this information to look for blockages or narrowed arteries in this area.

You can find out if you have the beginnings of heart disease before the trouble begins with a coronary calcium CT scan. That’s good news because then you can take steps to prevent a heart attack. Usually, heart disease (also known as coronary artery disease) is not discovered until a person develops symptoms such as chest pain, an abnormal response to a stress test, has a heart attack, or a sudden cardiac death occurs.

At Bryan Medical Center, our multi-slice CT scanner detects the presence of calcium in your coronary arteries. If calcium is found, the amount of calcification tells us the level of heart disease and your risk of a heart attack. This technology allows us to detect the extent of heart disease before symptoms appear, so you can take steps to slow the progression of heart disease and prevent a life-threatening cardiac event. The special CT scanner at Bryan uses the lowest dose of radiation for this procedure.

A cardiac catheterization (also commonly referred to as a coronary angiogram or heart cath) is a procedure that helps your doctor determine how well your heart is working. This test allows your doctor to examine the blood flow or supply to the heart muscle in order to reveal possible blockages as well as past damage. Once the cardiac catheterization is completed, your doctor will be able to determine the best course of treatment, ranging from medications, to balloon and/or stent placement, to bypass surgery.

During this procedure, a small tube called a catheter is inserted into a large blood vessel either in your groin (femoral artery) or wrist (radial artery). The doctor continues to guide the catheter up the artery to reach the coronary arteries (blood vessels supplying blood to the heart). At this time a small amount of contrast dye will be injected through the catheter. The contrast then flows through your coronary arteries and X-rays of your heart are taken. These X-ray images will show the dye as it flows through the arteries and reveals any places where the arteries are blocked or past damage has occurred.

Cardiac MRI produces very detailed imaging of the heart while it is beating. This test helps your doctor review the physical structure and function of your heart muscle. Cardiac MRIs help physicians find the cause of heart failure or identify any tissue damage caused by a heart attack.

A cardiac PET scan of the heart is a noninvasive nuclear imaging test. Perfusion PET imaging is a very accurate way to diagnose coronary artery disease and to distinguish areas of the heart muscle with normal blood flow from those with abnormal blood flow.

PET scans can identify dead tissue and injured tissue that’s still living and functioning. If the tissue is viable, you may benefit from a cardiac catheterization or surgery to restore blood flow (coronary artery bypass – CABG).

In this test, a small amount of radioactive tracer will be injected through an IV placed in your arm. The PET camera will detect the tracer as it flows through the heart. Images or pictures are taken with your heart at rest. A medication is then used to increase the blood flow through your heart (to cause stress) and images are taken again to compare the blood flow to that when it was at rest.
During this test you will lie on a narrow table with your arms above your head. You will be under the camera for about 45 minutes.

A cardiac (or Bruce) treadmill stress test is a noninvasive test that evaluates patients with suspected heart disease or complications. The Bruce treadmill stress test consists of multiple exercise stages, usually lasting three minutes per stage. As each stage progresses, so does the slope and speed of the treadmill. An EKG and vital signs are recorded throughout the testing period. This series of information shows how your heart works during physical activity. Physical activity or exercise makes your heart pump faster and harder; therefore, a stress test allows the doctor to look at the blood flow to your heart muscle during the various stages of exercise. The Bruce stress test is safe for most people. It is performed in a controlled environment with medical professionals by your side if an issue or complication arises.

A cardiopulmonary stress test involves using a special treadmill that will determine if you have any cardiac or respiratory limitations during exercise. It also will indicate how well the heart pumps blood to the muscles. During this test, you are hooked to electrodes that will take an ECG and you will be asked to breathe into a breath analyzer which will measure the gas exchange in your lungs. An oximeter will be placed on your finger to determine the oxygen percentage in your blood during exercise. The results of this test will help your doctor determine the best exercise for you and a target heart rate for you to work toward when exercising.

A carotid doppler is an ultrasound of the arteries in your neck. The ultrasound is used to look for blockages or narrowed arteries due to plaque build-up.

A chest X-ray produces images of your heart, lungs and bones of the chest and spine. These X-rays can be used to see if you have fluid buildup in your lungs or if your heart has become enlarged. Changes in the size and shape of your heart can help diagnose heart failure or heart valve problems.

A coronary computed tomography angiogram (CCTA) is a noninvasive cardiac imaging test that helps your doctor determine whether fatty deposits or calcium deposits have built up in your coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood flow to the heart). Additionally, a coronary calcium score is obtained which helps predict a person’s future risk of cardiovascular events.

During this test, a small amount of contrast will be injected through an IV placed in your arm. The contrast then flows through your system to your coronary arteries. Once the contrast is in place, the computed tomography (CT) scanner will take a series of images while it scans your heart. Due to the equipment used (256 slice CT), a slower heart rate is key to getting clear, concise images. Depending on your heart rate, you may be prescribed a beta blocker to take the night before your test, then again the morning of and possibly during the test, if needed.

You will lie on a table that moves into a scanner. The scanner will take detailed pictures of your blood vessels. This will tell the doctor if the blood vessels in your legs are big enough for a catheter that carries a new valve to your heart. This test often includes a dose of contrast (X-ray) dye into a vein in your arm. We may change this test for you if your kidneys don’t work well.

An echocardiogram (echo) test is where an ultrasound or sound waves are used to make an image of your heart. An echo provides pictures of the chambers, valves, walls and blood vessels (aorta, arteries and veins) attached to your heart. Your physician will review the images from the echo to look at your heart’s structure and to see how well it is functioning.

An electrocardiogram is a test that measures the electrical signals in your heart. Electrodes are placed on your chest and rib cage to record your heart’s signals and rhythm. The signals/rhythms are shown as waves on either a sheet of paper or computer monitor. Your physician will review the waves to check for signs of heart disease or different heart conditions.

You will lie on a table that moves into a scanner. The scanner will take detailed pictures of your blood vessels. This will tell the doctor if the blood vessels in your legs are big enough for a catheter that carries a new valve to your heart.

A nuclear perfusion study, sometimes known as MPI (Myocardial Perfusion Imaging) or stress test is a noninvasive nuclear imaging test specific to the heart. This test shows how your heart works during physical activity. Physical activity or exercise makes your heart pump faster and harder, therefore a stress test allows the doctor to look at the blood flow to your heart muscle during this time.

During this test, a small amount of radioactive tracer will be injected through an IV placed in your arm or hand. The tracer allows images of your heart to be recorded with a special gamma camera. The camera will detect the tracer as it flows through the heart. Images are taken at two times – when your heart is at rest and again after the stress portion. During the stress portion you will walk on a treadmill, or depending on your needs, you may be given a medication that simulates exercise.

A PFT is a breathing test that measures how well your lungs are working. Information is collected on lung volume, lung capacity and how efficiently your lungs are transferring oxygen to the rest of your body.

A stress echo (echocardiogram) is performed to see how well your heart works under stress. The stress portion can be triggered by exercise on a treadmill or by a medicine. Images are captured in the same manner as during a standard echo.

An echocardiogram (echo) test is where an ultrasound or sound waves are used to make an image of your heart. During a transesophageal echo (TEE) a physician inserts a narrow tube with a small probe into your mouth and down your esophagus (throat). This allows the doctor to record images closer to your heart.

A venous duplex is an ultrasound that shows how the blood is moving through the veins in your legs. The physician uses this information to look for blockages or narrowed veins in this area.