CT Heart Scans – Is It The Right Choice For You?
A CT Heart or CT angiography is an effective heart test wherein the scanned images provide the doctor with a glimpse into the condition of the coronary arteries that deliver blood to the heart muscle with no need for cardiac catheterization.
During the procedure, the patients are intravenously administered with a distinct dye. The X-rays are passed all over the body and are tracked by the sensors in the scanner. Specialised software utilise the data obtained from the scan to produce three dimensional images of the coronary arteries that are displayed on the computer screen.
Who must go in for CT Heart Scans?
As opposed to calcium scores and carotid artery scans that are used in evaluating asymptomatic individuals, the CT angiography is ideally done in those in the intermediate risk bracket that have signs of chest ache or breathing distress or shortened breath that might be because of coronary heart disease.
CT heart scans could also be beneficial in those patients with low risk of heart ailment and show slightly atypical outcome after doing the exercise stress test. Presently, such patients are sent for catheterization, though the CT scan could aid in averting that step.
Benefits of CT Heart Scans
The procedure is non-invasive and swift, creating images in short bursts of 5-10 seconds as compared to the 30-45 minutes that is needed during cardiac catheterization, the ‘bullion paradigm’ for estimating the extent of blood vessel constriction. It has minimal risk and discomfort when compared to catheterization that mostly needs tranquillizers and at times a night’s stay at the hospital.
Shortcomings of CT Heart Scans
It falls short of producing good-quality images in those individuals with excess calcium accumulation in their arteries. This test is not suitable for those with severe kidney ailment or highly overweight patients.
With lingering apprehensions of cancer risks, the CT angiography procedure leads to exposure of high levels of radiation and the obtainable methods to lower radiation dosage is not extensively employed as yet. A latest study reveals that the on an average, the exposure from radiation emitted from a CT angiogram assessment is comparable to exposure from six hundred chest X-rays.
In the last few years, doctors have been able to lower radiation during the course of the CT angiography procedure to an extent of fifty to seventy percent by the usage of radiation-lowering methods. Patients must enquire regarding the availability of such procedures prior to undergoing the procedure.
The CT Heart Scan costing
Inclusive of the doctor’s charges, the costs incurred during the CT scan could come up to nearly one thousand dollars. Medicare and other insurance providers are still in the process of evaluation as to bearing the expenses of the scan.
There are numerous tests that could be done to evaluate the presence of any arterial diseases, the outcome of which could aid in deciding the line of pre-emptive treatments that needs to be meted out. Yet, there is no test available that could yield perfect results and irrespective of test outcomes, making positive lifestyle changes still continues to be the foundation of heart disease deterrence.
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