CT Angiography,CT Angiography India,India Cor Follow

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiogram (Coronary CTA)What is Cardiac CT Angiography for ?A Coronary CTA (CT Angiography) is a heart-imaging test currently undergoing rapid development and evaluation for non-invasively determining whether either fatty deposits or calcium deposits have built up in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle. If left untreated, these areas of build-up, called plaques, can cause heart muscle disease. Heart muscle disease, in turn, can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain and/or heart attack. We Care India partner hospitals use a state-of-the-art multi-row detector CT scanner; the Siemens Sensation 64 Detector How does Cardiac CT Angiography work ?A Coronary CTA comes from a special type of X-ray examination. Patients undergoing a Coronary CTA scan receive an iodine-containing contrast dye as an IV solution to ensure the best images possible. The same IV in the arm may be used to give a medication to slow or stabilize the patient’s heart rate for better imaging results. During the examination, which usually takes about 10 minutes, X-rays pass through the body and are picked up by special detectors in the scanner. Typically, higher numbers (especially 16 or more) of these detectors result in clearer final images. For that reason, Coronary CTA often is referred to as “multi-detector” or “multi-slice” CT scanning. The information collected during the Coronary CTA examination is used to identify the coronary arteries and, if present, plaques in their walls with the creation of 3D images on a computer screen. Your doctor uses the cardiac CT to evaluate : -the heart musclethe coronary arteriesthe pulmonary veinsthe thoracic and abdominal aortathe sac around the heart (pericardium)How to prepare for Cardiac CT Angiography : -Avoid any caffeinated drinks on the day before or the day of your exam. Coffee, tea, energy drinks, or caffeinated sodas. Avoid energy or diet pills on the day before or the day of your exam (ask your doctor if you have questions).Do not use Viagra or any similar medication on the day before or the day of the exam. It is not compatible with the medications you will receive during the procedure (ask your doctor if you have questions).On the day of your exam,do not eat for four hours prior to your scheduled appointment. You may drink water.If you are diabetic, ask your physician how to adjust your medications the day of your test. If you think your blood sugar is low, tell the technologist immediately.Tell your technologist and your doctor if you are : -pregnantallergic to iodine and/or shellfish or any medications undergoing radiation therapy over 60 years old or have a history of kidney problems (you may be required to have a blood test to evaluate your kidney function prior to receiving any contrast agent) What to expect in Cardiac CT Angiography : -You will change into a hospital gown.A nurse will insert an IV line into a vein in your arm to administer contrast (dye) during your procedure.You will lie on a special scanning table. The technologist will clean three small areas of your chest and place small, sticky electrode patches on these areas. Men may expect to have their chest partially shaved to help the electrodes stick. The electrodes are attached to an electrocardiograph (ECG) monitor, which charts your heart’s electrical activity during the test. You will lie on the scanner table, and you will be asked to raise your arms over your head for the duration of the exam.During the scan, you will feel the table move inside a donut-shaped scanner. You will receive a contrast agent through your IV to help produce the images. It is common to feel a warm sensation as the contrast circulates through your body. Once the technologist is sure that all the information is collected, the IV will be removed. After the Cardiac CT Angiography procedure : -You may continue all normal activities and eat as usual after the test.Your physician will discuss the results of your test with you.A note about CT and risk : - A CT scan is a low risk procedure. Occasionally, patients experience an adverse reaction to the contrast agent. Some patients develop itching or a rash following the injection. These symptoms are usually self-limiting and resolve without further treatment. Antihistamines can be administered if needed for symptomatic relief. Rarely, a more serious allergic reaction, called an anaphylactic reaction, occurs that may result in breathing difficulty. This reaction is potentially life-threatening and would require medications and treatment to reverse the symptoms. CT scanners use x-rays. For your safety, the amount of radiation exposure is kept to a minimum. Because x-rays can harm a developing fetus, however, this procedure is not recommended if you are pregnant. How is Coronary CTA different from other heart tests ?One of the most common heart tests is the coronary angiogram, or cardiac catheterization. This test is more invasive and requires more patient recovery time than Coronary CTA. Patients who receive coronary angiograms must have a catheter, or small transport tube, threaded into their coronary arteries, which run along the outside of the heart. The catheter typically is inserted into a blood vessel in the upper thigh and then maneuvered up to the coronary arteries. The catheter then is used to inject the iodine dye needed for the test, which uses X-rays to record “movies” of interior of the coronary arteries. Although Coronary CTA examinations are growing in use, coronary angiograms remain the “gold standard” for detecting coronary artery stenosis, which is a significant narrowing of an artery that could require catheter-based intervention (such as stenting) or surgery (such as bypassing). On the other hand, this new technology has consistently shown the ability to rule out significant narrowing of the major coronary arteries and can non-invasively detect “soft plaque,” or fatty matter, in their walls that has not yet hardened but that may lead to future problems without lifestyle changes or medical treatment. Who should consider Coronary Cardiac CT Angiography ?The single most important step for patients trying to determine whether they should consider a Coronary CTA is consultation with their primary physician. This is because some Coronary CTA uses are more appropriate than others, and the scan carries some risk from X-ray exposure (potential for stimulating cancer) and contrast dye exposure (allergic reactions and kidney damage). Applying careful patient selection and risk-reduction efforts, The Cleveland Clinic has successfully performed more than 13,000 clinical cardiac CT examinations over the past two-year period, many for Coronary CTA. Overall, Coronary CTA examinations have tended to help determine a lack of significant narrowing and calcium deposits in the coronary arteries, as well as a presence of fatty deposits. This has been found to be particularly valuable in asymptomatic patients with higher risk for coronary disease, in patients with atypical symptoms but lower risk of coronary disease, or in patients with unclear stress-test results. As a result, the Center for Integrated Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging at The Cleveland Clinic currently supports the careful use of Coronary CTA for patients who have: Intermediate to high-risk profiles for coronary artery disease, but who do not have typical symptoms (especially chest pain, shortness of breath, or fatigue during heavy physical activity.) Unusual symptoms for coronary artery disease (such as chest pain unrelated to physical exertion), but low to intermediate risk profiles for coronary artery disease. Unclear or inconclusive stress-test (treadmill test) results. For these types of patients, Coronary CTA can provide important insights to their primary physician into the extent and nature of plaque formation with or without any narrowing of the coronary arteries. Coronary CTA also can non-invasively exclude narrowing of the arteries as the cause of chest discomfort and detect other possible causes of symptoms. But again, initial consultation with their primary physician is key for patients seeking to determine the appropriateness of Coronary CTA. What type of Coronary CTA is used in Indian Hospitals ?Most of Indian Hospitals use more than one type of multi-detector/multi-slice system for Coronary CTA. Currently, the hospitals are using 64-detector scanners.  Patient with mild hyperlipidemia and atypical chest pain. Curved reconstructions of the left anterior descending coronary artery show just beyond its origin, a plaque [arrows] consisting largely of “soft” non-calcified (gray) material but with a small central calcification (white). These reconstructions and the dynamic 3D surface reconstruction demonstrate that the major branches of the left and right coronary artery systems are free of significant narrowing.  Asymptomatic patient with pronounced hyperlipidemia and a strong family history of coronary artery disease. Curved reconstructions and a colored surface reconstruction of the left anterior descending coronary artery show, in addition to generalized mild irregular wall thickening and slightly arterial enlargement from early diffuse atherosclerosis, several calcified plaques [arrows] without significant narrowing.  Patient with equivocal stress test results and atypical chest pain. Curved reconstructions of the left anterior descending coronary artery and a dynamic 3D surface reconstruction demonstrate a long, densely calcified atherosclerotic plaque [arrows] resulting in significant narrowing of the artery.