New Technology Can Provide Quick, Accurate Diagnosis of Heart Disease

A new 64-Slice CT Scan Imaging System at Holy Redeemer Hospital enables physicians to look inside a patient’s heart and arteries with amazing clarity and detail. In seconds, the scanner produces 64 high-resolution images or “slices” of internal organs that form a three-dimensional view when combined. The first noninvasive means of detecting coronary artery disease, the scan can identify any cardiac blockages with a high degree of accuracy, even before symptoms are evident.

For many patients, this technology will replace the need for cardiac catheterization, a more involved procedure for diagnosing clogged arteries that entails the insertion of a thin tube and contrast dye from the groin area to the heart’s arteries. The 64-slice CT Scanner can also determine how much plaque is in the arteries through calcium scoring, and detect a patient’s stroke risk.