Cardiac
Diagnostic Tests
New
and advanced diagnostic tests and tools are constantly
being introduced to further understand the complexity
of disease, injury, and congenital or acquired
abnormalities. The following are just a few of
the diagnostic tests that have been used/are being
used to further understand and identify cardiovascular
disease. For more specific information, consult
your cardiologist or physician.
- Electrocardiogram
(ECG or EKG)
A test that records the electrical activity
of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias
or dysrhythmias), and detects heart muscle damage.
- Signal Average Electrocardiogram
(SAE)
A test that is much like an ECG, but takes longer
because it records more information.
- Stress Test (usually
with ECG; also called treadmill or exercise
ECG)
A test that is given while a patient walks on
a treadmill or pedals a stationary bike to monitor
the heart during exercise. Breathing and blood
pressure rates are also monitored. A stress
test may be used to detect coronary artery disease,
and/or to determine safe levels of exercise
following a heart attack or heart surgery.
- Echocardiogram (also
known as echo)
A noninvasive test that uses sound waves to
produce a study of the motion of the heart's
chambers and valves. The echo sound waves create
an image on the monitor as an ultrasound transducer
is passed over the heart.
- Transesophageal Echocardiogram
(TEE)
A test in which a small transducer is passed
down the esophagus to provide a clearer image
of heart structures.
- Positron Emission
Tomography (PET) Scan
A nuclear scan that gives information about
the flow of blood through the coronary arteries
to the heart muscle.
- PET F-18 FDG (Fluorodeoxyglucose)
Scan
A glucose scan sometimes done immediately
after the PET scan to determine if heart
muscle has permanent damage.
- Thallium Scans or
Myocardial Perfusion Scans
- Resting SPECT Thallium
Scan or Myocardial Perfusion Scan
A nuclear scan given while the patient is at
rest that may reveal areas of the heart muscle
that are not getting enough blood.
- Exercise Thallium
Scan or Myocardial Perfusion Scan
A nuclear scan given while the patient is exercising
that may reveal areas of the heart muscle that
are not getting enough blood.
- Persantine Thallium
Scan or Myocardial Perfusion Scan
A nuclear scan given to a patient who is unable
to exercise to reveal areas of the heart muscle
that are not getting enough blood.
- MUGA Scans/Radionuclide
Angiography (RNA) Scans
- Resting Gated
Blood Pool Scan (RGBPS), Resting MUGA, or
Resting Radionuclide Angiography
A nuclear scan to see how the heart wall
moves and how much blood is expelled with
each heartbeat, while the patient is at
rest.
- Exercise Gated
Blood Pool Scan, Exercise MUGA, or Exercise
Radionuclide Angiography
A nuclear scan to see how the heart wall
moves and how much blood is expelled with
each heartbeat, just after the patient has
walked on a treadmill or ridden on a stationary
bike.
- Holter Monitor
A small, portable, battery-powered ECG machine
worn by a patient to record heartbeats on tape
over a period of 24 to 48 hours - during normal
activities. At the end of the time period, the
monitor is returned to the physician's office
so the tape can be read and evaluated.
- Event Recorder
A small, portable, battery-powered machine used
by a patient to record ECG over a long period
of time. Patients may keep the recorder for
several weeks. Each time symptoms are experienced,
the patient presses a button on the recorder
to record the ECG sample. As soon as possible,
this sample is transmitted to the physician's
office by telephone hookup for evaluation.
- Tilt Table Test
A test performed while the patient is connected
to ECG and blood pressure monitors and strapped
to a table that tilts the patient from a lying
to standing position. This test is to determine
if the patient is prone to sudden drops in blood
pressure or slow pulse rates with position changes.
- Electrophysiology
Study
A test in which insulated electric catheters
are placed inside the heart to study the heart's
electrical system.
- Cardiac Catheterization
(also called Coronary Angiogram)
A test in which a small catheter (hollow tube)
is guided through a vein or artery into the
heart. Dye is given through the catheter, and
moving x-ray pictures are made as the dye travels
through the heart. This comprehensive test shows:
narrowings in the arteries, outside heart size,
inside chamber size, pumping ability of the
heart, ability of the valves to open and close,
as well as a measurement of the pressures within
the heart chambers and arteries.
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Resources of Cardiovascular Disease
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