256-Slice CT Scanner Detects Early Stages of Heart Disease in Seconds

Introduction:

The most recent innovation in cardiology is a 256-slice CT scanner, equipped with bird's eye imaging. The earliest signs of heart disease or existing heart disease not diagnosed with other testing modalities can be detected with this tool, claims the Heart Hospital Baylor Denton.

In a matter of seconds, cardio specialists can get an entire 3-D image of the heart that allows them to look at arteries and heart anatomy with excellent detail and with less medical radiation. Physicians can view the heart's anatomy, the pulmonary arteries and aorta and even the coronary arteries where atherosclerosis occurs.

Details and benefits:

The 256-slice scanner is the first of its kind in Denton County and the third in Dallas. The scanner takes only one second to scan the entire heart, while observing and recording information with each rotation.

Unlike other scanners, patients need not hold their breath while a scan is in progress here, which is a welcome relief. The problem most patients face is that they can't hold their breath long enough, which results in unreadable or a non-interpretable image, all of which fail the purpose.

The scanner uses images provided by its rotations to record information, which in turn helps in predicting the nature and stage of the disease, and chances of occurrence of a heart attack.

The biggest challenge in cardiology today is that specialists are unable to detect the disease quick enough, and when they actually do detect it, it might be too late. This device helps in educating one about the nature and specifications of the disease before it gets widespread. Detecting heart disease in its early stages is definitely one goal of this device. The second most important goal is to reduce damage caused by radiation imaging.

Medical radiation for tests such as a CT scan are believed to be the cause for up to 50 percent of an individual's life time radiation exposure, and in a way responsible for two percent of all the cancers and much higher prevalence of cataracts. The 256 CT- scanner promises reduction of radiation exposure by 60%, and even a whopping 90% in a few cases.

This new CT scanner appears to be a breakthrough tool that promises to save lives, all by detecting heart diseases in the earliest stage possible.