For Immediate Release
Date: October 17, 2007
Contact: Charlene Wilkins
(703) 670-1236
Potomac Hospital is one of the first hospitals in the nation to offer Snap Shot Pulse Low Dose Cardiac Imaging as part of coronary CT angiography (CCTA).
CCTA is a new, faster way to diagnose the early stages of heart disease. The Snap Shot feature greatly reduces radiation exposure by as much as 70 percent compared to other techniques.
Using non-invasive CT scan technology, CCTA takes a 3D picture of a beating heart in about five seconds. The digital pictures give doctors excellent image quality. They can quickly evaluate the heart and coronary arteries for plaque, a blockage or heart disease.
CCTA helps doctors determine which patients need medical follow-up and/or surgery. It is appropriate for people who have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease or those who experience chest pain or shortness of breath. Risk factors can include obesity, a family history of heart disease, and high blood pressure or cholesterol levels.
In the past, cardiac catheterization was the only method to diagnose clogged arteries. With cardiac catheterization, an x-ray guided thin tube or catheter is inserted through an artery and advanced into the area of the heart that needs to be examined.
CCTA requires a doctor’s prescription and may not be covered by insurance. Talk to your doctor to learn more about CCTA. For those who need to find a new physician, Potomac Hospital offers a free referral service, Potomac’s Health Connection, at (703) 221-2500 or online at potomachospital.com. To make an appointment call Potomac Hospital at (703) 670-1724.
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