Cardiac Computed Tomography (“CT”) Scan uses a non-invasive method to produce images of heart blood vessels. The CT scan has to take into consideration defects that might occur on the images as heart blood vessels are small and winding. This also explains the need for a more accurate and high-speed scanning machine that produces clear images.
Pro-Cardio Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Centre and Exact CT Imaging Centre has introduced a new low-radiation dual-source 256-slice CT heart scanner – SOMATOM Definition Flash. The new model outperforms the older models in a number of ways – accuracy, safety and quick diagnosis.
Accuracy: Compared to other investigation methods such as treadmill ECG and echocardiogram, Cardiac CT has the highest negative predictive power, up to 100%, to rule out coronary heart disease. Besides the new CT heart scanner, SOMATOM Definition Flash, only requires as little as 1/4 second to finish the scan, so that the patient only requires to hold the breath for 3-4 seconds (or doesn’t even need to do so). As the imaging becomes quicker, the accuracy improves and thus the chance of image retaking is a lot less. With the older models, the patient often needs to hold the breath for up to 8 seconds in order to produce a clear image.
Safety: The new CT heart scanner, SOMATOM Definition Flash, delivers low radiation dose, as low as about 1mSv. The dose is even less than the radiation dose that we receive naturally from the environment in a year, which is about 2-3mSv. Thus the new CT scan is fairly safe. As a reference, the older models deliver about 5 to 10 times of the radiation dose of the new model.
*Cardiac CT Scan may not be suitable for patients with history of allergy or renal impairment
Quick diagnosis: It takes as little as 30 minutes from starting the scan to knowing the results.
Features of Cardiac CT Scan
– Detect abnormal structure of the heart and coronary arteries
– Examine whether the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked
– Assess the risk of myocardial infarction
– A non-invasive way of investigation that doesn’t require hospital admission. Also it is safer because of its non-invasive nature
– Assess whether the wall of blood vessels is calcified
– Evaluate the degree of blood vessel narrowing and atherosclerosis
– Rule out chest pain due to non-cardiac causes. Negative predictive power is up to 100%
– Cardiac CT Scan, together with other examinations such as blood tests and cardiologist consultation, the risk of developing coronary heart disease can be assessed
Who may need Cardiac CT Scan?
Those who are at higher risk of developing coronary heart disease:
– Men aged 45 or above; or women aged 55 or above
– Those with a strong family history of heart disease
– Those with chest pain of unknown cause
– People having risk factors: with high blood pressure, high cholesterol/ lipid, diabetes, pre-diabetes
– Overweight or obese individuals
– Smoker or drinker
– Those leading a stressful life
– Those with a history of heart disease
– Those who had cardiac procedures
*Consultation with your doctor is required to see if the investigation is suitable for you.