| " University Health Care doctors on Wednesday demonstrated a new computed tomography scanner that captures a heart's image in the time it takes a heart to beat once." "Definition Dual Source CT scanner can diagnose coronary artery disease — even in its earliest stages while prevention is possible." " The device, the Definition Dual Source CT scanner, claims to be the fastest and most powerful in the region. And doctors said it can quickly diagnose coronary artery disease — even in its earliest stages while prevention is still possible — aortic dissection, pneumothorax and pulmonary embolism. Besides being fast, it's also completely noninvasive and delivers a lower dose of radiation than slower scans do." " "Coronary disease is the thing that kills the most people in this country," said cardiologist Dr. Sheldon Litwin. Most people don't have symptoms until they get severe chest pain or have a heart attack. So the goal has long been to find ways to detect heart disease before it's well-entrenched and deal with it to head off a heart attack." " Carolyn Larrivee, 58, understands the importance firsthand. She was skiing last March when she got severe chest pain, but she tried to ignore it as she made her way back down the hill. At the hospital, a contrast CT scan showed immediately she has some heart disease." " She now takes medication to reduce her cholesterol, works out on a treadmill an hour a day five times a week, has lost 15 pounds and pays attention to her heart. She is nursing director of the emergency department and critical care services at the hospital." " A typical CT scan relies on a slow heart rate, often made that way with beta blockers, to capture a clear image. With the dual-source CT, said Dr. Steve Stevens, radiologist at the U., the new ability to scan the entire heart in the time it takes to hold the breath one time usually makes that medication unnecessary. And that also eliminates delays spent waiting for the medication to take effect." " It provides a clear image of calcification and plaques. The information is available in as little as ... read the whole article |