New Technology Brings Improved Diagnosis of Heart Disease

Saturday, 22 August 2009

Heart disease is the leading killer of Americans. According to the American Heart Association
more than 13 million Americans are affected and
when diagnosing heart disease
using the best medical imaging technology available is crucial.

Until recently
diagnosing heart disease was difficult without a costly and invasive surgical procedure
especially for patients with little or no history of a heart condition.

But now
new medical imaging technology has vastly improved the area of computed tomography or CT scanning
which renders 3-D images of internal parts of the body
including the heart
brain and other organs
to make noninvasive diagnoses of heart disease and even stroke faster and more accurate.

As with most medical imaging procedures
image quality is key. If the scanned image does not clearly represent all the minute details
the diagnosis may not be as accurate. And today's latest CT technology allows doctors to not only see things they've never seen before
meaning patients are getting the most accurate diagnosis possible
but also conduct faster exams on critically ill patients who might find it difficult to remain still for long periods of time.

For instance
the new Toshiba Aquilion 32 CFX multislice CT system is currently the industry's finest resolution scanner available for cardiovascular imaging
producing 32 slices of detailed images as thin as .5 millimeters.

Using this new equipment
a detailed three-dimensional image is produced to allow doctors to see the heart from virtually any angle
which results in greater confidence in diagnosing heart diseases and abnormalities.

Inevitably
better diagnosis leads to better treatment. As we become more aware of the dangers of heart disease
we should also be aware of the medical technology available to our doctors. If you have the option of seeing a doctor with access to the latest medical imaging technology versus another doctor with access to dated technology
which one would you prefer?

You can be a better-informed patient. Ask your doctor about the quality of the imaging equipment on which you will be scanned.

0 comments:

Blog Archive