58 million Americans have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease, making coronary artery disease (CAD) the number one killer of men and women in the United States. More Americans die of heart disease than all types of cancer combined.
CAD is most commonly produced by atherosclerosis (plaque deposits in the wall of the coronary arteries causing a narrowing of the arteries). Until recently there were no non-invasive studies that could directly evaluate the coronary arteries for the presence of atherosclerotic disease.
Recent advances in multi-detector CT technology now provide detailed three-dimensional images of the beating heart within the timeframe of a single breath-hold. One of the most promising applications for these new tools is the realm of coronary imaging. At Charlotte Radiology, we are currently offering two exams to study the coronary arteries, Calcium Scoring and Coronary CT Angiography (CCTA).
For more information on this and other radiology procedures, please visit www.radiologyinfo.org.
» Meet our Team of Body Imaging RadiologistsCoronary CT Angiography (CCTA) is a way of examining the small arteries that feed the heart muscle. It uses a computed tomography (CT) scanner to visualize blood flow in the coronary arteries and computer software to manipulate the data into 3 dimensional (3D) images. CCTA is a noninvasive way to examine the walls of the coronary arteries, looking for hard and soft plaque. This information can help your doctor determine your risk of a heart attack.
» See the Cardiac Imaging Brochure
