OUR TREATMENTS
Diagnostics
- Angiography
- Echocardiogram
- 24 hour ECG
- Stress echocardiography
- Permanent pacemaker checks
- 64 slice CT
Coronary angiography
Coronary angiography is one of the tests used to diagnose the degree and severity of heart disease. It involves the patient having to lie flat on a table in the cardiac laboratory whilst a hollow tube is placed into a vein or artery. This tube is then guided up to the heart under X ray control. Once near the heart, it is guided into the correct position to obtain the best X ray picture. The pictures are taken after a special dye is injected through the tube. This can sometimes cause a hot or flushing sensation. This feeling is transient and will soon pass. The whole test can take between 10 minutes to one hour.
Coronary angiogram is a relatively safe procedure, though complications such as stroke and heart attack can occur during and are estimated at approximately 1:1000. A detailed discussion of the risks versus benefits with the cardiologist will provide an individual guide.
Echocardiograms
Echocardiograms are routinely undertaken on patients with heart disease. As the name suggests, a “cardiac picture” is made using high frequency sound from a sensor which is held against the chest by a cardiac technician or Radiographer. The sound emitted by this sensor travels to the heart and is reflected back again. The difference in this reflected sound is analysed by a computer and turned into a picture. Various structures such as the valves and the walls of the heart can be seen and any disease processes can be diagnosed.
24 hour ECG
24 hour ECG or Holter monitoring as it is sometimes known is a continuous recording of the heart rhythm over a 24 hour period.
Four mall sensors are attached to the chest with sticky plaster which then leads down into a device that fits around the waist like a belt. These sensors detect how the heart is beating and memorises the whole 24 hours so that the cardiac technician can analyse all the data. This assists the cardiologist with further analysis and diagnosing from this information.
Holter monitoring is a safe and pain free procedure.
Stress echocardiography
Stress echocardiography is slightly different to a routine echocardiogram. An ultrasound sensor is placed on the chest and a picture of the heart and its structures are formed. A special drug is then injected into a vein which stimulates the heart to beat stronger and quicker, thus mimicking exercise, although the patient is lying down and not moving. The echocardiogram is then rechecked to see how well the heart copes with exercise. Depending on the severity of heart disease, specific portions of the heart may not move as they should. Treatment by a cardiologist can then be initiated to take into account the effect of exercise on the heart.
Permanent pacemaker checks
Sometimes the heart can beat very slowly or very fast, or have an irregular rhythm. The right atria of the heart has its own pacemaker, the sino-atrial node. This communicates with another specialised part of the heart called the atrio-ventricular node. The normal signals between these 2 nodes constitute a heart rhythm called sinus rhythm. This is the rhythm in which most people without any degree of heart disease have. Pacemakers are implanted into patients who have heart rhythms which are different from healthy functioning hearts.
Pacemaker checks are carried out at the time of implantation and also at regular intervals thereafter. Depending on the type of pacemaker, these can be between 3 months to 12 months. When a pacemaker is checked by a cardiac technician, information is gathered about the battery and the general performance of the implant. Most pacemakers also store information about the rhythm of the heart when it is not being paced. The check involves a magnet being placed over the pacemaker which changes the rate at which the pacemaker will work .This rate change is analysed by a computer which reprograms the pacemaker to suit the individual requirements of the patient’s condition.
Most pacemaker batteries last between 5 and 10 years. At the pacemaker check, the cardiac technician or cardiologist will advise on whether a new battery is required. A battery change involves changing the pacemaker box, but leaving the leads in the heart.
64 slice CT
64 slice CT scanning is set to revolutionise the diagnosis and prognosis of cardiovascular disease. 64 slice CT scanning is a completely non invasive procedure.
The patient is attached to a 3-Lead ECG and the rhythm determines when the CT scanner will take the images. The procedure will take 30 minutes to 1 hr. The superior images generated from this technique will give cardiologists far more information about the degree and severity of heart disease than previous techniques.
The Wellington is one of only 4 hospitals in the UK providing these state of the art scanning facilities.
For more information on our diagnostic imaging services, please visit: www.thewellingtonimagingunit.com