Cardiovascular Diagnosis & Imaging
The first step toward a healthy heart is to determine the type and extent of cardiovascular disease. Merit Health River Oaks provides heart care utilizing advanced diagnostic equipment. Experienced clinical cardiologists use a wide range of cardiac procedures to diagnose heart disease, including:
- Cardiac catheterization is a service where doctors at Merit Health River Oaks use cardiac catheterization to both diagnose and treat heart disease. This minimally invasive, interventional cardiology technique uses a catheter (thin, flexible tube) that is inserted into the arteries to examine the heart, arteries and veins with real-time images (fluoroscopy). These procedures only require a tiny incision where the catheter is inserted into an artery, so it can result in less blood loss, less pain and a quicker recovery for patients.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), transesophogeal echocardiogram (TEE), and electrophysiology studies measure the heart's electrical activity and identify muscle damage that can cause heart disease. Portable devices such as a Holter monitor or event recorder measure a patient’s heart activity throughout the day, over an extended period of time.
- Nuclear medicine scans such as positron emission tomography (PET), PET/CT scans, or thallium or myocardial perfusion scans utilize a small dose of radioactive material to reveal the structure and blood flow within the heart.
- Non-invasive imaging technologies including magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA), X-ray and echocardiograms provide images of the heart muscle, valves, veins and arteries.