Advanced heart screening and imaging in East Texas
Taking care of your heart is vital to your overall health, and the cardiovascular specialists at UT Health East Texas offer a variety of tests to screen for heart disease. Our tests range from cardiac MRIs and CT imaging to Holter monitoring and stress echocardiography. Whether you’re healthy and simply want to stay informed about your heart health or are a patient with high heart disease risk factors, we’re here to ensure you receive the care, education, and support you need to live a heart-healthy life.
Diagnostic heart screens we provide
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. However, most people don’t know they have it until they have a heart attack or stroke. The UT Health East Texas Heart and Vascular Institute is proud to offer the latest in diagnostic technology to screen for heart problems before you ever experience a heart attack or develop heart disease. We offer the following heart screens:
- Cardiac catheterization: During a cardiac catheterization test, a small catheter is inserted through an artery or vein and dye is injected into the heart to detect blockages and other heart problems.
- Cardiac CT imaging: Using enhanced X-Ray technology, a cardiac CT scan can be used to diagnose heart conditions, including aortic diseases, heart aneurysms, tumors and other structural abnormalities.
- Cardiac MRI: Using MRI technology, this test is similar to a CT and gives detailed information about the heart structure and function.
- CT calcium scoring: This scan shows the presence, location and extent of calcified plaque in the walls of the coronary arteries. Plaque buildup narrows the arteries, restricts blood flow to the heart and ultimately can lead to heart attack.
- Echochardiography (3D): This test uses sound waves to take photos of your heart. This allows us to learn more about the structure and function of your heart. It is a non-invasive procedure that takes about 30 minutes to complete.
- Electrocardiography (ECG/EKG): This is a simple, five minute test that records a six second script of the electrical rhythm of your heart.
- Event and Holter monitoring: This test may be ordered by your physician to look at your heart rhythm for longer than the EKG. It is commonly used to detect heart rhythm disturbances, palpitations or dizzy spells.
- Nuclear stress testing: This inpatient procedure can detect blood flow abnormalities to the heart. It is commonly ordered to diagnose coronary artery disease.
- Stress echocardiography: Stress echocardiograms use sound waves to determine the structure and function of your heart during exercise.
- Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE): For further investigation about the structure and function of your heart, your doctor may order a TEE. As with the echocardiograms, this test uses sound waves to determine structure and function of your heart, but gives much clearer images of the heart chambers and valves. This is a hospital based test that does require sedation. Your cardiac care team will guide a probe down your throat to look at your heart.
- Vascular ultrasound: Vascular ultrasounds use sound wave imaging to look at your arteries to determine if there are any blood flow problems or blockages.
You may be at risk of developing heart disease if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of heart attacks. Similarly, patients who are obese, physically inactive, or are smokers are also at a higher risk of developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack. If you’re between the ages of 40 and 80 and have any of the aforementioned risk factors, talk to your doctor about scheduling a heart screening today.