UltraFast CT Heart Scan Shows Mark's Heart to be in Great Shape!Whew! On Monday, August 21st, I underwent a relatively new diagnostic procedure called an UltraFast CT Heart Scan. The procedure was done at the offices of OhioHeart in Gahanna, OH. This test is similar to a CAT scan except that it shows a two dimensional, section by section view of the heart, rather than the brain or other part of the body. The pics to the right are images of the actual scan - each a different section of my heart as the device takes a layer by layer view of the heart from the top to the bottom. The way to look for problems in the scan is to attempt to identify " white specs" in areas of the heart where coronary arteries - important blood vessels that supply the heart with blood - are located. If there were some "plaque" buildup, as this material is called, it would show up as white material in the vicinity of the coronary arteries. The nurse who administered the test said that my scan was "very good". Needless to say, I was quite relieved. At the bottom of the scan, the large white area is my spine, while the white areas on the sides are the edges of my rib cage. If I were to have any buildup of artery-clogging plaque, it would show up on the scan as white as these other structures. So you can see, its all very clear! Again, WHEW! Why did I have this procedure done? Well, as many of my friends and family are aware, I have had a problem with coronary artery disease running in my family. My dad died of a massive coronary in 1987 at age 48, his father died at age 57 of a heart attack, and my great grandfather, Sam's dad, died of a heart attack as well at 37 years old! Can you see why I did it? In addition to these problems, one of my father' s cousins who was in his forties was diagnosed as having severe coronary artery disease, and had to have a quadruple bypass. My grandmother on my dad's side (his mom, Dorothy Campanella) lived into her seventies, but died of an aortic aneurysm - caused by chronic artery disease. So, in most cases, most of my family members have died of some form of coronary artery disease. Until this procedure became available in the past couple of years, my choices where fairly limited: have a cardiac catheterization/angiogram at 40 years of age (a somewhat risky and invasive test), or just wait for the inevitable. I was determined to not let this thing get me. The procedure itself is fast, painless, and very, very accurate. The patient is positioned on a straight table that is moved into position under a "ring" that I suppose is the CT machine. The nurse attaches a few wires to your chest (I don't know why), and then leaves the room. After you are slid under the CT machine, the administering nurse (from a remote location - I suppose to reduce excess exposure to x-rays), asks you to hold your breath twice - once for about 8 seconds, and the second time, for about 30 seconds. Then, it's all over! It's done. You can go into the computer room to look at your heart "slice by slice", and they can tell right away if you are in trouble or not. The results get sent to your doctor in 3-5 days. The test costs about $500, and is only covered by insurance if you already have symptoms that are considered to be indicative of a real problem - shortness of breath, gastro-intestinal disturbances, chest pain and tightening, etc. Of course, the HMOs would prefer that you either pay for it yourself or drop dead. In most cases, family history does not qualify you for reimbursement. Makes sense, right? :-( Other Links to information about Heart Scanning: Links will open in another browser window http://www.ohio-heart.com/Imatron/6april98.htm http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/190a2.htm
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