CTA: A New Test to Detect Heart Disease

It's an easy, painless test that provides a clear, detailed view of your heart. Within seconds, Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) reveals if your arteries or blood vessels are clogged. Before, the only way to do this was with cardiac catheterization. That test involves inserting a catheter (a thin tube) into the groin and threading it to the heart.

CTA is the safest, easiest, fastest and least costly way to diagnose heart disease. It is the first way of finding blocked arteries without an invasive test. Plus, CTA can detect plaque (a deposit in the lining of your arteries) sooner, before you have symptoms.

You may need catheterization if a heart attack or blockage is suspected. That's because angioplasty and stent placement (a technique to open an artery or blood vessel) may be needed. Between 30 percent and 40 percent of those who have catheterization do not need repair. With CTA, most people can avoid the risks and discomfort of catheterization.

How it works
In the past, getting a clear picture of the heart with a CT scanner was not easy or reliable. Since the heart moves when it beats, images were blurred. Today, many hospitals have a 64-slice CT scanner. This produces images so quickly that any movement is reduced.

Before having a CTA, the patient takes beta-blockers or a similar drug. Dye is injected into an arm vein to make artery walls stand out in images. In five seconds, the scanner produces 64 sharp images or "slices." Patients are able to hold their breath the whole time, which wasn't possible with older scanners that took longer.

The CTA uses digital technology; no x-ray film is used. All of the images are combined. This creates a 3-D view of the heart and arteries. The data is stored on a computer network where your doctor gets results instantly.

All this and more
CTA is especially useful in the emergency room (ER). Every year, about 6 million people go to the ER with chest pain. Many times, the pain is not heart disease. With the CTA, patients can be scanned and sent home quickly if their chest pain turns out to be heartburn.

The CTA can also find narrowed arteries or blood vessels in the brain, kidney, pelvis and lungs. The test can be used for:

• Calculating the amount of plaque in the arteries
• Assessing your risk for stroke or a pulmonary embolism
• Detecting aneurysms
• Finding blood clots
• Checking the blood flow in your kidneys

CTA is not recommended for patients who are obese or who have severe diabetes, kidney disease, irregular heartbeats or certain allergies.

Showing patients 3-D pictures of their clogged arteries can motivate them to make lifestyle changes. This is more effective than lecturing them about diet and exercise, some doctors say.

Related Articles Cardiac Catheterization Test Angioplasty

External Sources Cable News Network (CNN). Souped-up CT scans may help speed chest pain diagnosis. Accessed March 28, 2007. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Detecting heart disease with 64-slice CT. Accessed March 28 2007. Radiological Society of North America. Computed tomography angiography. Accessed March 28, 2007.

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