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Cardiac
and Diagnostic Procedure Glossary
Several tests are used to diagnose the presence of heart and
cardiovascular disease and determine its extent, and there
are a variety of procedures performed to treat these
conditions. Your doctor will consider your symptoms, your
medical and family history, your risk factors, and the
results of a physical exam to determine which tests and
treatments will be most appropriate. Here are some of the
more common tests and procedures utilized.
View the Cardiac Glossary,
Cardiac Medications Glossary,
and
Cardiac and Diagnostic Glossary to better understand terms
related to the health of your heart.
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Laser Angioplasty
A technique used to open coronary arteries blocked by plaque. A catheter with a laser at its tip is inserted into an artery and is advanced through the artery to the blockage. When the laser is in position, it emits pulsating beams of light that vaporize the plaque. Lipid Testing
A "lipid panel" is taken when cholesterol levels in the blood are tested. Lipids are fats in the blood and include low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL or "bad" cholesterol), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL or "good" cholesterol) and triglycerides. For the best results, blood should be drawn from a vein in the morning after fasting (nothing to eat or drink) for at least 12 hours. Another blood fat that may be tested is lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). This is a genetic variation of plasma LDL. Lp(a) may interfere with the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots and may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis (fatty buildups in artery walls). High levels of Lp(a) increase the risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Lp(a) is usually checked in those with early-onset heart disease, with family members with early-onset heart disease or in those who have heart disease but don’t have the typical risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
This is an imaging technique involving injection of a contrast dye into a blood vessel and using magnetic resonance techniques to create an image of the flowing blood through the vessel; it can be used in the diagnosis of heart disorders, stroke, blood vessel disorders and to detect stenosis of the brain arteries inside the skull. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Imaging
A test that produces high-quality still and moving pictures of the heart and large blood vessels.An imaging procedure that uses powerful magnets to look inside the body. Computer-generated pictures can image the heart muscle and evaluate various heart problems. It can outline the affected part of the brain and help define problems created by stroke. No X-ray exposure is involved. A patient lies on a small bed and moves through a circular MRI chamber. MRI acquires information about the heart as it is beating, creating moving images of the heart throughout its pumping cycle. Coronary magnetic resonance angiography (CMRA) combines standard magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with an injection of a chemical dye, called a contrast medium. This allows visualization and precise measurement of blood flow to the heart muscle.
Maze Procedure
A surgical procedure to control atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter. A number of incisions are made in the atria to block the path of the arrhythmia. Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery (also known as MIHS, Limited Access Coronary Artery Surgery)
An alternative to standard bypass surgery (CABG). Small incisions (ports) are made in the chest. Chest arteries or veins from the leg are attached to the heart to "bypass" the clogged coronary artery or arteries. The instruments are passed through the ports to perform the bypasses. In some cases the surgeon views these operations on video monitors rather than directly. Myocardial Biopsy (also known as Endomyocardial Biopsy)
In this test a small amount of tissue is removed from the internal lining of the heart for testing. It is used to help diagnose and treat heart muscle disorders and is also used to detect rejection of the new heart after a heart transplant. A long, flexible tube, called a catheter, is inserted into a vein and threaded up into the heart. The doctor can guide the catheter by watching its movement on a monitor showing an X-ray image of the area. The tip of the catheter is fitted with tiny jaws that the doctor can open and close. Once the catheter is in place, the doctor will take several small snips of muscle for microscopic examination. Norwood Procedure
A complex surgical procedure used for hypoplastic left-heart syndrome (and similar variants) where reconstruction of the absent or small aorta is accomplished by using the patient's own pulmonary artery. This allows unobstructed blood flow to be delivered to the body. As part of the Norwood procedure, the wall between the heart’s upper chambers (atria) is removed (atrial septectomy), and a small Gore-tex® tube (shunt) is inserted from the aorta to the pulmonary arteries. Nuclear Heart Scan
Nuclear heart scans (also called Radionuclide Imaging or Radionuclide Ventriculography) use radioactive tracers (such as technetium or thallium) to outline heart chambers and major blood vessels leading to and from the heart. A nuclear heart scan shows any damage to your heart muscle. It can be used in the diagnosis of heart disease, valve disorders, or heart failure. Nuclear Imaging (also known as myocardial perfusion imaging or MPI)
This is also known as myocardial perfusion imaging or MPI. A nuclear scan consists of injecting a liquid called a tracer into your bloodstream which flows to your heart. A special camera is used to take pictures of your heart. It measures the radiation emission by areas of the body and can detect a heart attack, heart muscle failure and coronary artery disease Nuclear Stress Test (also known as Thallium Stress Test)
A type of nuclear scanning test similar to a routine exercise stress test. This test shows how well the heart muscle is supplied (perfused) with blood. It uses a radioactive substance called thallium that’s injected into the bloodstream when the patient is at maximum level of exercise. Pictures are taken of the heart’s muscle cells using a special (gamma) camera. Patients who cannot physically exercise will receive a medication to increase blood flow in the heart as if they were exercising. The radionuclide tracers cardiolite and myoview can also be used instead of thallium for this test. |