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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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Permanent Pacemaker
A permanent pacemaker is inserted into the patient's heart and upper chest to provide a reliable heartbeat when the heart's own rhythm is too fast, too slow, or irregular. A permanent pacemaker is usually inserted while the patient is in the electrophysiology lab. Pulmonary Artery Catheterization (also known as Right Heart Catheterization)
This test is used to evaluate primary pulmonary hypertension. In this procedure the doctor places a thin, flexible tube (called a Swan-Ganz catheter) through an artery or vein in the patient's arm, leg or neck and then threads it into the right ventricle and pulmonary artery. This is a common way to measure the pressure in the pulmonary artery and find out what treatment is appropriate for a given patient. It is also used in critically ill patients to provide continuous monitoring of heart function. This procedure is sometimes called Swan-Ganz Catheterization. Right Heart Ventriculography
A study of the right chambers (atrium and ventricle) of the heart. This test is used to obtain measurements of pressure, oxygen and cardiac output through a thin flexible tube called a catheter. Occasionally, visualizing the right chambers is also necessary. This is done by injecting contrast media (dye) through the catheter into the heart’s right side with a rapid succession of X-rays taken to capture images of blood flow. Right-heart angiography is performed to detect abnormalities in blood flow through the heart’s right side. Right-Sided Heart Failure (Right Ventricular Heart Failure)
Heart failure caused by damage to the heart’s right-sided chambers. This usually occurs as a result of left-sided heart failure. When the left ventricle fails, increased fluid pressure is, in effect, transferred back through the lungs, ultimately damaging the heart’s right side. When the right side loses pumping power, blood backs up in the body’s veins. This usually causes swelling in the legs and ankles Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
A nuclear imaging technique that involves injecting a radioactive liquid into the blood, then taking a series of pictures around the chest. SPECT is used to examine blood flow in the heart and to determine how well the heart is pumping. It is also used to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD). Stent Procedure
Using a wire mesh tube (a stent) to prop open an artery that’s recently been opened using angioplasty. Three-dimensional ("3-D") Echocardiography
Current echo technology allows the echo to be viewed in only two dimensions. Three-dimensional echocardiography allows the physician to "reconstruct" the heart and view the structural defects at any angle. Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)
An ultrasound technique in which the ultrasound probe (about as large as a pinky finger) is placed in the esophagus to "look" at the heart from behind. Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)
A procedure used to relieve severe angina or chest pain in very ill patients who aren't candidates for bypass surgery or angioplasty. In this procedure, a surgeon makes an incision on the left breast to expose the heart. Then, using a laser, the surgeon drills a series of holes (20 to 40 mm wide) from the outside of the heart into the heart's pumping chamber. In some patients TMR is combined with bypass surgery. How TMR reduces angina still isn't fully understood. The laser may stimulate new blood vessels to grow, called angiogenesis, or it may destroy nerve fibers to the heart, making patients unable to feel their chest pain.
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