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Cardio Smart American College of Cardiology Click here to read article
"Testing to Foil Sudden Cardiac Death"
Dr. Mike Cirigliano tells us about the HeartCam test that may have saved Steve Keeley's life, and could maybe save yours too!
Author: Matthew J. Budoff, MD Philadelphia Magazine - December 2007 "The Heart of the Matter" MedPage Today - October 12, 2006 AHA Relents on CT Imaging for Intermediate-Risk Coronary Patients
"Do You Know Your Calcium Score?"
"Bill Clinton’s Big Test "
(Abstract) Coronary artery calcium has long been identified as a marker of underlying Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and EBCT is extremely sensitive for the detection and quantification of the extent of coronary artery calcification (CAC). Measures of CAC expressed as calcium scores (CSs) show a close correlation with the atherosclerotic plaque burden and the simple presence of CAC on a screening EBCT test has been reported to be associated with high odds ratios for developing a variety of cardiovascular events.
(Abstract) Imatron's Cardiac Electron Beam Tomography Scanning System is uniquely capable of performing Electron Beam Angiography (EBA) which recently received market clearance from the FDA as a highly sensitive and specific, yet noninvasive, alternative to cardiac catheterization.
(Abstract) Electron scanning should make stress testing a rare adjunct to diagnosis, rather than its main weapon. Doctors should miss far fewer at-risk patients. Just as important, its low cost and high accuracy should enable cardiologists to fine-tune treatment by furnishing them with frequent progress reports.
(Abstract) "Without the heart scan I was headed for a serious stroke or heart attack. So now I am an evangelist for older people and those with a genetic inclination for heart trouble to get a heart scan." Former Senator Paul Simon, D-III
(Abstract) We critically reviewed current pertinent literature regarding EBT coronary calcium scanning from a clinical perspective and, in particular, studies that evaluated it as a measure of atherosclerotic coronary disease...Considerable evidence shows that coronary calcium is specific for atherosclerotic plaque and that it can be sensitively detected and accurately quantified by using EBT.
(Abstract) While EBT scans of coronary calcium don't replace more expensive stress tests or invasive angiograms, the American Heart Association declares scans can "predict the occurrence of cardiac events such as fatal and nonfatal heart attacks, or the need for coronary bypass surgery or coronary (balloon) angioplasty over the next one or two years."
(Abstract) EBT is noninvasive and inexpensive. The entire coronary-artery tree can be studied during a single imaging session, and the volume of coronary calcification as quantified with this technique correlates closely with the total burden of atherosclerotic plaque.
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