We are more than just a scanning service centre. Unlike other scanning centres Heart-Scan is a fully cardiac unit. Located in Kilpauk, Vadapalani and Alwarpet, Chennai.
The Scanner looks at the wall of the coronary artery where plaques may form due to deposits of fat and calcium. It can identify tiny deposits of calcium in blood vessels ( calcium acts as a marker for plaque blocking) so Heart disease can be detected early, enabling it to be stabilized through lifestyle changes or medical treatment. |
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| TIPS FOR HEART SCAN CANDIDATES : |
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| Heart Disease |
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| Coronary Calcium |
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Coronary calcification is the depositing of calcium in the arteries of the heart |
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When these plaques accumulate the arteries become blocked |
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The muscles of the heart no longer receive adequate amounts of oxygen |
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This results in heart attack |
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| Heart-Scan |
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Heart-Scan is a new technique for rapid non-invasive scanning of the heart to detect heart disease in its earliest stages |
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Heart-Scan is a reliable predictor of future heart disease |
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Heart-Scan can monitor the extent and progression of existing disease |
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Heart-Scan detects heart disease which is often asymptomatic, allowing for early treatment. Treatment at its earliest stages could possibly reverse, or even stop the progress of the disease. |
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The scan takes 5 minutes, and includes a comprehensive consultation with a member of our medical team |
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No prior fasting or injection is required |
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Why Heart-Scan? |
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With Heart-Scan, we can now detect and accurately quantify even the smallest amounts of calcium in the heart arteries |
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We can confidently diagnose heart disease whenever we find calcium in the heart arteries |
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If calcium is detected at the earliest possible time, this could be years before the first symptoms of heart disease present themselves |
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Previously the only method to detect calcium in the heart was angiography |
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Heart-Scan uses a specially modified, state of the art CT scanner. |
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| Diabetes |
| Diabetes substantially increases the risk of heart disease. Diagnosed diabetes is increasing worldwide and the prevalence of diabetes more than doubled. |
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The worldwide prevalence of diabetes is currently 194,000,000 and is expected to rise to 333,000,000 by the year 2025. |
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Heart disease is the major cause of death in 65-70% of persons with diabetes. |
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Diabetics have a higher risk of heart disease than non-diabetics. |
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Diabetic heart disease is often silent, asymptomatic and goes undetected and unnoticed. |
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| If you are diabetic you could have undetected heart disease or be at risk of a heart attack and may benefit from Heart-Scan. |
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| Heart-Scan Step by Step |
| So you know what to expect, our Heart-Scan Team has put together an illustrated step-by-step guide to Heart Scanning. |
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The Consultation |
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If you have been referred by General Practitioners or a Consultant, you do not need a consultation and will receive the Heart-Scan immediately. |
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If you have not been referred by General Practitioners or a Consultant, you will receive a consultation with our trained staff, who will discuss your individual circumstances. They will then advise a Heart-Scan if appropriate. If a Heart-Scan is felt to be inappropriate, they will advise accordingly and suggest alternatives. |
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2. The preparation |
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Our radiographer, will then prepare you for a heart scanning. |
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He will take you into the heart scanning room, which is large and open, and explain that you have to lie on your back on the scanning table. |
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He will also explain that you will be scanned twice -the first scan is a ‘scout’ view that enables us to plan the second, more detailed, scan. You will need to hold your breath during each scan (typically around 5 seconds). |
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3. The Scan |
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Once you feel ready and comfortable, we’ll start the heart scanning. |
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It typically takes only a few minutes. |
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You simply lie on our scanning table while we acquire pictures of your heart. It really is that simple. |
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4. The Report |
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| Normal and Abnormal Heart Scans: Frequently Asked Questions |
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Normal Heart Scans |
Abnormal Heart Scans |
| I have been told my ‘calcium score’. What is this? |
In a normal scan, the calcium score will be very low (zero to 10 units). This means that no significant disease (calcium) was found in the heart arteries |
If the scan is abnormal, we can tell you how much disease (calcium) is present:
10-100 units: Mild disease
100-400 units: Moderate disease
400+ units: Extensive disease |
| What does it mean? |
No significant coronary heart disease was found
The chance of a heart attack in the next 5 years is very low |
Coronary heart disease was found. The chance of a heart attack in the next 5 years is increased |
| What needs to be done? |
No specific recommendations, but risk factors (e.g. high blood pressure) might still need to be treated |
All risk factors need to be AGGRESSIVELY treated – high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, according to the advice of your Cardiologist. |
| What other tests might be recommended? |
For some individuals, repeating the test in 1-3 years time may be helpful |
Depending on the individual further tests may be required. If symptoms like chest pain are present, a test like electron beam angiography or myocardial perfusion imaging (nuclear cardiology) may be helpful to see if the coronary arteries are sufficiently diseased that they have become blocked. |
| Is effective treatment available? |
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Yes. The point of early detection of heart disease is so that we can start you on the many treatments that are known to be effective. Medication can reduce the risk of further heart attack. Blocked arteries can be unblocked. |
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