State-of-the-art diagnostic services help physicians manage heart and circulatory problems before they become life-threatening. Most of our diagnostic services are performed on an outpatient basis.
Electrocardiography (EKG) - A recording of electrical currents produced by the beating heart.
Heart and Blood Pressure Monitoring - Electrodes are connected to a portable monitor which records continuous readings of the heart's blood pressure and electrical activity. Patients conduct normal daily activities and keep a diary of dates, times and symptoms during the monitoring period. The monitor is about the size of a camera and is attached to a shoulder strap and worn by the patient for various lengths of time, ranging from 24 hours to 30 days.
Non-invasive Blood Flow Studies, including Echocardiography, Color Doppler Studies, Carotid Imaging and Peripheral Arterial/Venous Studies - Painless diagnostic techniques using ultrasound to record size, motion, blood flow and composition of the heart, veins and arteries.
Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) - A special tube is placed down the patient's esophagus to obtain detailed images of the heart using ultrasound.
Exercise Tolerance Testing (Stress Test) - A measurement of the heart's response under the stress of physical activity, such as walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle. An EKG is taken before, during and after exercise. This test may also be performed in combination with a nuclear scan in which a small amount of a radioactive substance, called thallium, is injected into the bloodstream. A special camera scans the heart, creating detailed images of blood flow. For people unable to exercise, a medication that mimics the heart's reaction to exercise can be given. This is called a Pharmacological Exercise Tolerance Test. Echocardiography can also be used to image the heart during a stress test.
Cardiac Radiology, including MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT (Computed Tomography) Scanning - Imaging techniques that provide "pictures" of how the cardiovascular system is working or to detect atherosclerosis, a narrowing of the artery.
Electrophysiology Study - A study that provides important information about the electrical impulses triggering the heart's beating.
Angiography - Sometimes called arteriography, angiography uses X-ray images and contrast dye to study blood flow in the arteries. An angiogram, the X-ray picture that is made, can be used to examine almost any artery, including those in the heart, head, kidneys, lungs or other organs.
Cardiac Catheterization - Using X-ray images, a catheter (a long, narrow, flexible tube) is placed into a blood vessel in the arm or groin, and then threaded into the heart's arteries and heart valves to find any blockages in blood flow.