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 Radiology Imaging Associates at Sterling offers state-of-the-art Coronary CT Angiography (Coronary CTA). This study is one of the most comprehensive, non-invasive examinations of the heart. Our 64-slice Philips Brilliance CT scanner utilizes the most advanced technology and provides rapid high resolution scanning of the heart and coronary arteries in a dynamic 3-dimensional view.
Radiology Imaging Associates at Sterling has always been on the cutting edge of technology and we are proud to be the first site in Loudoun County to introduce this breakthrough technique in heart attack prevention. We have fellowship trained radiologists with years of experience in multi-slice CT imaging. This revolutionary new examination called Coronary CTA (Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography) can provide the earliest possible evidence of coronary artery disease that is often invisible to stress testing, EKG and nuclear cardiology
With coronary artery disease claiming more lives each year, more than lung, colon, prostate and breast cancer combined,the impact of a non-invasive cardiac diagnostic tool has enormous effect on detecting disease earlier.
No treadmills, fasting, catheterization, or hospital admission…Coronary CTA is a safe outpatient procedure performed on an ultra-high speed 64-slice CT scanner that accurately evaluates an individual’s risk for coronary artery disease in just minutes. Both hard, and even more importantly, soft plaque can be visualized. It is these soft plaques that are most likely to be the cause of heart attacks and sudden death and they are not detected by coronary angiography.
The objective of a CTA exam is to substantially increase safety and reduce the time and complexity of a cardiac evaluation while increasing diagnostic confidence, making this leading edge technology an increasingly larger integral part of the cardiology landscape.
CTA simultaneously demonstrates the pulmonary and systemic arteries of the chest, excluding otherwise dangerous causes of chest pain including pulmonary embolism and aortic dissection. This is known as a Triple Rule-Out study.
Until recently, coronary artery imaging required invasive cardiac catheterization. Fast, multi-detector CT imaging is non-invasive and has revolutionized the ability to visualize the severity of arterial blockage including the identification of soft plaque formation even before it can be seen by conventional cardiac catheterization. It is estimated that up to 40% of patients who currently have an invasive cardiac catheterization procedure have normal arteries. Coronary CTA is a powerful tool that can be used in place of invasive angiography to reduce the number of normal cardiac catheterizations. CTA defines the extent of disease and thus helps to refine the cath lab patient population and provides a tailored approach that can cut angiography time by up to 50%. In addition, patients who have already undergone revascularization procedures such as stenting and bypass are excellent candidates for non-invasive follow-up with CT angiography.
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