Heart Diagnosis

An accurate diagnosis is the first step in treating any sort of heart abnormality or disease. There are a couple of ways doctors at East Morgan County Hospital can diagnose heart ailments;  please talk with your doctor to find out what is right for you.

Computed Tomography (CT or CAT Scan)
The CT scanner creates 3-dimensional images of the heart and the coronary arteries in just five heartbeats.

Echocardiography
During an echocardiogram, also called an echo, a technician uses a painless technique to send sound waves into the patient’s chest. This produces a moving picture of the heart and heart valves.

Electrocardiography (ECG)
Also called EKG, an electrocardiogram measures the electrical activity in a heartbeat. Patients can be hooked to electrodes or wear a heart monitor (a small box that weighs less than one pound). The monitoring devices send signals to a technician that observes the heart rate and rhythm.

Nuclear Imaging
Nuclear medicine is a unique type of medical imaging that uses very small and safe amounts of radioactive materials in conjunction with a specialized camera to diagnose and treat disease. Heart scans are most often used to image blood flow to, and the function of, the heart.

Treadmill Stress Testing
Stress/exercise testing involves studying the heart while under maximum cardiac stress. It allows a technician to measure the heart's efficiency.

For More Information
	Podcasts: Cardiac tests info
	Video: What happens in a cardiac stress test
	What is your risk for coronary artery disease?