According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of disability.  Of the many different forms of heart disease, coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common and major cause of myocardial infarction (heart attack).

CAD is a condition involving the narrowing of the coronary arteries that carry blood and oxygen to the heart muscle due to the build up of plaque. The illustration to the right shows a healthy artery (the first one) progressing to a diseased artery (the last one) where plaque build-up is preventing the blood from flowing freely.  In which case, a person would suffer a heart attack.

A cardiac CT for calcium scoring is used to measure the amount of plaque build-up in your arteries. If you have specific risk factors for coronary artery disease, such as abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cigarette smoking or a strong family history of heart disease, cardiac screening may be right for you. 

Several studies have demonstrated that a calcium score from a cardiac CT can determine an individual’s risk of heart disease. As a result, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) recommend the use of cardiac CT screenings for adults at risk.

At UDMI, we perform the following exams which may be requested by your physician based on your risk profile: 

• Cardiac CT for calcium scoring
• Echocardiography
• Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), also called a nuclear stress test
• MUGA Scans (Nuclear Medicine)

Contact us to schedule an appointment or for help to determine whether you should have any of these screening exams.

A written referral is required.