Cardiac CT scans

What are Cardiac CT scans?

Cardiac CT is a heart-imaging test that uses CT technology with or without intravenous (IV) contrast (dye) to visualize the heart anatomy, coronary circulation, and blood vessels which includes the aorta, pulmonary veins, and arteries.

Ordinary X-ray testing does not show clear images of soft tissue, so doctors often request CT scanning to get a good image of soft tissue including organs, muscles, blood vessels and nerves. Sometimes a contrast dye is used as it shows up clearer on the screen.

A quality cardiac CT scan of the heart displays a view of your heart and blood vessels. It is also sometimes used to view the arteries that bring blood to the patient’s heart.

Reasons for a Cardiac CT scan:

CT scans are used for a multitude of reasons. They may be done to check for certain cancers in various different ways including to detect abnormal tumors, growths or lumps. They also identify the location of tumors, the stage of cancer, and where to perform a biopsy.

A Cardiac CT scan can be used to guide doctors or surgeons during a procedure. They are important in planning for certain types of therapy and surgery, as well as in the aftermath to determine whether your body is responding to treatment.

A Cardiac CT scan is often used to quickly inspect a patient's heart after an accident in order to identify traumatic internal injuries.

A Cardiac CT scan may help diagnose (find):

A Cardiac CT scan can help diagnose birth defects in the heart including congenital heart disease, as well as defects to the heart’s valves.

A Cardiac CT scan of the heart can also show tumors in or on the heart or coronary artery blockage due to a build-up of plaque. The scan can find the cause of multiple heart problems and symptoms.