CT Angiogram
What is CT Angiogram?
The Computed Tomography Angiogram (CTA) of the heart, is a safe and non-invasive procedure to scan the heart. No catheterisation insertion of thin wire into the body. No hospitalisation, and No pre-medication to slow down your heart rate.
CTA images are in colour and 3D, enabling the visualisation of both calcified and non-calcified plaque, They also provide information on the severity of plaque obstruction, hear t muscle function and abnormalities, patency of bypass grafts and inserted stents.
What does the CTA entail?
The procedure is completed within 20 minutes. A water-soluble dye ( contrast ) is injected through a vein in your arm before the scan. The dye is easily flushed out from your body by drinking water after the scan.
Who should have an CTA ?
For those who fall under one of the following categories :
- Follow-up patients of heart bypass, post-balloon angioplasty, post-stent placements.
- Patients who are classified as “high risk” due to multiple risk factors with or without symptoms.
- Symptomatic patients with mild to moderate plaque build-up detected, to rule out significant obstructive disease.
- Patients indicated for conventional angiogram but wish to confirm presence of significant obstructive disease before they proceed.
- Patients with inconclusive Stress Test, Stress Echo or Thallium Scan.