CV Imaging Flashcards
Atherosclerotic Plaque Development
Risk Factor Stage: fatty streaks that can accumulate WBCs and RBCs due to slight inflammation
Subclinical Stage CAD: lumen is starting to narrow with calcifications and scarring with inflammation
Clinical Stage CAD: the plaque can rupture and cause acute coronary system with you can get thrombi; platelets and fibrin try to repair ruptures and cause MI and more obstruction
Goals of Cardiac Imaging
Augment the History and Physical
Identify Anatomic Disease
Assess functional significance of pathologic disease
Predict cardiac and overall prognosis
Clarify cardiac etiology of symptoms
Guide management (medical, surgical, percutaneous, device)
Cardiac Imaging Types
X-Ray/CT: x-rays used with detector to create an image
Nuclear: inject dye and emit photons and the camera tracks these; marker of perfusion of myocardium
Echo: least costly other than chest x-ray; transducer uses sound to image the heart
MRI: great images; uses magnet and electromagnetic signals
Resting Imaging
Resting Imaging
2D & 3D Echocardiography
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)
Stress Imaging
Stress Imaging
Stress EKG
Stress Echocardiography
Stress Nuclear Perfusion Imaging
Advanced Imaging
Advanced Imaging
Coronary Calcium Scoring
Computed Tomography (CT)
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CVMRI)
2D Echocardiography
High frequency waves generated by a pizoelectric crystal travel through body tissue and then are reflected by tissues based on the acoustic impedence of various tissues. The reflected waves return to the transducer causing mechancal deformations of the crystal. Based on the time from generation of the impulse to receiving the reflected impulse back, calcuations are made to determine the distance from the probe. Images are thus reconstructed.
2D Echocardiography + Doppler
-Doppler studies can help assess blood flow direction, velocity and turbuence. Also helps estimate pressure gradients.
-Principle is that waves reflected from moving objects undergo a phase shift relative to the velocity of the moving object.
Doppler gives blood flow
Orange, yellow, red = towards transducer
Blue = away from transducer (systole)
2D Echocardiography Advantages
Advantages:
- Noninvasive
- No radiation exposure
- Real time imaging
- Portable
- Quantitative
- > 30 years of research and validation
Clinical Indications for 2D Echocardiography Advantages
Assess LV Function: CHF, acute MI, chronic heart disease
Assess Valves: acute/chronic valve disease, prosthetic valves, heart murmur, CHF/CAD
Pericardial Effusion: chest pain, dyspnea, hypotension
Assess for Structural Disease: dyspnea, chest pain, syncope, palp CVA, shock/hypotension
2D Echocardiography Limitations
- Technician / Interpreter dependent
- Limited by lung, soft tissue interference; COPD, obesity
- Impractical in certain settings (e.g. OR)
TEE
Transesophageal Echo
There isn’t much tissue in the way so see image well
Portable and immediate
Requires conscious sedation
Requires special training
TEE: Specific Indications
Pre-cardioversion for atrial arrhythmias Valvular disease and endocarditis Improved imaging of mechanical valves Cardiac masses and thrombi Cardiac source of thromboembolism Aortic pathology Septal defects and congenital disease Nondiagnostic transthoracic echo Special settings: ICU, OR
Cardioburn: shock someone to normal rhythm; do TEE first to make sure there is not a clot in L appendage that formed during an atrial fibrillation it can cause systemic emboli or stroke
Agitated Saline Study (Bubble Study)
Agitated saline is injected (bubbly looking) into a vein and go to right atrium; if shows up in L atrium there must be a hole somewhere
Direct Imaging
Direct imaging:
Cardiac calcium scoring
Coronary CTA or MRA
Coronary angiography