SM 109a - Cardiac Imaging Flashcards
What is echocardiography?
What is it used for?
Ultrasound that looks at the heart
Use to assess…
- Valvular structure and function
- LV, RV size and function
- Myocardial thickness, mass
- LA size
- Estimate pulmonary arterial pressure
- Aortic and pulmonary artery diameter
What are the advantages of echocardiography?
- Advantages
- Versatile
- Portable
- Inexpensive
- No ionizing radiation
What is cardiac magnetic resonance?
What is it used for?
An MRI of the heart
Uses
- Cardiac and great vessel anatomy
- LV and RV size and function
What are the advantages of cardiac magnetic resonance?
What are the disadvantges?
Advantages
- High resolution
- No ionizing radiation
Disadvantages
- Expensive
- Not portable
What is cardiac computed tomography?
What is it used for?
A CT of the heart
Uses:
-
Assess coronary arteries
- Calcification
- Anatomy
- Severety of obstructions
- Cardiac and great vessel anatomy
- LV, RV, Size and function
What are the advantages of cardiac computed tomography?
What are the disadvantages?
Advantages
- Non-invasive
- High resolution
Disadvantages
- Ionizing radiation
- Expensive
- Not portable
Which imaging method is best suited to assess function of the heart valves?
Echocardiography
Which imaging method is best suited to assess coronary artery anatomy?
Cardiac computed tomography
Which imaging method is least expensive?
Echocardiogram