Using advanced diagnostics to advance cardiac care .
Diagnostic tools help us see exactly what ’ s going on with your heart . Here are a few of the advanced tools we use for more accurate diagnoses and faster and better outcomes for our patients .
CORONARY CT ANGIOGRAM ( CTA ) WITH HEARTFLOW ®
• CTA uses advanced CT scanning technology with intravenous ( IV ) contrast to examine the arteries that supply blood to the heart and determine whether they have been narrowed . “ We use CTA to look for evidence of blockages that could explain symptoms of chest pain or breathlessness and assess your risk for heart attack ,” says Dr . Travis Wilson , MD , Director of Cardiovascular Services .
• HeartFlow ® is used in conjunction with CTA . It assigns a blockage percentage , then approximates a pressure drop across that blockage . “ This helps us determine whether a blockage needs fixing or not , and if so , whether the best next step is a stent or a bypass ,” said Dr . Wilson . AHN Canonsburg was among the first in the region to implement HeartFlow ® .
HeartFlow ® is used with permission .
CORONARY CALCIUM SCORE ( CCS ) CCS looks for calcification on arteries on top of the heart . It aids in diagnosing patients with coronary artery disease ( CAD ) who may not be symptomatic but who have risk factors . “ This helps us guide how aggressive we are with reducing your risk of heart disease ,” said Dr . Wilson .
Humanity and humility , first and foremost .
David Abt , DO , didn ’ t set out to be a doctor . “ I wanted to work with and help people ,” he said . He started down the ministry path in college , and found he was also drawn to medicine . So he majored in both , then trained in combined internal and emergency medicine . “ The dual tracks allowed for extra humanity and humility in my training .”
As an emergency care doctor , he brings that to his patients . “ I enjoy being able to reassure someone and guide them through what ’ s potentially the biggest crisis of their lives .”
He also enjoys that at AHN Canonsburg , he ’ s able to do it in the best of all worlds . “ We ’ re all very tight ... I can get the care I need quickly and we ’ re able to provide a higher level of ER care . The same ER doctors that work here also work at AHN Allegheny General , Pittsburgh ’ s first level 1 trauma center , and receive the same acute emergency training .”
DAVID ABT , DO EMS MEDICAL DIRECTOR
FOR APPOINTMENTS , CALL ( 412 ) DOCTORS OR VISIT AHN . ORG / CANONSBURG .