ADVANCED IMAGING
Cardiac CT
The American College of Radiology ( ACR ) has awarded the hospital Gold Seal Accreditation for imaging services ’ quality and patient safety in CT . Accreditation acknowledges that imaging services exceed equipment standards , clinical and operational personnel qualifications , and stringent quality control guidelines .
At the heart of Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas ’ cardiac CT capabilities is the SOMATOM ® Force , a dual-source , 384-slice CT scanner which extends advanced imaging services especially for complex patients . Physicians on the hospital ’ s medical staff can obtain images of the body that freeze motion without asking patients to hold their breath , saving time and expediting decisions regarding next steps .
In its continuing commitment to improving quality and safety , Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas offers fractional flow reserve CT ( FFRct ). This technology provides non-invasive analysis of coronary artery blood flow in patients suspected of having coronary artery disease . Using this imaging technology , a scan can show specific FFR blood flow rates for all segments of the heart . This is particularly helpful for assessing questionable severity of stenosis . FFRct assists with pinpointing areas with blockages and calculates the impact each blockage has on blood flow , ultimately supporting treatment decisions . In many cases , FFRct may eliminate the need to perform diagnostic catheter angiography or to perform invasive catheter-based FFR tests . FFRct is complementary to CT coronary angiography and offers greater specificity and positive predictive value for detecting hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease ( CAD ) compared with anatomic imaging alone .
With the addition in fiscal year 2018 of the 1.5 Tesla MAGNETOM Aera MRI , Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas is able to perform MRI studies on patients with newer advanced ( conditional ) and most legacy implantable devices such as pacemakers , defibrillators and others . Patients should ask their cardiologist if their implantable device is classified as conditional or legacy , especially if an MRI is recommended as a part of their diagnostic workup .
This new MRI / MRA technology allows the use of a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of organs , soft tissues and bone , including structures and function of the heart , valves , major vessels , and surrounding structures for the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease . A team of speciallytrained clinicians is available to assist patients with implantable cardiac implantable devices , should they need assistance during or after the MRI .
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