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Medi News |
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Better Heart Imaging Coming Soon Cardiac centers soon may have a safer, less costly and more convenient way to detect coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. A newly developed test that is only 30 minutes in duration, three-dimensional coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) would be a much simpler alternative to the conventional coronary angiography, which often mandates a four- to six-hour recovery stay, the researchers say. In angiography, a doctor takes pictures of the coronary arteries, which are then examined for blockages or other irregularities. The new method wouldn't require injection of a dye or exposure to X-ray, unlike the conventional test, which creates a risk of infection, bleeding and even heart attack or stroke, says Dr. Warren J. Manning, co-director of the Cardiac MRA Center at Beth Israel and senior author of the study. The new test is one-quarter of the cost of a conventional angiogram, and provides better images of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels of the heart, according to the researchers. The clarity of angiography imagery is important for proper detection of blockages in the coronary blood vessels. When left untreated, coronary blockages can lead to a heart attack or more severe chest pain. |
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