The document discusses several diagnostic procedures for the cardiovascular system including cardiac scans, echocardiography, and Holter monitors. Cardiac scans use radioactive tracers and scanning equipment to visualize the heart. Echocardiography uses ultrasound to visualize internal cardiac structures and evaluate valve activity in a noninvasive way. A Holter monitor is a portable ECG monitor worn by patients for a period of time to monitor heart and pulse activity during daily activities.

1. Diagnostic procedures
Cardiovascular system
By Loredana Lungu

2. Cardiac Scan
• Patient is given radioactive thallium
intravenously and then scanning equipment
is used to visualize the heart. It is especially
useful in determining myocardial damage

3. Cardiac Scan
• During a cardiac CT scan, an x-ray machine will
move around your body in a circle. The machine
will take a picture of each part of your heart. A
computer will put the pictures together to make a
three-dimensional (3D) picture of the whole heart.

4. Cardiac scan

5. Echocardiography
• Noninvasive diagnostic method using
ultrasound to visualize internal cardiac
structures
• Cardiac valve activity can be evaluated
using this method

6. Echocardiography
equipment

7. Echocardiography
• Echocardiography was an early medical application
of ultrasound. Echocardiography was also the first
application of intravenous contrast-enhanced
ultrasound. This technique injects gas-filled
microbubbles into the venous system to improve
tissue and blood delineation.

8. Purpose
• Echocardiography is used to diagnose
cardiovascular diseases. In fact, it is one of the
most widely used diagnostic tests for heart
disease. It can provide a wealth of helpful
information, including the size and shape of the
heart, its pumping capacity and the location and
extent of any damage to its tissues.

9. Heart echo diagram

10. Holter monitor
• Portable ECG(electrocardiography)
monitor worn by a patient for a period of a
few hours to a few days to assure the heart
and pulse activity as the person goes
through the activities of daily living.
• Used to assess a patient who experiences
chest pain and unusual heart activity during
exercise and normal activities.

11. Holter monitor
equipment

12. Holter monitor
• Electrodes (small conducting patches) are stuck
onto your chest and attached to a small recording
monitor. You carry the Holter monitor in a pocket
or small pouch worn around your neck or waist.
The monitor is battery operated.

13. Consideration
• While wearing the device, avoid:
• Electric blankets
• High-voltage areas
• Magnets
• Metal detectors
It is very important for you to keep a diary of
symptoms. The diary should include the date, time of
day, type, and duration of symptoms.