Take charge of your heart health
Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 700,000 American men and women in 2001 alone*, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This is nearly as many as all cancer and stroke deaths for that year, combined.*
Heart disease is still known as the "silent killer" because its symptoms usually don’t show up until the disease process has progressed to a severe stage. So how can you find out how healthy your heart is before the problem gets out of hand?
Have a Heart Scan
A Heart Scan can give you a chance to take charge of your heart health before it’s too late. This quick, painless and extremely accurate CT scan can show symptoms of heart disease in its earliest stages, when it’s still reversible.
The most common form of heart disease is caused when plaque (fatty deposits) builds up in the walls of the vessels that supply blood to the heart. Plaque growth is a slow process that takes place over many years. Over time, calcium in the body causes the plaque to harden. This is commonly referred to as "hardening of the arteries." In time, the plaque can cause narrowing or blockages in the vessels, leading to a heart attack.
At SummitScan Heart Scans take only 15 minutes, during which you remain fully clothed, resting comfortably on your back. Our multi-slice CT scanner works at literally "breathless speed," capturing images of the heart between heartbeats. Until now, it has not been possible to accurately assess the coronary arteries with CT technology, because the heart is in constant motion. But the digital images our state-of-the-art CT scanner can produce are clearer and sharper than any available before. This exceptional image quality allows our board certified radiologists to spot potential trouble areas before you even know they’re there.
How does it work?
Using the most advanced CT technology available, the Heart Scan takes hundreds of x-ray images of your heart, then "slices" the images into sections that our radiologists can examine for signs of calcium. Armed with this information, a cardiologist can diagnose and treat heart disease years before the first external symptoms, such as chest pain, or shortness of breath, appear.
A Heart Scan is a great health screening tool, but like any tool, to do an excellent job, it needs to be in the hands of experts. Once the scan is complete and has been analyzed by our board certified radiologists, we will share the results with your family physician or specialist and let them determine what the results indicate regarding your health.
Heart Scans are a great tool to help you assess the condition of the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart – but they do not measure all the indicators of a healthy cardiovascular system, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, etc. Do not rely solely on a Heart Scan to determine your heart health; speak to your physician about other tests and screening exams that may be appropriate to ensure a healthy heart.
Learn more about CT scans.
Learn more about Heart Disease.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who can benefit most from a Heart Scan?
A:
- Men age 35-70
- Women 45-70
And people with two or more of the following risk factors:
- Family history of heart disease
- History of tobacco use
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Excess weight
- Inactive lifestyle
Q: What if the scan does show calcium deposits in my arteries?
A: Your physician will interpret your exam results, and if any calcium deposits are present you will be informed of the degree of build-up within your blood vessels. Heart disease is very treatable and even reversible if detected early. Through changing diet and exercise, quitting smoking, reducing stress, and if necessary, taking medications to reduce cholesterol and reverse plaque formation, you can take control of your heart health and add many years for a healthy life.
Q: Do I need a referral from my physician to get a Heart Scan?
A: A physician referral is not required for a Heart Scan. However, we do recommend that you work closely with your doctor and discuss your risk factors for heart disease and heart attack. We strongly suggest that you designate a primary care physician or a specialist to whom we can send your results, to ensure that you receive the best possible follow-up care and recommendations for lifestyle modifications, if necessary.
Q: How to I make an appointment for a Heart Scan?
A: You can schedule a Heart Scan appointment at SummitScan by calling (816) 55-IMAGE (554-6243).
SummitScan is a high-tech health screening center that specializes in early detection of potentially life-threatening diseases. It is located on the lower level of Midwest Gastroenterology. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Q: How long does a Heart Scan take?
A: Heart Scans take only 15 minutes, during which you remain fully clothed, resting comfortably on your back. We make it a high priority to keep our appointments on schedule, and keep you on track in your busy day.
Q: Is it safe?
A: We take special care to keep the radiation dose to an absolute minimum for all patients. Our high-speed multi-slice CT scanner uses a fraction of the radiation dose of older machines that are still being used elsewhere. By combining a high-speed scanner and low-dose x-ray technology, we are able to keep the amount of radiation to a bare minimum. Our equipment is adjusted for the body size of each patient, so we use only what is necessary to get a clear picture and make an accurate diagnosis.
Q: When will I receive the results?
A: We guarantee quick reporting. You’ll leave that day with a CD-ROM containing images from your scan. A board certified radiologist will review your scan and provide results to you and your primary care physician or a specialist of your choice within 24 hours.
Q: Is a Heart Scan covered by my insurance?
A: Heart scans are not usually covered by health insurance at this time. Because of this, we work hard to keep our fees affordable. For your convenience, we accept cash, checks, Discover Card, MasterCard and Visa.
*2001 CDC Leading Causes of Death figures are the most current data available.
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