Transthoracic Echocardiography
Stress Echocardiography
Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TEE or TOE)
CT Coronary Angiography
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
Vascular Ultrasound
Transthoracic Echocardiography
What is it
A transthoracic echocardiogram is a non-invasive scan that assesses the structures of the heart and how well your heart is working, by using ultrasound sound waves.
Your doctor may recommend it for
- Heart valve problems
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart failure
- Abnormalities of the heart muscle
- Investigation of heart-related symptoms like chest pain, breathlessness or palpitations
Stress Echocardiography
What is it
A stress echocardiogram combines an electrocardiogram (ECG) with echocardiography, and evaluates your heart’s response to stress. The preferred and most natural way to induce stress is through exercise on a treadmill. If you’re unable to exercise, a medication called dobutamine may be used to stress the heart.
Your doctor may recommend it for
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart valve disease
- Heart failure
- Heart muscle disease
Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TEE or TOE)
What is it
A transoesophageal echocardiogram involves inserting an ultrasound probe through your oesophagus under local anaesthesia and mild sedation. It provides a more accurate assessment of the heart, especially for parts that are not well visualised with the transthoracic echocardiography.
Your doctor may recommend it for
- Heart valve disease
- Left atrial appendage clots
- Infective endocarditis
- Tumours in the heart
CT Coronary Angiography
What is it
A CT coronary angiogram allows visualisation of your coronary arteries, allowing our radiologists to identify any blockages accurately. An iodine-base contrast dye will be injected into your vein as you are being scanned by a CT scanner.
Your doctor may recommend it for
- Suspected coronary artery disease
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
What is it
During a Cardiac MRI, you lie on a table and slide into a machine. A special dye called gadolinium is injected to assess the heart.
Your doctor may recommend it for
- Heart scarring
- Abnormal protein buildup in the heart (Amyloidosis)
- Other infiltrative disease of the heart
- Congenital heart disease
Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
What is it
Myocardial perfusion imaging identifies any areas of your heart where blood flow may be inadequate or scarred by a previous heart attack. After injecting a small amount of radioactive tracer into your vein, you will be put through a specialised scanner to detect how much tracer is taken up by different segments of your heart.
Your doctor may recommend it for
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attacks
- Angina
Vascular Ultrasound
What is it
A vascular ultrasound uses sound waves to scan and identify segments of narrowing in the blood vessel. Common arteries that require a vascular ultrasound include the carotid arteries, lower limb arteries, kidney arteries.
Your doctor may recommend it for
- Stroke
- Claudication (calf pain on walking)
