REFFERING PHYSICIANS

A device that records the heart rhythm continuously for 24 hours. It is connected to the chest by sticky patches (electrodes) and is carried with the patient for 24 hours. Every heart beat, arrhythmia and abnormality is recorded and the information is given to your doctor to help diagnose your heart condition.

A portable device that can be used for up to 60 days to monitor a patient's heart rate. Unlike a Holter Monitor, AER's do not record every heart beat. They use a memory chip that records approximately 120 seconds of a patient's heart rhythm. At any given time, while a patient is wearing the AER, it will record the most recent 120 seconds of the patient's EKG. When a patient experiences a symptom, he/she presses a button that freezes the recording, which is then transmitted by telephone to an interpreting station.

A highly accurate, noninvasive test used for assessing the function of the heart. The images this test produce are moving images of the heart while beating.

Arterial studies are diagnostic tests used to assess the health and function of your arteries by evaluating blood flow. Common arterial studies include noninvasive imaging tests like duplex ultrasound, which uses sound waves to visualize blood flow and detect blockages, and tests like the ankle-brachial index (ABI), which compares blood pressure in the ankles to the arms to check for narrowing in the leg arteries.

Venous studies are medical tests that evaluate blood flow in your veins, often using non-invasive ultrasound technology like Doppler and duplex ultrasound. They are used to diagnose conditions such as blood clots, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and venous insufficiency by checking for blockages, narrowing, or reverse blood flow.

A cardiac monitoring method that uses a small portable device to monitors a patient's cardiac activity. It records the patient's heartbeat as they run errands, exercise, and sleep.

An ultrasound of the carotid arteries. Done in the office and is painless. It is used to evaluate the flow of blood in the neck vessels and to look for possible narrowing (stenosis) which could lead to stroke.

An ultrasound of the heart that enables your doctor to view the structure and function of the heart.

A non-invasive recording of your heart rate and rhythm. This can be done in the doctor's office and only takes a few minutes.

Also called a treadmill test. The patient is hooked to equipment to monitor his/her heart then walks on a treadmill. As the test proceeds, the speed and slope of the treadmill is increased. Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and fatigue are all measured. This test is frequently done to diagnose coronary artery disease or other chest pain. This test may be done in conjunction with other modalities to image the heart or its circulation.

Also known as a pharmacologic stress test it is used when patients cannot ambulate (walk) adequately. A medication is given to simulate exercise while the ECG is monitered. Almost always combined with another imaging modality to assess the hearts function and circulation.

An abdominal and renal ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging test that uses sound waves to create real-time pictures of organs in the abdomen, including the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. It is used to diagnose or monitor conditions like kidney stones, abdominal pain, tumors, and aneurysms, and to investigate the cause of abnormal blood tests.