Vascular Imaging

Atherosclerosis, the narrowing of an artery or arteries, affects the entire circulatory system. A block anywhere along the vascular system can lead to serious health problems like heart attack, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease, deep vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, aneurysm, high blood pressure, stroke, severe leg pain or kidney failure. Problems in one area of the system can indicate a more serious condition elsewhere in the body.

Vascular experts at Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers treat problems in outlying or peripheral blood vessels with the same care as problems inside the heart, especially when those blood vessels are located in the abdomen, kidneys, legs, neck, and brain. This “whole system” approach ensures that you get the right health care for your needs, history and symptoms. Our nationally recognized laboratory, accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL), relies on the most advanced technology available to diagnose and treat various vascular conditions in the least invasive way.

• Computed tomography (CT) – takes pictures of the cardiovascular system to detect atherosclerosis
  
  
• High-speed beam tomography (EBT) – scans spot calcium blockages in the arteries in just seconds
  
  
• Vascular and neurovascular MRI – produces clear pictures of blood vessels in the head, aorta, and legs using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
  
  
• Computerized electrocardiograms (ECG or EKG) – record the electrical activity of the heart muscle from 12 different positions
  
  
• Holter monitoring (ambulatory electrocardiogram or ECG) – provides a continuous, 24-hour recording of the heart’s electrical activity to detect abnormal heart rhythms that may occur during normal activities of daily living
  
  
• Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring – uses an automatic, lightweight and quiet arm cuff to provide multiple blood pressure readings over an extended length of time, usually 24 hours
  
  
• Signal averaged electrocardiograms (SAECG) – a variation of a standard electrocardiogram, assesses a patient’s risk of experiencing a life-threatening type of rapid heartbeat
  
  
• Event monitoring (transtelephonic) – relies on an event recorder to monitor the heart’s activity. The recorder is activated when a symptom occurs. Electrocardiogram data before, during and after the event is recorded and transmitted to a receiving center via telephone.
  
  
• Cardiac impedance monitoring (BioZ) – a completely noninvasive test that provides the physician with information about the heart’s ability to deliver blood to the rest of the body, the force the heart has to pump against with each heartbeat, and the amount of fluid in the chest