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Text Box: All Cardiac Nuclear Medicine procedures performed at Allegheny Imaging of McCandless are supervised and interpreted on site by an Allegheny General Hospital Cardiologist.  These physicians have expertise in this area.   Allegheny Imaging of McCandless is also an accredited institution by the American College of Radiology, a national organization which sets the standards for high quality in radiologic patient care. Text Box: Allegheny Imaging of McCandless, LLC              9335 McKnight Road          Pittsburgh, PA  15237          (412) 367-SCAN (7226)

Text Box: Cardiac Nuclear Medicine Facts Text Box: What is Cardiac Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear Medicine is a healthcare specialty involving the use of radioactive compounds to perform diagnostic imaging examinations that can lead to the effective treatment of many diseases.  Although nuclear medicine is often considered an independent discipline, it is closely related to radiology in that radiation is used to develop images of the human anatomy. Cardiac nuclear medicine refers to these diagnostic tests that are used to examine the anatomy and function of the heart.  Cardiac nuclear medicine tests are indicated for individuals with unexplained chest pain or chest pain brought on by exercise (called angina) to permit the early detection of heart disease. The most common cardiac nuclear medicine procedure, called myocardial perfusion scanning, enables the visualization of blood-flow patterns to the heart walls.  The test is important for evaluating the presence and extent of suspected or known coronary artery disease (blockages) as well as the results of previous injury to the heart from a heart attack, called a myocardial infarction.  It also can be done to evaluate the results of bypass surgery or other percutaneous revascularization procedures designed to restore the blood supply to the heart.  Heart wall movement and overall heart function can be evaluated with cardiac gating, a technique that synchronizes the images of the heart with different parts of the cardiac cycle (contracting or relaxing) as determined by an electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the electrical currents that activate the heart muscle and cause it to pump.  Talk to your doctor about whether cardiac nuclear medicine is right for you.

Text Box: In principle, all people can take steps to lower their risk for heart disease and heart attack by doing the following: Prevent and control high cholesterol High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease.  Preventing and treating high blood cholesterol includes eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber, keeping a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise.  All adults should have their cholesterol checked once every five years.  If yours is high, your doctor may prescribe medicines to help lower it.  Prevent and control high blood pressure Lifestyle actions such as healthy diet, regular physical activity, not smoking, and healthy weight will help you to keep normal blood pressure levels and all adults should have their blood pressure checked on a regular basis.  Blood pressure is easily checked.  If your blood pressure is high, you can work with your doctor to treat it and bring it down to the normal range.  A high blood pressure can usually be controlled with lifestyle changes and with medicines when needed.

Text Box: Prevent and control diabetes People with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease but can reduce their risk.  Also, people can take steps to reduce their risk for diabetes in the first place, through weight loss and regular physical activity. No tobacco Smoking increased the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.  Never smoking is one of the best things a person can do to lower their risk.  And, quitting smoking will also help lower a person’s risk of heart disease.  A person’s risk of heart attack decreases soon after quitting.  If you smoke, your doctor can suggest programs to help you quit.  Moderate alcohol use Excessive alcohol use increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.  People who drink should only do so in moderation and always responsibly. Regular physical activity Adults should engage in moderate level physical activities for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.

Text Box: Heart Disease Prevention: What You Can Do

Text Box: Maintain a healthy weight Healthy weight status in adults is usually assessed by using weight and height to compute a number called the “body mass index” (BMI).   BMI usually indicates the amount of body fat.  An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.  Overweight is a BMI between 25 and 29.9.  Normal weight is a BMI of 18 to 24.9.  Proper  diet and regular physical activity can help to maintain a healthy weight. Diet and Nutrition Along with healthy weight and regular physical activity, an overall healthy diet can help to lower blood pressure an cholesterol levels and prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.  This includes eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lowering or cutting out added salt or sodium, and eating less saturated fat and cholesterol to lower these risks.    

Text Box: For more information about services provided at Allegheny Imaging of McCandless, log on to www.alleghenyimaging.com or call (412) 367-SCAN (7226) to schedule an appointment