The Importance of Early Diagnosis When Treating Heart Disease

Early diagnosis of a heart condition can make a world of difference in the treatment plan, cost, patient prognosis, and quality of life. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the United States, it is important to be able to identify symptoms that may indicate an underlying problem before a major cardiac event occurs, like a myocardial infarction.

Some early symptoms of heart disease include things you might not normally associate with the heart, like nausea, stomach pain, heartburn, and indigestion. A constant cough, excessive sweating, swelling of the feet, legs, and ankles are other early symptoms some might not realize can be directly related to heart problems.

Other signs such as chest tightness and discomfort, shortness of breath, pain in the arm, neck, back, chest, or jaw, as well as light headedness, are all symptoms patients should look out for, especially if they have a family history of heart disease.

Mobile and Fixed Site PET Imaging

PET scans can offer cardiac patients early diagnoses. The dimensional images can show signs of heart disease even before a patient experiences symptoms. These tests can also show just how advanced a case of heart disease is, such as in coronary artery disease. A PET can easily detect areas of the heart that are experiencing limited blood flow, identify injured or dead tissue, and scar tissue.

PET scans are a wonderful option for early diagnosis of heart disease. Finding out early on whether a patient is dealing with heart disease can make a great impact on their life, and improve prognosis. Implementing nuclear imaging tests, including PET scans, for your patients is a viable option whether you are interested in mobile cardiac clinics or fixed site imaging. Contact Cardiac Imaging, Inc. today to learn more about our services.