Interventional Cardiology & Radiology

The goal of interventional cardiology is to treat heart conditions whenever possible using minimally invasive surgical techniques. These procedures are made possible through the use of radiology, which guides the interventional cardiologist through the intricate and often irregular, damaged or blocked arteries, veins and areas of the heart to help treat certain vascular and cardiac conditions.

Angiograms and Cardiac Catheterization

• Angiograms image the coronary arteries to look for blockages or narrowings which can be causing heart symptoms and have the potential to result in heart attack or stroke. Cardiac catheterization takes internal rather than external radiologic images of the heart. The catheter, a flexible tube, is inserted into an artery and can take pictures of the inside of the arteries and the chambers of the heart.

Angioplasty With Ballooning and Stents

• Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is performed if a blockage has been located through an angiogram. The blockage is usually treated with a small balloon inflated to reopen the blood vessel. In some cases a small wire mesh cage, called a stent, is inserted and stitched into place via the catheter to hold the blood vessel open. These procedures require detailed radiologic images to guide the surgeon.

Structural Repairs of the Heart

• Small defects between the chambers or the two sides of the heart can be diagnosed more easily thanks to modern radiologic tests such as MRIs and CT scans. Valves can also be repaired using instruments and balloons. The interventional cardiologist can plan the surgery based on each individual patient's heart. Using a fluoroscope, the cardiologist will be able to visualize the inside of the heart and make the repairs without cutting open the patient's chest.