The American Heart Association named the month of February as American Heart Month.  However, there are other heart health awareness campaigns that occur during this month as well.  

What is a Congenital Heart Defect?

A congenital heart defect occurs before birth and is a condition where the blood vessels adjacent to the heart or the heart itself don’t develop normally.  The term “congenital” means existing at birth.  Although congenital heart disease and congenital heart defect are often used interchangeably, defect is the more accurate of the two.  This condition is not a disease but an abnormality.  Your pediatrician or other healthcare provider will probably be your best source for information about congenital heart defects. The signs are visible early on if the defect is serious and there are a number of babies born each year with such heart conditions. 

How is Diagnostic Imaging used to detect CHD?

In order to diagnose congenital heart defects, the pediatrician or physician will perform a physical exam and listen to the patient’s heart with their stethoscope.  They’ll most likely ask questions regarding family and medical history (and symptoms if the patient is an adult).  Several types of diagnostic imaging may also be performed in order to diagnose CHD or rule it out.  This includes one invasive and 4 non-invasive procedures:

• Cardiac catheterization (heart cath) – this test checks blood flow and blood pressure.  You’ll be anesthetized for this invasive procedure.  A catheter will be gently inserted into an artery or vein in your arm, groin, or neck and then run up to the heart.  X-rays enable the specialist to guide the catheter to the heart.
• Cardiac CT (computed tomography) scans – multi-slice CT scans are oftentimes coupled with echocardiograms or electrocardiography to visualize and evaluate congenital heart defects when they exist.
• Echocardiogram (ultrasound) – a cardiologist or physician will use sound waves to create images of the heart.  This test shows them how the valves and chambers pump blood through the heart.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) – this non-invasive procedure uses a magnet to create a 3-dimensional image of the heart and nearby blood vessels.  MRI’s allow for the visualization of any abnormalities that may exist.
• X-rays – not only can X-rays detect problems in the heart, they can reveal changes in the shape, size, and position of the heart.

For more information regarding cardiac diagnostic imaging, contact Vital Imaging at (305) 596-9992.