Diagnostic techniques in cardiology might be particularly difficult to understand due to the specialized medical language used. Many people wonder whether echocardiograms and heart scans provide the same information. Let’s go into this issue and make the differences between these two crucial exams very clear.
Unraveling the Differences
A heart scan, also called a coronary calcium scan or cardiac CT calcium score, looks at how much calcium has built up in the coronary arteries. CT (computed tomography) technology is used in this non-invasive process to get detailed pictures of the heart’s blood pathways. Doctors can predict a patient’s chance of coronary artery disease (CAD) and possible heart attacks based on how much calcium is in the body. This treatment is especially helpful for people who are at risk for heart disease because they have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a history of heart disease in their family.
On the other hand, an echocardiogram, also called a “echo,” is a type of imaging that uses sound waves to make moving pictures of the heart in real time. This testing tool tells doctors a lot about the heart’s shape, how it works, and how blood flows through it. During an echocardiogram, a trained provider uses a device to send out sound waves and record their echoes as they bounce off the heart’s cells. These sounds are then turned into detailed pictures that help cardiologists check how well the heart pumps, how well the valves work, and how healthy the heart is generally.
Even though both give important information about the heart, they are used for different things. The main goal of a heart scan is to find calcium buildup in the coronary arteries, which is a sign of possible CAD (Coronary artery disease). In contrast, cardiologists can use the data from an echocardiogram to identify a variety of cardiac conditions, such as valve abnormalities, cardiomyopathies, and congenital heart defects.
What Exam Is Best for Your Heart Health?
The choice between a heart scan and an ultrasound depends on the patient’s medical background, symptoms, and the exact details needed to make an informed choice. Even as medical science keeps getting better, these testing methods remain important for making correct evaluations and giving the best care to patients.
