• Suhny Abbara, MD
  
• Ricardo C. Cury, MD
  
• Udo Hoffmann, MD
  

INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS

• About the Cardiac CT Procedure
  
• How to Prepare for the Exam
  
• What to expect during the Cardiac CT scan
  
• Information of the Results
  
• How to Schedule a Cardiac CT Exam
  
• CT Location
  

INFORMATION FOR PHYSICIANS

• How to refer a patient
  
• Indications
  
• Contraindications
  

INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS

I - About the Cardiac CT Procedure

How to Prepare for the Cardiac CT Exam

On the day of the exam, please do not consume any caffeinated beverages or food (coffee, caffeinated sodas, chocolate etc).

Do not eat food within the last 2 hours prior to the exam.

You may take any medication that you usually take.

You may drink clear non-caffeinated liquids until you arrive at the scanner.

We ask you to arrive 30 minutes prior to your appointment time.

We will also ask you a series of questions that will determine whether or not it is safe for you to undergo the CT. Your early arrival will help to ensure that we are able to perform the test efficiently and safely.


What to expect during the Cardiac CT scan

• Prior to the CT exam, an intravenous catheter will be inserted in your arm for intravenous contrast injection. If you have a known contrast allergy or had a reaction to contrast dye, please tell your physician and CT technologist prior to the exam. Electrocardiogram leads will be placed in order to monitor your heartbeat. Before beginning the Cardiac CT exam, you will be coached in a method to hold your breath. You will be asked to hold your breath a few times for 12-18 seconds.
  
  
• Just before the CT exam, you may be given beta-blocker, a medication to slow down the heart rate.
  
  
• The CT exam itself lasts only 10-15 minutes.
  
  
• If you are taking metformin (Glucophage®), you must discontinue the use of metformin at the time of or prior to the procedure, and withhold the use of metformin for 48 hours subsequent to the procedure and reinstated only after renal function has been re-evaluated by your physician and found to be normal.
  

• The name and phone number of the physician who wants you to have the Cardiac CT.
• The physician's reason or indication for this exam
• Your MGH Medical record number (MRN)

III - CT Location:

The cardiac CT scanner is located within the main Radiology department on the second floor of the Blake building.


INFORMATION FOR PHYSICIANS

The image quality of cardiac CT examinations is highly dependant on the patient’s heart rate during the scan. The desired heart rate is ~60bpm. Therefore the cardiac imaging physician may administer i.v. beta-blocker immediately prior to the examination.

Please inform the cardiac imager of any known contraindications to the use of beta-blockers when ordering the exam.

In patients with known high heart rates, the administration of oral beta-blocker the evening prior to and the morning of the exam may be very helpful. Please consider prescribing oral beta-blocker if your patient has a high heart rate.


I - How to refer / schedule a for Cardiac CT Exam:

MGH associated physicians may schedule patients using the web based MGH remote order entry (ROE) scheduling system http://mghroe/roe

From outside MGH, you may call at:  (617) 724-4752. To assist us with scheduling a patient, please have the following information available when you call:

• Patient name and phone number
• Indication(s) for the exam
• Referring Physician name and phone number
• MGH Medical record number (MRN)
  

II – Indications for Cardiac CT Exam:

• Cardiac CT can
• Detect coronary artery and directly image non-calcified and calcified coronary atherosclerotic plaque
• Rule out coronary stenoses with high accuracy
• Visualize anomalous coronary arteries
• Establish patency of bypass grafts
• Visualize cardiac anatomy (e.g., congenital malformations, pulmonary venous return, masses)
• Detect and quantify cardiac calcification

• Any contraindication to use of iodinated contrast material (creatinine > 1.5, contrast allergy)
  
• Pregnancy

Relative contraindication:

• Patients with high and irregular heart rates