An expert diagnosis is critical in determining the best treatment for a heart
condition. St. Francis offers both skilled physicians and cutting-edge technology
to determine the cause of heart disease and chest pain.
When diagnosing heart conditions, St. Francis constantly looks for the most advanced
minimally-invasive technology to allow your physician to arrive at a diagnosis
with as little patient discomfort as possible. We have consistently been the first
to bring the newest technology to Greenville, including CT Angiography that uses
nationally-acclaimed technology. Other times, physicians need information that
can only be determined by using a more traditional test. These tests are often
require the placement of an IV and a catheter to be inserted into the body and
carefully threaded into the heart.
Some of the tests available at St. Francis
include:
Non-Invasive and Minimally-Invasive Tests
- Cardiac Calcium Scoring is a non-invasive procedure that uses CT images to give
detailed images from inside the heart to detect a build up of plaque on the coronary
arteries. Cardiac Scoring has recently emerged as a useful tool in diagnosing
dangerous arterial plaque buildup in patients who do not have symptoms of heart
disease. This non-invasive test can view areas of concern, and physicians can
then give
patients a score that correlates with their risk level of developing heart disease.
Cardiac Calcium Scoring usually takes about 15 minutes to complete. Learn more >>
- Our state-of-the-art CT Angiography imaging system is changing how physicians diagnose heart disease and chest pain. It helps discover
the cause of chest pain in one fast, reliable scan, helping them identify clogged
arteries and coronary heart disease with high-definition images of the heart in
3D. These images are combined with cutting-edge computer technology to allow physicians
to see the heart’s beating motion and areas that have potential blockages. This
nationally-acclaimed technology has been featured on Oprah and The Today
Show, and was first brought to the Upstate by St. Francis.
- Enzymes in the blood are clues that can help physicians determine the presence
and extent of heart damage. Enzyme tests require only blood to be drawn from the
arm, then the results are analyzed.
- During an Electrocardiogram (ECG), a non-invasive test, electrodes are applied to your chest to record
electrical activity in the heart. The electrical activity can help determine the
location and extent of heart damage. Learn more >>
- A Chest X-Ray shows the size and position of the heart and lungs. Learn more >>
- An Echocardiogram checks the heart muscle by using sound waves. Learn more >>
- Holter monitors are like portable ECGs, and allow you to record heart activity
while at home. Learn more >>
- A Multigated Acquisition Scan is similar to an ECG, but requires an IV. Multigated Acquistion Scans
monitor how well the heart pumps blood by looking at the chambers and blood vessels
of the heart.
- Stress Testing checks blood flow through the heart while exercising. Learn more >>
- A Tilt Table Test is similar to an ECG, but requires an IV and requires you to
lie on a table that is periodically tilted up. This test is used to determine
the cause of fainting spells.
Traditional Tests
- A Cardiac Catheterization is a radiology exam that visualizes the inside of the
coronary arteries. Cardiac catheterizations can be both diagnostic and interventional
and often, physicians will treat a blockage immediately following the diagnostic
catheterization. Learn more >>
- Electrophysiology Studies (EP) determines if there is an abnormal electrical circuit in the heart. Learn more >>
