EACVI Public Health
EACVI Patient Information
Patients may find imaging procedures difficult to understand and even a bit frightening. The EACVI has created webpages which contain leaflets and videos that clearly explain what patients can expect and how they can prepare.
Transthoracic Echocardiogram
A transthoracic echocardiogramme is an ultrasound scan that creates moving pictures of the heart.
Transoesophageal Echocardiogram
A transesophageal echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan without any radiation that creates moving pictures of the heart. A small probe is used to send out high-frequency sound waves. The probe here is a thin tube the size of your index finger. It passes through your mouth, down your throat and into your oesophagus.
Stress Echocardiography
Stress echocardiography is an imaging method to evaluate the heart muscles and the valves during increased activity. Certain drugs can be used to induce coronary artery dilation and to increase the workload, such as dobutamine, dipyridamole and adenosine.
Nuclear Scintigraphy
A nuclear myocardial perfusion scan of the heart, also known as nuclear scintigraphy, enables us to assess whether the blood supply to your heart muscle is reduced or normal. Images are obtained after a stress test by a camera and the injection of a small dose of a radioisotope agent into your bloodstream.
Cardiac Computed Tomography (Cardiac CT)
The CT scanner is a special X-ray machine that produces images of your heart and the blood vessels supplying your heart muscle. It is an open, ring-like piece of equipment that resembles a doughnut rather than a tunnel.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce images of the heart and structures around it. These high-resolution images are acquired non-invasively and without radiation.
Acknowledgements
The EACVI would like to thank:
- Bernard Cosyns, EACVI President 2020-2022 for initiating and supervising this initiative.
- Sarah Moharem Elgamal for leading this initiative and coordinating all the videos dedicated to patients.
- Ricardo Fontes-Carvalho for coordinating the platform with information about the different imaging exams.
- The EACVI Patient Task Force for providing the leaflets: Gergely Agoston, Lilit Baghdasaryan, Augustin Coisne, Manish Motwani, Caroline Van de Heyning.
- Joao Augusto, Rocio Blanco, Kevin Domingues, Giulia Elena Mandoli, Theo Pezel, Vlatka Reskovic Luksic, Rita Veiga, and Verena Wilzeck, for translating the videos into different languages.
- The ESC Patient Forum for reviewing the videos.
- The Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital for allowing the EACVI to film the interviews within their premises.