Cardiology Department

The Cardiology Department at Holy Name Medical Center provides a wide range of sophisticated testing and procedures, including:

• Cardiac PET/CT stress testing
  
  Cardiac PET/CT stress testing is utilized at leading health-care institutions around the world to better evaluate coronary artery disease. As the latest advancement in the field of molecular imagining, this new technology presents the next generation in stress testing. Holy Name Medical Center holds the distinction of being the first medical center in New Jersey to utilize PET technology (positron emission tomography/computed tomography).
  
  Cardiac PET/CT differs from a traditional stress test as patients simple lay down on a table rather than exercising on a treadmill. This advanced method of testing - particularly useful for women and for people who are obese or have diabetes - is considered more accurate than conventional stress heart imaging as it allows cardiologist to assess the flow of blood to the heart in order to better detect the presence and extent of heart disease. The earlier the detection, the sooner your physician can diagnose the appropriate course of treatment.
  
  Please consult with your physician to determine if you are a candidate for Cardiac PET/CT stress testing. A prescription from your physician will be required for Cardiac PET/CT stress testing.
• 64-Slice CT Angiography
  
  64-Slice CT technology is regarded as the future of heart imaging. It can be used to help detect cardiac abnormalities even if the patient does not experience any symptoms. In as little as five seconds – the equivalent of 5 heartbeats - CT Angiography can produce three-dimensional images so vivid and precise, it can dramatically improve a physician's ability to safely determine – or exclude - the presence of coronary artery disease and heart blockages in low risk patients. Additionally, it can be performed in concurrently with nuclear stress tests such as SPECT or PET.
  
  Utilized at leading healthcare institutions and similar to cardiac PET/CT stress testing, Holy Name medical Center was the first medical center in New Jersey to provide coronary CT angiography.
  
  Please consult with your physician to determine if you are a candidate for 64-Slice CT Angiography. A prescription from your physician will be required for 64-Slice CT Angiography.

Services Offered

• Pacemaker implantations: in which a small device is surgically placed in the patient's chest to stabilize irregular or slow heartbeats.
• Electrocardiography (ECG): This non-invasive test records electrical impulses reflecting the heart muscle's contractions or heart rate and rhythm.
• Echocardiography: to produce an image of the heart, its valves and blood vessels, and assess their function through the chest wall.
• Transesophageal echocardiography: Instead of depicting the heart through the chest wall as in standard echocardiography, a fiber-optic scope is passed into the esophagus to obtain this information from the inside.
• Stress Testing: While the patient walks on a tread-mill at various grades and speeds, the electrical activity of the heart is measured to evaluate chest pain and the level of cardiac functioning. Patients who cannot walk on a tread-mill may be given medication to simulate the effects of exercise (non-stress test).
• Stress Echocardiography: This exam employs echocardiography before and after a regular stress test to assess the heart's functioning capacity.
• Thallium stress testing: A radioisotope is injected into the patient, allowing visualization of the heart during stress testing.