Common Diagnostic Procedures

Question 1

What is ambulatory electrocardiography

Answer 1

It’s halter monitoring, recording ECG for 24-48 hours

Question 2

What does a halter monitor evaluate?

Answer 2

1) cardiac rhythm
2) the efficacy of medications
3) pacemaker function
- it is correlated into a diary of a patient’s symptoms and activities

Question 3

A ______ is a radiologic exam that injects contrast medium into vessel. This test can show plaques in the coronary arteries and the extent of occlusion

Answer 3

What is “angiography”

Question 4

A ____ is a procedure for direct visualization of the bronchial tree

Answer 4

Bronchoscopy

Question 5

What procedure has a thin catheter inserted into the arm or leg, advanced to coronary arteries where coronary arteries are evaluated for narrowing or occlusion? What can it also measure?

Answer 5

What is “Cardiac Catheterization”

It also measures BP in the heart and O2 in the blood

Question 6

What is the purpose for “carotid ultrasound”?

Answer 6

The purposes are to SCREEN FOR BLOCKAGES that may indicate RISK OF STROKE and to evaluate the placement of a stent

Question 7

What is a Chest Radiograph used for?

Answer 7

to visualize location, size and shape of heart, lungs, blood vessels, ribs and bones of the spine

Question 8

What does a Echocardiography evaluate?

Answer 8

It evaluates the functioning of the heart via real time images

It provides info on size and function of the walls, valves and chambers of the heart

Question 9

A _______ is a noninvasive procedure using a handheld ultrasound transducer placed on the chest

Answer 9

Transthoracic Echocardiography (TEE)

Question 10

Why does a Transthoracic Echocardiography (TEE) provide a more detailed image of the heart?

Answer 10

Because the ultrasound transducer is passed into the esophagus which is in close proximity to the heart.

Question 11

________ evaluates the rhythm or electrical conduction abnormalities of the heart using 3 to 5 catheters

Answer 11

Electrophysiologic testing

Question 12

This continuous x ray shows the heart and lungs but since it has a HIGH DOSE OF RADIATION, it was replaced with echocardiography

Answer 12

Fluoroscopy

Question 13

Invasive Hemodynamic Monitoring: What does the balloon catheter they call the Swan-Ganz catheter do?

Answer 13

placed in the pulmonary artery to obtain the pulmonary wedge pressure and L atrial pressure

Question 14

Invasive Hemodynamic Monitoring: What does a thermodilution catheter do?

Answer 14

it can measure CARDIAC OUTPUT

Question 15

Invasive Hemodynamic Monitoring: What does a central venous pressure (CVP) do?

Answer 15

It measures pressure in the vena cava or right atrium

Question 16

What can an MRI do?

Answer 16

images of heart and blood vessels, assess size and function of the chambers, thickness and movement of the walls, extent of damage caused by MI or heart disease, structural problems in the aorta (aneurysms, dissections) and presence of plaques and blockages in blood vessels

Question 17

This is also known as radionuclide stress test and nuclear stress test

Answer 17

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI)

Question 18

What does myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) show?

Answer 18

it shows how well the heart muscle is perfused at rest and under exercise stress

Question 19

When is a pharmacologic stress test used?

Answer 19

It is used when contraindications to a routine exercise stress test exist or when the pt is unable to exercise due to injury or another debilitating condition

Question 20

what is a pharmacologic stress test?

Answer 20

a diagnostic procedure which cardiovascular stress is induced by pharmacologic agents

Question 21

What measures the sounds produced by the heart and great vessels?

Answer 21

What is a “Phonocardiography”

Question 22

What does a phonocardiogram supplement?

Answer 22

It supplements auscultation and improves the detection of S3 and S4 heart sounds in the diagnosis of heart failure

Question 23

This procedure uses a small video camera inserted between the ribs into the pleural space to examine lung surfaces, pleura, and pleura space

Answer 23

Pleuroscopy

Question 24

Why does a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) do what it does?

Answer 24

It uses radioactive material which accumulates in areas with high level of activity corresponding to areas of disease.

Question 25

What is a PET useful for evaluating?

Answer 25

Heart disease and cancer

Question 26

What procedure removes fluid from the pleural space with a needle for microbiologic and cytologic studies?

Answer 26

Thoracentesis

Question 27

What does a V/Q scan do?

Answer 27

A Ventilation-Perfusion Scan studies airflow and blood flow within the lungs to diagnose if PULMONARY EMBOLISM is present

Question 28

What is a pulmonary embolism?

Answer 28

It’s where 1 or more arteries in the lungs become blocked by a blood clot.