Non-Invasive Testing
Oregon Cardiology provides excellent out-patient diagnostic exams with short wait times and quick report turnarounds. Our staff is comprised of experienced cardiac nuclear and echocardiography board certified cardiologists, technologists, and qualified medical assistants.
Echocardiogram
What is an echocardiogram?
Echocardiography or an "echo" uses sound waves to create images of the heart. During this procedure, a technologist uses a hand-held scanning device that creates digital images for a cardiologist to review. These images help the cardiologist learn more about heart size and function, including the chambers and valves. Sometimes this is performed both prior to and after stress testing to improve detection of coronary artery blockage.
We have an ICAEL Certified Echocardiography Lab with state of the art equipment to perform resting and stress echocardiography.
Stress Testing
What is a Stress Echo?
The Stress echo is a diagnostic exam used to evaluate your level, your heart create and blood pressure in response to activity. It is also performed to diagnose and/or evaluate coronary artery disease (blockage in the blood vessels feeding the heart), damage to the heart muscle and areas of the heart which have been "stunned" by previous heart attacks.
Nuclear Cardiology
What is Nuclear Imaging?
Nuclear cardiology is performed to diagnose coronary artery disease (blockage in the blood vessels feeding the heart), assess damage to the heart muscle from previous heart attacks, and to evaluate areas of the heart which have decreased blood flow.
This procedure is done in two parts (rest and stress) and evaluates the blood flow pattern of the heart during rest and again during exercise. This "stress" test can either be walking on a treadmill or receiving a medicine which simulates the effect of exercise.
Our Nuclear Cardiology Department is ICANL certified. We are currently the only cardiac out-patient facility in Oregon with a revolutionary camera that enables all patients to have stress myocardial perfusion imaging in a single visit of less that 3 hours. The patient rests comfortably in a reclining chair for short imaging times. Radiation doses are significantly less than used in standard nuclear cardiac imaging available elsewhere in the community. We are able to accommodate claustrophobic patients and those weighing up to 542 pounds.