Procedures | Dr. Chauncey Crandall

EKG:

Perhaps the most common heart screen test performed at The Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic is the EKG. This test is used to determine heart rate, rhythm and if any heart damage has occurred. It produces a graph of the heart’s electrical pulse which can be read by your cardiologist to decide what treatment or further testing may be needed.

EECP:

EECP is a new procedure that offers a possible alternative to surgery. A therapy program that circulates blood to the heart can treat coronary disease, angina, and congestive heart failure as effectively as more common surgical procedures. EECP offers a viable alternative for some patients who may not be good candidates for angioplasty, or bypass surgery. Patients receive EECP therapy while reclining on a bed with their legs and lower body wrapped in “cuffs”. The cuffs are timed to inflate with air and deflate in coordination with the heart’s pumping rhythm. As the heart relaxes the cuffs inflate, circulating blood into the heart. When the heart pumps, the cuffs deflate, allowing the blood to flow freely through the legs and lower body. Expect treatments to generally last one hour three to five times a week over a seven week period.

STRESS TEST:

Stress tests are used to screen for heart problems or irregularities and to diagnose symptoms. Our Stress tests involve supervised exercise on a treadmill. As you exercise, your body is monitored to evaluate your heart’s rate, rhythm, and pressure. Our tests help your physician determine how well your heart is working.

DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND:

A Diagnostic Ultrasound is a non-invasive medical imaging technology that uses high frequency sound waves to form an image of your body tissues. Information obtained from these images can be utilized along with other data in order to assist your physician at arriving at the proper medical diagnosis. Ultrasound, when compared to other imaging modalities like MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT (Computed Tomography), is a relatively low cost non-invasive procedure that does not utilize either magnetic fields or ionizing radiation (x-rays).

DIAGNOSTIC NUCLEAR IMAGING:

Our Nuclear Imaging looks at physiological processes rather than at anatomical structures. In nuclear imaging, short-lived radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive drugs that emit gamma rays and that are attracted to the organ of study) are injected into a patient’s bloodstream. The nuclear camera takes an image of the pharmaceutical as it enters and concentrates in these tissues or organs. By tracing this blood flow activity, the resulting nuclear medicine image

tells your physician about the biological activity of the organ or the vascular

system that nourishes it. Nuclear Medicine has a wide variety of uses, including

the diagnosis of cancer, studying gall bladder disease, circulatory problems,

detecting thyroid, liver, and kidney malfunction, and other abnormalities in bones,

tissues, and organs.

LABORATORY BLOOD WORK:

Laboratory tests are helpful in evaluating an individual’s health. It is important to realize that lab results may be outside of the so-called “normal range” for many reasons: race, dietetic preference, age, sex, menstrual cycle, degree of physical activity, problems with collection and/or handling of the specimen, non-prescription drugs (aspirin, cold medications, vitamins, etc.), prescription drugs, alcohol intake and a number of non-illness-related factors, Any unusual or abnormal results should be discussed with your physician. This blood test cannot be used to diagnose or treat any condition, but it can help you to learn more about your body and detect potential problems in early stages when treatment or changes in personal habits can be most effective. PBCC’s laboratory is officially accredited under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Dr. Chauncey Crandall

Health, Healing, and Hope