Heart & vascular testing & diagnosis

Many heart and vascular conditions are difficult to diagnose from a single health examination. That’s why your doctor might refer you to one of our labs for additional tests.

With Aurora Health Care, you have access to some of the best-equipped labs and most thorough, caring clinicians.

We’re dedicated to preventing illness, not just treating it. We may order a heart or vascular test before you even notice any pain or problems. We always watch for other health conditions or test results that may signal you’re in the early stages of heart or vascular disease.

Diagnosing heart disease

Your doctor will determine which tests can best help diagnose your condition and develop a treatment plan. To protect your health, we’ll use the most minimally invasive tests whenever possible, such as ultrasounds and procedures involving tiny incisions rather than major surgery.

We use more invasive, or internal-body tests, only when necessary to get a clear and accurate diagnosis of your heart or vascular condition. These tests could include cardiac catheterizations or carotid angiographies.

Typically, our heart and vascular diagnostic tests fall into these categories:

• Cardiovascular imaging: Our imaging experts are dedicated to helping your medical team develop a full picture of your heart health. We use the latest imaging equipment available, including 4-D ultrasound imaging systems that add moving images to 3-D technology. Some of the cardiovascular imaging tests we offer include:
  • Stress test, which helps us see if your heart gets enough blood while you exercise
  • Nuclear cardiology imaging, which uses small amounts of radioactive material to create images of your body’s internal organs and structures to help us see how your heart and related systems are functioning
  • Positron emission tomography (PET) that involves injecting a small amount of a radioactive chemical into your arm to create images of your body’s metabolic processes
• Echocardiogram: This test – an ultrasound of your heart – uses high-frequency sound waves to create computerized pictures of your heart and its attached blood vessels. These images help us see your heart’s chambers, valves and wall structures, and check for holes or other abnormalities. If you have extra fluid building up around your heart, we can also see that during an echo test. 
• Radiographic testing: X-rays, computed tomography (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) and related tests help us clearly view your internal body structures.
• Lab testing: This primarily includes blood tests to check for heart disease or other health conditions.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG): An EKG checks your heart’s electrical activity through electrodes attached to your chest, arms and legs that send information to a computer. 
• Tilt-table test: This test checks your heart’s electrical activity and blood pressure while we move you into different physical positions. Our special testing table moves you from a lying-down to almost-standing position. 

Are you at risk for heart disease?

Knowing your risk factors of heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – can help you lower your chances of developing it. Our heart health quiz estimates your risk, determines which of your risk factors are controllable and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

Take the heart health quiz

Treating heart disease

Being diagnosed with heart disease can be scary. But our experts are here to work with you every step of the way from diagnosis to treatment. We offer:

• Convenient appointments: Many times, we can order a test and send you to one of our labs right after your office visit.
• Advanced technology: Our labs are among the best-equipped facilities. For instance, we are one of the first health systems in the world to use 4-D ultrasound imaging systems to diagnose and treat heart rhythm disorders.
• Innovative testing & treatment rooms: Our cardiac electrophysiology lab at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center features hybrid catheterization labs and operating rooms. If you’re diagnosed during a lab test with a medical condition that can be treated immediately, you may be able to stay in the same room and undergo the necessary procedure right away.