Diagnostic tests are used to analyze your heart to determine the specific heart condition and determine a treatment plan. Sentara Heart uses the most advanced diagnostic tools and imaging, enabling physicians to identify conditions that previously would have been undetected.
Many tests of cardiac function do not require an invasive procedure. Some of the more common tests include:
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
An EKG is a recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Electrodes are placed on your
arms, legs and chest to record a series of heartbeats that will help determine your
diagnosis. It is completely painless.
Cardiovascular CT or MRI
Cardiac CT and cardiac MRI are noninvasive imaging tools offering extremely detailed
views of the structure and function of the heart and major vessels. Using advanced imaging
scanners such as the 64-slice CT or a specialized cardiac MRI, the results can provide fast,
accurate diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, chest pain, stroke and other life-threatening
illnesses of the heart and vascular system.
Exercise Stress Exam
An exercise stress exam is ordered by your physician to test your heart’s response to
exercise. Using a treadmill you will walk at various speeds and elevations to see if you
experience any symptoms or heart rhythm changes.
Nuclear Exercise Stress Exam
A nuclear exercise stress exam is a more specific test that will evaluate your heart’s response to exercise as well as the amount
of blood flow to your heart muscle at rest and at exercise. A small flexible catheter will be placed in an arm vein so that the special
nuclear imaging material can be administered. The material enables imaging of blood flow through the arteries to your heart. You
can expect to be scanned by the camera before and after exercise on the treadmill. Each scan takes about 30 minutes and the
treadmill portion usually takes about 20-30 minutes. The entire test takes approximately 3 hours total time.
Event Monitor
An event monitor is used to record heart rhythm when you are experiencing symptoms, such as dizziness, palpitations, shortness
of breath, fainting spells or chest pain, to discover what is causing the symptoms. Like Holter monitoring, event monitoring
involves wearing a very small, portable, EKG recorder over a period of time that can vary from two to four weeks. When you have an
event, you just push a button to record what is happening with the heart. The recorded data will be sent to your doctor for analysis.
Tilt Table Test
A tilt table test is used to assess fainting spells or dizziness, often called “syncope.” The patient lies on a tilt table and wears a
blood pressure cuff and a painless pulse oximeter. EKG leads are applied to the chest. The patient is monitored lying flat for
10-20 minutes, after which the table is tilted upright and the patient is monitored in that position for another 20-40 minutes. During
this test, the patient informs the nurse of any symptoms, including nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, chest pain or a fainting
feeling. 
3D Electrical Mapping of the Heart
Electrical mapping of the heart is a procedure that is used to diagnose the origins of
arrhythmias. This procedure uses an electrically sensitive catheter to map the
electrical activity in the chambers of the heart. Learn more.
Holter Monitor
A holter monitor is a device used to continuously monitor heart rhythm for an
extended period of time. It can detect irregular heartbeats, and evaluate pacemaker
performance and drug therapy effectiveness. The patient keeps a diary of activities and
symptoms for the period the monitor is worn. This monitor often records the heart
rhythm for 24 hours but can be kept in place for a longer period of time. The device is
about the size of a small transistor radio, attached by either shoulder straps or a belt. It
has multiple wires (called leads) which are taped to the patient’s chest. The doctor will
inform you when and where the monitor will be removed
Drug Administered Nuclear Exam
A nuclear exam is used if a patient cannot exercise on a treadmill due to physical limitations. Various medications can be
administered to simulate exercise so that the physician can see how your heart will respond.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram records the movement of blood through the chambers and valves of your heart. It is a painless procedure that
takes about 30 minutes, during which gel and a small hand-held device are placed directly on the chest to take pictures of the
heart. A stress echocardiogram adds the component of exercise to the regular echocardiogram, monitoring how the heart
performs before, during and after exercise. This procedure can take up to two hours.
Transesophageal Echocardiogram
A transesophageal echocardiogram akes pictures of the heart from within the esophagus. The throat is numbed with medication
in order to enable the patient to swallow a tube with a tiny camera at its tip, allowing pictures of the heart and blood vessels from
angles that would otherwise be impossible to view. It is uncomfortable but not painful and generally takes less than 30 minutes.
You will receive some sedating medication to help you relax during the exam.