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Cardiology

Little Company of Mary provides various diagnostic cardiac testing and many procedures, including cardiac catheterization using digital imaging, all types of stress testing and other tests routinely available at major medical centers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and biventricular pacemakers. These tests and procedures enable physicians at Little Company to diagnose coronary artery disease and provide crucial treatment within a short time. Outpatient exams are read and interpreted within 24 hours of an exam. Hours are Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. To schedule an appointment for testing or procedures requested by your physician, please call 708.499.8550.

ANGIOPLASTY/C-PORT
Since 2000, Little Company of Mary has participated in Johns Hopkins’ Atlantic Cardiovascular Patient Outcomes Research Team (C-PORT) registry under the direction of interventional cardiologist, Dan Rowan, D.O. C-PORT has enabled us to provide more comprehensive cardiovascular services and increase access to state-of-the-art treatment by implementing emergent angioplasty – without co-located open-heart surgery capabilities.

In April 2006, Little Company of Mary began performing elective, non-primary angioplasties under protocols from Johns Hopkins – an addition to the highly successful C-PORT emergent angioplasty program. Patients can now receive complete cardiac care here at Little Company of Mary.

Learn how C-PORT saved a patient's life, Click here

WAKE UP CALL SCREENING
Little Company of Mary is here to help you assess you risk of heart disease and stroke. For some individuals, learning their risk could prove to be a rude awakening.

The Wake Up Call Screening is one of the most comprehensive cardiac screenings available. It includes:

• blood oxygen level test

• comprehensive blood cholesterol and chemistry level tests

• body composition analysis

• stroke screening/carotid artery ultrasound

• abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound

• peripheral vascular disease screening

Patients can receive this screening for $119. The test is only available by appointment, and registrations are limited. Call the Little Company of Mary Health Education Center at 708.423.5774 for appointments or more information.

CORONARY CTA
Little Company of Mary now offers advance computerized tomography angiography (CTA) of the coronary arteries. This test utilizes a state-of-the-art 40-slice Philips Brilliance CT Scanner to provide detailed images of the coronary arteries and surrounding structures, including the myocardium, pericardium and aortic root.

Traditional coronary angiography displays only the vessel lumen and the degree of luminal narrowing, but CTA allows delineation of calcified and non-calcified lesions within the wall of the coronary that could cause narrowing of the arterial lumen.

CTA is less invasive than traditional angiography, and patients who are most likely to benefit are those who have atypical symptoms and are of low to intermediate risk for coronary artery disease. Patients are monitored by our staff of skilled professionals throughout the procedure. We strive to provide timely reporting of test results and will provide referring physicians with a CD or paper report of representative images for review and patient education.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. To schedule a coronary CTA, call Central Scheduling at 708.499.8550 with a physician’s order.

CALCIUM SCORING
Little Company of Mary currently offers calcium scoring as a routine part of CT Angiography or as a stand-alone, non-contrast study. This tool can detect coronary atherosclerosis at an early stage and is useful in risk stratification.

At Little Company of Mary, patients have access to an advanced 40-slice Philips Brilliance CT scanner. This machine allows EKG gated, sub-second imaging of the heart for clear, crisp images of the cardiac structures. This test can be performed in seconds and is well-tolerated by all patients.

The presence of calcium in the coronary arteries correlates with the presence of coronary artery disease and can aid in determining a need for additional testing or treatment.

Patients can schedule their calcium scoring by calling Central Scheduling at 708.499.8550. The fee for this exam is $300 and usually not covered by insurance.