Cardiovascular Imaging

This test records the electrical activity of your heart. It helps your doctor decide whether you need treatment for inrregular heartbeats. No special preparation is required, and the procedure is painless. The EKG takes about 15 minutes to complete.

A variety of tests that use sound waves to create a moving picture of your heart, major arteries and the venous system so your doctor can see if your heart and circulatory system are functioning properly. Examples include Transthoracic Echocardiogram (2D and 3D), Transesophageal Echocardiogram (2D and 3D) and Interventional Transesophageal Echocardiogram with 3D, and Intracardiac Echocardiogram (ICE).

This device records your heart rhythm when you feel symptoms or an “event.” At the time of the event, you push a button to record your symptoms. The data will be transmitted 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Generally, you wear the monitor for 30 days. However, your doctor might opt for a shorter period such as 14 days or 7 days.

This device records your heart rhythm for up to 14 days. You will need to keep a diary while you wear the monitor. The diary provides your doctor with important information to evaluate the effects of work, rest and play on your heart.

The exercise stress test, the most common stress test, evaluates how your heart functions during exertion. While you walk on a treadmill, your heart rhythm, blood pressure and physical responses are recorded. The test is done to evaluate the source of chest pain or other symptoms – including assessment of severe blockage in the heart arteries – and evaluate your heart medications or to assess your fitness level. In certain cases, your stress test might also include nuclear medicine imaging or ultrasound imaging along with the treadmill exercise to localize the area of blockage in the heart arteries. If you’re not able to walk on a treadmill, we have medications that help simulate the effect of exercise on your heart.

This test creates clear images of the structures inside your body using large magnets, radio waves and a computer. Your provider can use MRIs for several different conditions.

This non-invasive imaging test uses X-ray dye to help assess the presence and severity of blockages in the arteries. This test is also used to assess complex valve diseases and plan valve replacement procedures percutaneously and surgically.

This imaging procedure creates detailed pictures of the blood vessels using special X-ray equipment to help identify a variety of conditions, including blockages and other abnormalities. Special dye is injected into the bloodstream and a scanner takes cross sectional pictures of specific blood vessels.

This device records the heart rhythm and monitors conditions such as atrial fibrillation or abnormal rhythms. The procedure takes about 5 minutes to implant a tiny device under the skin of the chest. This is a diagnostic tool which helps to identify serious problems such as AFib.

The Heart and Vascular Institute is the only center in South Dakota and the surrounding states using this non-invasive procedure, which assesses the hemodynamic severity of a blockage in the heart artery using a complex mathematical algorithm. It prevents unnecessary cardiac procedures by accurately identifying less severe blockages and also helps detect the blockage responsible for symptoms.

This diagnostic procedure uses imaging to show how your blood flows through your blood vessels or heart. The care team will inject a contrast material that makes it easier to see where blood is moving and where blockages are.

This test uses X-rays to create moving pictures of blood flow in your veins. Can be specified to veins in the legs and pelvis. This test may be used when other imaging techniques can’t provide needed information or for guiding procedures in the treatment of vein disease.