Cardiac testing and imaging in Denver

HealthONE hospitals screen for, diagnose and treat heart conditions and related health issues in their earliest stages. Our advanced imaging technology allows us to pinpoint the cause of your symptoms and even treat a heart attack while it occurs. We can also use heart screening tests to find heart and circulatory problems that may not be showing any signs or symptoms. We will do whatever we can to provide the information your doctor needs to make the best treatment decision.

To learn more about the heart screening services offered at HealthONE, call us at (303) 575-0055.

Heart imaging services

Our imaging services include:

  • Angiograms
    • Computed tomography (CT) angiography
    • Chest magnified resonance angiography (MRA)
  • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Fistulagram
  • Multigated acquisition scan (MUGA)
  • Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)

Blood pressure testing

Your blood pressure is a key indicator of heart health and essentially shows how hard your heart is working to pump blood through your arteries. Based on current blood pressure guidelines set by the American Heart Association, a reading of less than 120/80 is considered normal. A reading of 130/80 or higher is classified as hypertension (high blood pressure).

Having high blood pressure means your heart muscle is pumping harder than normal for long periods of time. This additional pressure in your arteries can lead to serious health conditions, including:

Calcium scans and scoring

Calcium can form into plaque, causing buildup in the arteries, which is a condition known as coronary heart disease (CHD). This condition can lead to a sudden heart attack. However, CHD can be detected early with a coronary calcium scan, enabling faster treatments.

Coronary calcium scans

The coronary calcium scan is a simple, non-invasive and inexpensive diagnostic tool that provides critical information about the potential of future heart complications. It uses X-ray technology to capture images of the heart and surrounding arteries, allowing us to determine a score that reflects the degree and extent of calcium deposits in the walls of your coronary arteries.

Non-invasive vascular assessments

Non-invasive vascular assessments (NIVA) are exams that use sound waves to obtain images of the inside of the body. With these images, radiologists are able to evaluate organ motion, including the movement of heart valves and blood flow.

We use state-of-the-art imaging technology to perform NIVAs, allowing us to diagnose vascular diseases and plan vascular surgical procedures.

Ankle-brachial index (ABI) testing

An ABI test compares the blood pressure at your ankle to the blood pressure at your arm so your doctor can review your blood flow. This test is typically used to check for PAD. ABI tests may be:

  • Performed during exercise
  • Performed without exercise
  • Segmental (measured at various points in the body)

Stress tests

A stress test is used to see how well your heart works, especially when it is working hard—as it does during exercise. These tests are often used to predict a patient’s risk of serious heart-related conditions, such as a heart attack.

Cardiac stress test

A cardiac stress test can show if there is reduced blood supply in the arteries that pump blood to the heart. You may have a cardiac stress test to diagnose CAD, determine your safe level of exercise or check the effectiveness of a treatment.

Nuclear stress test

A nuclear stress test (thallium stress test) is similar to a cardiac stress test but focuses more on the coronary arteries. It measures the heart’s blood pressure and electrical activity before and after exercise.

Nuclear stress tests may use:

  • Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET)—PET scans of the heart produce images of your heart and show healthy and damaged heart muscle.
  • Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) agent—This test examines if your arteries are supplying your heart muscle with enough blood.

Heart screening services

We offer an array of heart screening services using state-of-the-art imaging equipment to check that your heart is working correctly. This enables your doctor to make the best treatment decision possible regarding your heart care.

Some of the conditions we screen for include:

  • Abdominal atrial aneurysm (AAA)
  • Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
  • Carotid artery disease (CAD)
  • Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

Cardiac catheterization laboratory

In our cardiac catheterization lab (also referred to as the "cath lab"), we perform a variety of diagnostic, catheter-based procedures to identify and treat cardiovascular diseases. These types of procedures provide us with a clear view of your blood vessels, enabling both a diagnosis and an opportunity to provide interventional treatment.

Electrophysiology (EP) lab

Our advanced EP lab performs automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) insertions, AFib ablations and other complicated ablations.

We also offer EP studies to evaluate the heart’s electrical system and determine if a heart arrhythmia is present. If an arrhythmia is present, the study indicates where in the heart the arrhythmia occurs, so the electrophysiologist can suggest the proper treatment.