Radiology is the specialty of medicine that uses imaging techniques to diagnose diseases. In cardiovascular radiology, imaging techniques are used to diagnose diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Texas Heart Institute physicians specializing in radiology indicate that in their professional staff directory profiles.
Cardiovascular radiologists are doctors who use imaging techniques such as x-rays, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, nuclear medicine scans, magnetic resonance angiography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose heart and blood vessel (vascular) disease. Using these diagnostic tests, cardiovascular radiologists and your doctor can
- Screen for heart disease or diseases of the blood vessels.
- Determine what is causing your symptoms.
- Monitor your disease and determine if your treatment is working.
Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology is a subspecialty of radiology. Interventional radiology uses imaging to help guide doctors when they are inserting catheters, wires, and other small instruments into your body. Doctors can use this technology to diagnose (a procedure called angiography) or to treat (a procedure called angioplasty) heart and blood vessel blockages, without actually having to perform surgery. Some other examples of interventional radiology procedures include stent placement, needle biopsies, and radiofrequency ablation (a treatment method for arrhythmia).
Cardiovascular radiologists are an important part of the research teams at the Texas Heart Institute. For more details, see Summary of Research.
Updated August 2016
