Diagnostic Services

Rutland Regional Medical Center and Rutland Heart Center offer a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art services to accurately diagnose heart disease, including:

• Angiogram. This minimally-invasive procedure uses a special dye and x-rays to see how blood flows through the heart, measure a person’s oxygen levels and examine whether arteries are open or blocked.
• Blood Pressure Monitoring. A blood pressure monitor roughly the size of a cell phone is worn for a 24 hour period on the arm or waist, where it’s connected by a slender hose to an arm blood pressure cuff. Recording blood pressure every hour, it helps physicians determine the severity and scope of hypertension a patient may be suffering.
• Cardiac Stress Test. The patient walks on a treadmill to monitor the heart, pulse and blood pressure during exercise and detect the presence of coronary artery disease.
• Cardiac Catheterization. A board-certified interventional cardiologist threads a catheter – a long thin hollow tube – from the groin, up through the femoral artery, and to the heart. Dye is injected through the catheter, allowing pictures of the heart to appear on a computer monitor. The test makes it possible for a physician to view blockages and valve problems.
• Computed Tomography (CT Scan). A painless, sophisticated, non-invasive procedure that uses radiation and computer technology to create a detailed, cross-sectional picture of the heart and blood vessels.
• Echocardiogram. Ultrasonic waves are used to produce images of the heart's valves and chambers. It’s most often used to diagnose heart function and structural abnormalities.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG). A quick, non-invasive test that records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms and detects signs of heart attack or heart damage.
• Holter Monitor. A small, portable, battery-powered EKG machine worn by a patient to record heartbeats over a 24- to 48-hour period.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). A powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer are used to produces clear, detailed images of the heart and surrounding tissues.
• Nuclear Stress Test. Designed to measure blood flow to the heart both while it’s at rest and during exercise, this test involves the patient being injected with a small dose of radioactive dye and then walking on a treadmill.
• Cardiac and Vascular Ultrasound. Sound waves are used to examine blood vessels and detect signs of a dilatation or blockage.

All of these tests are performed on an outpatient basis.