Imaging
What is that magical tube-like chamber that people go into for an MRI? Learn about MRI and other imaging tools. Doctors use these tools to diagnose many heart diseases. These scans allow the doctor to see inside the human body without actually cutting. Discover how inventors took advantage of simple physics to create stunning images of the heart.

EKG

Although the EKG does not create a picture of the heart, the EKG creates a visualization of the heart's rhythm. The EKG is the green line that goes up and down, depicting the electrical impulses of the heart. Learn about one of the oldest, most basic imaging techniques that can diagnose numerous heart diseases.
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X-Ray

At first glance, the X-ray imaging technique might seem dangerous. The X-ray images use radiation to penetrate human flesh. But don't worry, the x-ray exposure is minimal and is extremely safe. Learn about this basic, noninvasive imaging technique here.
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Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine also uses radiation to image the heart. In nuclear imaging, though, the radiation comes from a substance that is injected into the human body instead of coming from a machine that shoots radiation into the body. This is another fascinating noninvasive way to measure heart function.
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Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is one of the few invasive cardiac imaging techniques used. Doctors must insert a catheter, a thin plastic tube, through a blood vessel to image the heart. Discover how cardiac catheterization is performed.
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Ultrasound

This is the same technology that doctors use to show pictures of a fetus inside a mother! Ultrasound takes advantage of sound's reflective properties to image the heart and diagnose disease.
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Computed Tomography (CT)

CT stands for computed tomography and also employs x-rays. CT, though, is more advanced by creating more detailed pictures and virtual slices of the heart. CT is a recent advancement in cardiac imaging.
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MRI

MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. MRI is a newer imaging technique that is noninvasive that allows for diagnosis of abnormal and normal tissue using magnets and radio waves.
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