What does the James J Buonavolonta M.D.,PA–Cardiac Imaging/Cardiac PET Center have in common with the top 10 hospitals in America including Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Duke University Medical Center, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and the New York Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell? The answer is cardiac PET. There are approximately 160 dedicated cardiac PET centers in the world. The latest one is now located in Naples, Florida. It is the first and only dedicated cardiac PET center in Collier County.
A cardiac PET scan (positron emission tomography) is the most accurate noninvasive nuclear stress test available. It is a technology that can put your mind at ease by determining that you will not have a life-threatening heart attack with an accuracy of 99.6% within 1 year of taking the test. It is able to detect significant coronary artery disease( blockages of the arteries surrounding the heart that restrict blood flow to the heart muscle) with a 95% sensitivity, and some studies have shown that is up to 100% specific in excluding nonsignificant coronary artery blockages that are not reducing blood flow to the heart muscle.
A huge advantage of this state of the art stress test is the fact that it administers as low as 1/7 the radiation dose compared to a conventional nuclear stress test, coronary CT angiography and cardiac catheterization. It takes only 30 minutes to complete from start to finish, and does not use iodine based contrast agents (such as CT scans and cardiac catheterizations).
A cardiac PET scan can also predict who will improve from coronary stenting or coronary artery bypass grafting before the procedure has been done. The test is reimbursable by Medicare and private insurances based on appropriate diagnosis. These include a patient having chest pain, abnormal electrocardiogram, certain types of arrhythmia, a patient with heart failure, as well as a patient with multiple cardiac risk factors who might be at high risk for developing a heart attack in the future. It can also be used to evaluate your heart status prior to undergoing surgery to make sure you are not at high risk from the surgery.
Open houses to the public will take place on November 12, 2014 from 5:30 to 8:00 PM as well as January 14, 2015 from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. You must register online at www.naplescardiacpet.com. You will find additional valuable information regarding cardiac PET at the website.