Time is of the essence when you have a heart to worry about! When you consult your doctor and are scheduled to get a Heart CT scan, you are likely to ask yourself how many hours of your day will be consumed. You said you are going to miss lunch? Can you fit it into your lunch hour? Are you free to clear your afternoon?

Being a qualified scanning expert, I receive these time-related questions daily. Customers prefer to know clearly what they will be signing up for, and frankly, that is good planning! A heart scan may appear to you to be something never-ending; however, the truth of the matter is more thrilling than what you can imagine.

The heart scanning of today is fast, convenient, and designed to suit your hectic lifestyle with minimal interruptions. Let us break down what you can really expect!

What is the Time Taken for The Heart CT Scan?

And here is the most amazing moment: most people would be surprised to learn that the actual heart CT scan itself can take only 10 to 15 minutes. 

Throughout those several seconds, you will lie on a comfortable table with everything still as the CT scanner will rotate about you and take hundreds of detailed images of your heart. The machine is fast enough to capture clear pictures between heartbeats, which is quite amazing when one takes a second to consider this.

In some cases, when your heartbeats are quick or irregular, it may take 20 minutes to scan, which is incredibly fast. The scanner has become so advanced that, intelligently, it can operate in sync with your heartbeat, allowing it to capture perfect pictures once.

The point is to remain quite stationary in those seconds. Consider it a very significant photograph; you want to be as still as possible so that the image turns out to be as clear as possible.

How long should a customer’s overall visit last?

Although the actual scanning itself is extremely rapid, you will spend between 30 minutes and an hour at the facility. This consists of the total time of preparation, which is equally important as the actual scan.

Upon arrival, you will need to complete some paperwork and allow 10 to 15 minutes for check-in. Next, you will be transferred into a comfortable hospital gown, a process that will take approximately five minutes. The technologist will discuss the procedure and address any questions you may have about it.

If you require the use of contrast dye, you may need an additional 10 to 15 minutes to prepare. The staff will also place certain monitoring electrodes on your chest to monitor your heart rhythm during the scan.

Once you have completed your “heart scan,” you will take a couple of minutes to dress and then be given basic instructions regarding your results. Most of the facilities are highly efficient, and your time is respected; therefore, they maintain a steady pace.

My advice? Allow for an hour in total and carry a good book or download a podcast in case of a minor delay.

Is the heart scan time-consuming with Contrast Dye?

Great question! Taking contrast dye does take some time from your appointment, but not if you believe. The contrast dye helps produce ultra-clear and detailed images of your heart and blood vessels, much like high-definition television does for regular tv.

An additional 15-20 minutes should be allowed when contrast dye is required. This will consider the time needed for a technologist to insert a small line into your arm using an IV, a procedure that lasts approximately one to two minutes and involves a slight pinch.

The contrast injection occurs immediately prior to your scan and usually requires no more than 30 seconds. You may experience a warm feeling that runs through your body – it is perfectly normal and, in fact, an indication that the contrast is working just as it should.

Once the scan is complete, you will lie down for approximately 10 minutes as the medical staff ensures you are in a stable condition before you leave. There is concern among some people about side effects; however, serious reactions are extremely rare with newer contrast materials.

The fortunate part is that the actual heart CT scan is no longer necessary due to the use of contrast; the 10 to 15 seconds it takes to scan the body part is still extremely fast.

Do I Immediately Get the Results After the Scan?

This is the most frequently asked question, and I completely understand the reasons why you would want to have the answers at hand. Although the scanning process is incredibly fast, it simply takes a little longer to get your total results, as precision is crucial when it comes to your heart.

All the pictures from your so-called heart scan will also be thoroughly studied by a specialised radiologist (read: a physician highly qualified in interpreting medical images). The elaborate review would typically require 24-48 hours, as they would scan hundreds of pictures to ensure nothing is overlooked.

Yet, in case something requires attention, the radiologist will call your doctor immediately, e.g. even when you are still in the scanning centre. The emergency findings are dealt with urgently; therefore, you never think of delays when something important is at stake.

Depending on the specifics of your doctor’s request, especially in certain parts of scanning centres, the preliminary results can be provided on the same day. The findings will then be discussed with you by your doctor, who will clarify them regarding your health status.

You will receive a follow-up in most places within a few days, or they may have an online patient portal where results are available.

What can I expect in Recovery?

Yet another piece of good news is that there is practically no recovery period or time required after a heart CT scan. Because it is a non-invasive process (that is, nothing is put inside your body, except that the milk chocolate and marble chocolate might remain outside of your body by dint of your IV and your stomach), you are able to resume all your usual activities immediately.

If you received contrast dye, you may be advised to drink additional water throughout the day to aid the absorption process, but this is the most specific advice that most people receive.

You can drive home, return to work, exercise, eat normally, and do what you usually do. One can perform any activity without limitation following a heart CT scan.

Others are slightly nervous after waiting to get their results, and this is normal. It is essential to remember that no news is typically good news; however, if you have any updates to share, please contact your medical team immediately.

Conclusion

Receiving a heart CT scan should not be the event that affects your whole day or makes you stressed over time. When it takes only 10 to 15 seconds of real scanning time and the total time is approximately an hour to gather a wealth of information regarding your heart’s health, it is among the most effective time-saving methods to find out in detail about your heart health.

At ViaScan, we appreciate your busy life, and we will serve you well through efficiency and quality in our heart scanning services. When it comes to protecting your heart, you cannot afford to lose any moment (and that’s why we make sure these moments are worth spending)