The Valley Hospital has acquired a breakthrough diagnostic screening tool for patients with heart failure symptoms. The tool, known as the MARISA Analysis and Assessment System, utilizes images from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). Cardiac MRI utilizing the MARISA Technology is designed to help physicians more accurately determine the most optimal treatment for their cardiac and heart failure patients.
"This is very exciting diagnostic technology providing an important tool allowing physicians to better assess, manage and treat cardiac dysfunction and the symptoms of heart failure," said Valley Cardiologist John Strobeck, M.D.
According to the American Heart Association heart failure is diagnosed in about 5 million people each year in the United States, and kills about 1,000 a day. In 2010, the number of people diagnosed is expected to increase by 40 percent. Cardiac MRI utilizing the MARISA Technology can help in the early detection of heart failure and ultimately save lives from the debilitating heart condition.
Heart failure is a progressive disease that if left untreated, is ultimately fatal. The problem develops because the left ventricle, or main pumping area of the heart, becomes weak from an injury such as a heart attack. The ventricle, now out of shape and stretched thin due to compensating for the injury, is not able to pump blood properly through the body. This produces symptoms such as angina or chest pain, fatigue, swelling and shortness of breath.
Cardiac MRI utilizing the MARISA Technology allows physicians to visualize and assess the health of a patient's heart with great detail and precision, previously unavailable. The unique design of MARISA allows a physician to determine if the patient has had a previous heart attack, the degree of damage and the exact size and location of scar tissue. The blood flow through the patient's heart muscle can be seen and if surgery will be effective in returning blood flow. Following a CMRI scan, physicians will be better able to assess heart failure patients and provide the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient.
"The MARISA analytical tool provides three-dimensional renderings of the heart muscle that tell us precisely what portion of the heart will recover following revascularization," says Radiologist Glenn Krinsky, M.D. "With the MARISA system, we are now able to predict the optimal treatment plan for patients with heart failure instead of just managing the symptoms." If you think you may be a candidate for Cardiac MRI utilizing MARISA Technology, please speak with your doctor.
For more information, please call 201-447-8456.