Charter Radiology Introduces Cleerly – A New Approach to Heart Disease Diagnosis
Heart disease is still the #1 killer in the U.S. Known as the silent disease, heart disease, and heart attacks can strike without any symptoms, which is why it is so important to KNOW YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR RISK!
Dedicated to protecting the heart health of patients, Charter Radiology is now offering Cleerly* heart testing – a clinically proven, AI-based digital care platform that works WITH Charter Radiology’s Coronary CT Angiography (CTA) study.
Charter Radiology is offering Cleerly coronary analysis to help physicians and patients understand the personal risk of a heart attack earlier and with the highest precision available before a cardiac event becomes inevitable.
*Cleerly is a self-pay test. The cost is $1,500 collected at the time of the scan.
Cleerly: How It Works
The Cleerly coronary analysis is a thorough evaluation of the presence, amount, and type of plaque in the heart’s arteries based on a CCTA study. Images captured in the CCTA exam are processed by Cleerly software – a set of artificial intelligence-based algorithms – and translated into measurements and reports for review by the patient’s physician. The results of the Cleerly analysis give a patient and their physician a comprehensive understanding of the patient’s current state of disease for reference in the patient’s ongoing heart health and treatment.
The Cleerly study is different from a traditional coronary CTA in that it provides information on the location and amount of soft plaque in the coronary arteries. This detailed information can be used to direct your future care and treatment plans with your primary care provider or cardiologist, setting patients up for success when it comes to managing existing or potential heart conditions.
Understanding the Coronary CTA Study
A coronary CT Angiogram (CCTA) is a noninvasive procedure to evaluate the walls of the coronary arteries (arteries that supply blood to the heart) for calcified or soft plaque which causes narrowing and restricted blood flow to the heart.
Utilizing Charter Radiology’s 128-slice CT scan technology, Coronary CTA studies produce high-resolution, 3D images, providing physicians with a detailed view of the heart and coronary arteries. This important imaging study helps determine if plaque build-up is present in the coronary arteries to identify a patient’s risk for heart attack and coronary artery disease.
What is Plaque?
Plaque is the physical representation of a disease called atherosclerosis. It is the build-up of substances such as fat, cholesterol, and calcium that deposit along the inner lining of the arteries. Plaque, which builds up over time, can reduce or in some cases completely block blood flow. The presence and type of plaque in the coronary arteries have proven to be the greatest predictor of an impending cardiac event.
Charter Radiology and Cleerly are setting a new standard for cardiovascular care.
Schedule your Coronary CTA and Cleerly Coronary Analysis today. Contact Charter Radiology!
**Only available at the Columbia and Reisterstown locations
Case Study
57-year-old asymptomatic male undergoes Cleerly Coronary CT Angiography.
Findings demonstrate a lesion within the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery, a mixed plaque lesion which has soft and calcified plaque, and a lesion which would be characterized as a moderate stenosis 50-69%. Cleerly analysis characterized this lesion as a 73% stenosis, severe narrowing of the artery indicating that the patient should undergo cardiac catheterization to save the patient’s life from a future cardiac event.
Images:
Plaque Characterization – Soft plaque is undesirable and leads to stenosis, or narrowing of the coronary artery. Cleerly shows the location and type of plaque and helps physicians prescribe medications for lowering LDL cholesterol and recommend any further treatment.
