New 3D scan able to detect heart disease in 20 minutes

A new scan which produces three dimensional images of the heart will allow NHS doctors to diagnose and treat heart patients five times faster. It is hoped that more than 35,000 patients with suspected heart disease will benefit from the service every year.

The HeartFlow scan was introduced across the UK last month and is believed will reduce the time from a first appointment to surgery from 31 weeks to seven.

Up until now, diagnosis required an angiogram, which involves taking X-rays as a catheter is inserted into the wrist or groin and threated to the heart to detect blocked or narrow arteries.

Circulatory and heart diseases are currently responsible for over a quarter of all deaths in England, which is equal to around 370 a day or 133,000 annually.

NHS England’s director of innovation and life sciences Matt Whitty, said “HeartFlow will help tens of thousands of people a year receive quick diagnosis and treatment and will ultimately save lives.”

Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director, said “The NHS Long Term Plan committed to cutting strokes, heart attacks and other major killers as well as ensuring patients would benefit from cutting edge therapies and techniques and HeartFlow is just the latest example of that.

“By rapidly improving the rate we diagnose and treat those with a heart condition we will save thousands of lives and ensure the NHS is able to deliver routine services even quicker than before the pandemic.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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