AboutDavid Richardson Expertise Adult heart function and disease. Not very good about children lesss than 12. Hypertension is o.k. Heart rhythm a special interest.
Experience Certified in cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Was chairman of division of cardiology at the Medical College of Virginia. Am now mostly retired.
Organizations Fellow of American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology and member of American Physiological Society..
Publications Circulation, American Heart Journal, Hypertension.
Education/Credentials M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Residency training at Yale Uhniversity School of Medicine and Medical College of Virginia.
Awards and Honors Gold Heartt Award from American Heart Association in 1995.
Expert: David Richardson Date: 7/15/2008 Subject: 64-slice CT scan
Question My dr. wants me to have an angiogram although a regular (not 64-slice) CT scan showed zero plaque. I do have mitral valve prolapse, which has been very minor and no symptoms. Will a 64-slice CT scan show mitral valve condition? Will an angiogram show mitral valve condition?
My mother almost died from an angiogram, and if I can just do the CT scan, I would much PREFER that.
Answer Dear Joyce,
Neither a CT scan or an angiogram show the mitral valve condition well. Echocardiogram is best for mitral valves. 64-slice CT scan is almost as accurate as angiogram inlooking for narrow places in the coronary arteries, but at the cost of about 4-5 times as much radiation to your body. Unless you have a lot of chest pain, an angiogram seems unnecessary.
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