Dec 10, 2008 6:54 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Life-Saving Heart Scan In NYC
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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About half of all heart attack victims had no symptoms beforehand, and family history may be the number one risk factor. (File)
CBS
When it comes to heart disease, we know screening only works if you get it, and sometimes even those "in the know" are remiss about following up with crucial appointments. After a near-death experience, one doctor is hoping to change the lives of his brothers using the highest technology available.
Dr. Karl Karlson is an avid scuba diver who swam a half-mile a day. He never thought he was at risk for heart disease, but his wife Debbie insisted he get screened.
"I decided with his stress level and his job that he needed to be checked," she said, admitting she nagged him until he went to his doctor.
Turned out the nagging paid off.
"Having this scan saved my life," Dr. Karlson admitted.
Karlson came to Manhattan's Lenox Hill Hospital for the highest technology CT scan of the heart available. Within seconds, he was diagnosed with life-threatening heart disease and just 30 minutes after that he was in the operating room for quadruple bypass surgery.
"His is precisely the kind of situation that could have been missed by a stress test because of the location of the narrowing," said Lenox Hill cardiologist Dr. Harvey Hecht.
Karlson owes his life to the screening and now he wants to help his wife and four brothers. They've all come to town to have the same test that he had.
"I think it's a great idea," said Matthew Karlson. "As soon as my brother called me and said that, you know, he had his bypass and there was a test that could be done, I said, 'Sign me up! Let's go!'"
About half of all heart attack victims had no symptoms beforehand, and family history may be the number one risk factor.
"It's a ten minute test, it's a non-invasive test, it's an intravenous injection. So this is truly a new way of looking at this disease," said Lenox Hill interventional cardiologist Dr. Gary Roubin.
The new 256 Slice CT scanner is the first in the northeast. Not only is it more accurate than others, it also uses much less radiation than the traditional machine.
"We feel very strongly that every man over the age of 45 and every woman over the age of 55 should have this test," said Dr. Hecht.
And the Karlson family couldn't agree more.
"I've done my best to take care of her and make her life as good as it could get, but she has paid me back by saving my life," said Dr. Karlson. "I feel terrific. It's now about eight weeks after the operation."
The cardiac CT scan is covered by insurance in many cases, but it depends on family history and personal risk factors. In cases where insurance will not reimburse, the procedure costs about $830.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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