Our Services

Plano Heart Center provides the following services at their office in Plano:

1. Nuclear Stress Test

   A nuclear stress test (also known as myocardial perfusion scan or cardiac nuclear imaging) is a test to determine if your heart muscle is getting the blood supply it needs. Your heart receives oxygen-rich blood from vessels called coronary arteries. If these arteries become partially blocked, your heart may not receive the blood it needs to function properly. This often results in chest pain but sometimes there may be no outward physical signs of the disease. The nuclear stress test uses a radioactive substance, known as a tracer, to produce images of the heart muscle. When combined with an exercise test, the nuclear scan helps determine if any areas of the heart are not receiving enough blood (a condition called ischemia). In many cases, the doctor will use two tracers, one (usually Thallium) for the resting scan and the other (Myoview or Cardiolite) for stress scan. This is called dual-isotope imaging;

   The physician will discuss the results at the completion of the test and advise follow up treatment. If the nuclear scan was abnormal, the physician may advise a cardiac catheterization. 

2. Echocardiogram of the Heart

   An echocardiogram (often called "echo") is a graphic outline of the heart's movement. During this test, high-frequency sound waves, called ultrasound, provide pictures of the heart's valves and chambers. This allows the echo technician to evaluate the pumping action of the heart. Echo is often combined with Doppler ultrasound and color Doppler to evaluate blood flow across the heart's valves.

   The echocardiogram procedure uses the same technology used to evaluate a baby's health before birth. A hand-held device called a transducer is placed on the chest and transmits high frequency sound waves (ultrasound). These sound waves bounce off the heart structures, producing images and sounds that can be used by the doctor to detect heart damage and disease. 

3. Stress-Echocardiogram

   This is an echocardiogram (see above) that is performed in combination with exercise on a treadmill. This test can be used to visualize the motion of the heart's walls and pumping action when the heart is stressed. It may reveal a lack of blood flow that isn't always apparent on other heart tests. The echocardiogram is performed just prior and just after the exercise.  

4. Holter/Event Monitoring, Arrhythmia Detection  

5. Cardiac Consultation for issues including, but not limited to, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre-operative cardiovascular evaluation, and pacemaker analysis.  

6. Coronary CT-Angiography (Available at Medical Center of Plano)

Dr. Poonam G. Agarwal also performs diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization at the Medical Center of Plano hospital to determine the extent of coronary artery disease for possible coronary intervention or bypass surgery. Other procedures performed by her at the hospital include Pacemaker implantation, Trans-Esophageal Echocardiogram, and Cardioversion. Dr. Agarwal is also credentialed for coronary CT-Angiography at the Medical Center of Plano and can provide this service when deemed clinically appropriate.