Annual screenings play a critical role in preventing illness even if you are currently feeling well and are in good physical shape. By monitoring your health over time, your physician can gain insight into your health that may be vital later to preventing the spread of a fledgling illness. Establishing your history can help your physician adequately compare statistics to any potential symptoms to a baseline should you ever fall ill. Annual examinations are an important part of any physical exam and should not be avoided. They detect signs of disease at their earliest and most treatable states. Please take some time to talk to your doctor about the following exams that we recommend below.
Cardiac Scoring
A build up of calcium and fatty tissue in the arteries leading to the heart is a condition is known as atherosclerosis. It causes the arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow and oxygen to the heart resulting in damage to the heart muscle.
At Novant Health, we use a diagnostic test called cardiac scoring to measure this build-up and be able to “score” it relative to its severity. This score helps determine your risk of heart disease and heart attack.
To develop your score, we will produce an image of your heart arteries using a painless CT scan. This test is non-invasive and generally requires less than 10 minutes. Learn more about cardiac scoring »
CT Colonography
CT colonography, sometimes called a virtual colonoscopy, is used to look for growths in your rectum and colon. The procedure combines advanced X-ray scanning with computer imaging to create a detailed 3D image. A CT colonography allows our physicians to perform a detailed examination without sedation, injections or inserting a tube and camera into the colon, as is done with a traditional colonoscopy. The procedure generally takes less than 10 minutes.
Carotid IMT Ultrasound
Carotid intimal-medial thickness (CIMT) ultrasound is a test that combines high-resolution ultrasound and computer technology allowing our doctors to measure the thickness of the carotid arteries in the neck. This test is effective in identifying thickening of the artery walls that can increase risk of heart attack and stroke.
Because this test uses sound waves, it is painless, very simple and non-invasive. It takes approximately 20 minutes and is preformed on an outpatient basis. No preparation is required for this exam. Learn more about Carotid IMT ultrasound exams »
Bone Density
Bone densitometry tests, also known as Dual-Energy X-ray Absorption (DEXA), are most often used to determine the strength of bones in the spine and hip – two areas where seriously disabling injuries can occur. The procedure combines x-rays and computer technology to do precise measurements of bone density. Learn more about bone density exams »
Mammography
Mammography screening is the best method for finding breast cancer in its early stages, when cure rates are highest. If a problem is detected, women may also need a diagnostic mammogram or other breast imaging test. Novant Health Breast Centers located throughout the area offer both screening and diagnostic mammograms.
Screening mammograms help us find unsuspected changes in the breast tissue. Diagnostic mammograms help find a change in your breast tissue. Both use low-level X-rays, which are the best screening methods for the detection of abnormalities in your breasts. Learn more about mammography »
Learn more about breast health »