New nuclear camera helps El Paso doctors detect heart blockages faster

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A new piece of technology is giving El Paso doctors a faster and less invasive way to detect heart problems.

Traditionally, patients experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath needed long scans or invasive procedures to find out if they had blockages. Now, a nuclear camera is helping shorten that process — providing clearer results in just minutes.

Dr. Edward Assi, a local cardiologist, explained that the machine reduces scan times from nearly 30 minutes to as little as 5 to 10 minutes, while also lowering radiation exposure.

“It allows us to look at the arteries and evaluate how much blood is actually getting into the heart muscle,” Assi said.

The process involves patients undergoing a stress test either on a treadmill or through medication to simulate exercise. They are then injected with a tracer that travels to the heart, where the nuclear camera captures detailed images showing blood flow.

Assi said the testing is non-invasive and can help doctors determine which patients may need more advanced evaluations.

“This is all felt to be non-invasive testing so that we can determine if the patient would require an invasive evaluation,” he added.

Doctors say the new technology is helping provide patients with quicker answers, less exposure, and in many cases, lifesaving results.