Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection

Diagnosis

Mayo Clinic doctors trained in heart and blood vessel conditions (cardiologists) and others evaluate your condition.

If you're experiencing symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath or other signs of a heart attack, you need emergency diagnosis and treatment.

To diagnose your condition, your doctor may order several tests.

Coronary angiogram

Doctors use this test to determine the cause of your chest pain or heart attack. This test can differentiate between an artery dissection and an artery blockage due to the buildup of plaques. In this test, doctors insert a thin, flexible tube (catheter) into an artery in your arm, groin or neck and guide it to your coronary arteries using X-ray imaging. Doctors insert a contrast dye into your arteries to make them visible on X-rays. During the angiogram, doctors may use additional specialized imaging catheters to get a more detailed view of the inside of your coronary arteries. These tests include:

• Intravascular ultrasound. A small ultrasound camera inserted through the catheter creates detailed images of the inside of your coronary arteries.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT). This test uses light-based imaging to show detailed images of your coronary arteries.

Coronary CT angiography (CTA)

This noninvasive test takes a series of X-rays to create detailed 3-D images of your heart and arteries and is used often in follow-up appointments.