Electron Beam Tomography (EBT)

Revolutionary scanning technology can detect disease before the symptoms show, thus enabling early treatment and prevention. EBT is safe, painless, non-invasive early detection for coronary heart disease, lung cancer, colon cancer, and osteoporosis. It could save your life.

HB Health looks forward to assisting and supporting you through this process as a quintessential part of your Anti-Ageing and Preventative Health regime.

What is EBT? EBT uses an electromagnetically deflected electron beam, unlike CT scanning where X-rays tubes are mechanically rotated. It is able to record an image in 50-100 milliseconds- between five and 10 times faster than a CT scanner. The electron beam is deflected to pass through the patient from below as the beams sweeps through a 210-degree arc. Underneath the patient a fan of x-rays passes through the patient and hits detectors positioned above. This records a cross-sectional image of the scanned area. Radiation is 17% lower than in CT scanning. You lie down comfortably while the scan is in progress and the whole process takes less than 15 minutes. During this time the EBT machine takes numerous pictures every second, starting at the neck and working methodically down to the hips. Special software then translates this data into three-dimensional images of the heart, lungs, spine, colon, kidney, aorta and many other internal organs. Your individual scan may encompass the entire body, or specific organs, depending on the advice of your healthcare professional.

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Heart Disease

Heart and circulatory disease is the UK's biggest killer. Now there is a test that can detect heart disease years or even decades before a heart attack occurs. It is a non-invasive way of looking at the wall of the coronary artery where deposits of fat and calcium can form plaque. It is considered to be much safer and far more efficient as a screening devise than conventional angiographies and better than conventional CT scanning, it can detect signs of heart disease at earlier stages. The heart's constant beating motion was too fast for conventional CT (computed axial tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanners. Attempts to take images of the arteries would result in blurred images that could not be interpreted, but with an EBT scanner, pictures are taken ten times quicker than a conventional scanner. The clarity of images gives a trained healthcare professional more accurate information from which to make an individual diagnosis.

Fifty per cent of heart disease is not explained by conventional risk factors and for many victims the first sign of disease is a heart attack or even death. One indicator of Coronary Heart Disease is a hardening or blocking of the arteries and the first sign of this process is the accumulation of tiny deposits of calcium. Typically, these deposits appear many years before the function of the heart is impaired. The EBT scanner can identify a single calcium deposit. By having regular EBT scans, an abnormality such as this, which has not yet produced any obvious symptoms, and may not do so for many years, can be uncovered and dealt with. Most are likely to be in the early (formative) stage, when often the disease process can be easily managed, stabilsed and or eliminated with risk factor management. There is overwhelming evidence showing that atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), if identified early enough, can be stabilized and controlled with modern therapies, thus lowering the risk of death for millions of people. Of course the EBT scan is about prevention as well as diagnosis, which makes it particularly relevant for those who have a family history of heart disease, hypertension or high cholesterol.

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Lung cancer

Lung cancer is a growing global epidemic. No other cancer is as deadly and widespread. Recently in the United States, the FDA approved the use of ultra-fast Electron Beam Tomography to accurately detect lung cancer in its earliest stages. Simply put, it is the best lung-screening tool in the world and is much more sensitive than conventional chest x-rays in detecting small lung tumours

Colon Cancer

Colon Cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the UK. A new state-of-the-art colon cancer screening technique, referred to as virtual colonoscopy, is minimally invasive, more comfortable, safer, and far less time consuming than traditional colonoscopy. It is possible to detect small colonic polyps and colon cancer at an early stage.

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You should consider having an EBT scan if:

You are male and aged between 35-65 or female and aged between 45-70 Anyone in your family has had CHD (coronary heart disease). You are a diabetic or have raised cholesterol. You lead a stressful lifestyle. You suffer from hypertension. You smoke. You have a sedentary lifestyle or are overweight.

However, the scan is available to anyone who is serious about their health. It is not recommended for pregnant women or those under the age of 18. The EBT scan is generally viewed as inappropriate for anyone who has already been diagnosed with heart disease. However, a scan my be suitable for those who experience pain following heart surgery as it gives the healthcare professional clear information without the need for further invasive surgery, which could be traumatic for the patient. Another circumstance might be if someone has had a positive test result (from a cholesterol test, stress test or treadmill test). Again, an EBT scan can give clear information, which may rule out the necessity for further invasive tests such as an angiogram.

HB Health looks forward to assisting and supporting you through this process as a quintessential part of your Anti-Ageing and Preventative Health regime. For more details please contact us.

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