Cardiac imaging, also called cardiovascular imaging, is a broad term that includes several ways to take pictures of your heart and surrounding anatomy.

The main types of cardiac imaging are:

• Echocardiogram (echo).
• Cardiac computed tomography (CT).
• Nuclear cardiac stress test.
• Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
• Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET).
• Coronary angiogram or left heart catheterization (“heart cath”).
• Cardiac MRI.
• Multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan.

Some cardiac imaging procedures may be combined, such as CT scan with coronary angiogram or PET and CT scans. Your healthcare provider might recommend several different tests to better understand your heart health.