Scan Center Spotlight
Track Your Plaque Members will be familiar with the bold, outspoken Dr. Bill
Blanchet (An
Interview with Dr. Bill Blanchet: Heart Disease Prevention Champion) of
Boulder, Colorado.
We stumbled into Dr. Blanchet while he was grappling with a panel of
physicians on www.heart.org in a heated forum discussion. He proved to be a
vocal—and exceptionally well-versed—advocate of heart scanning. He
systematically and deftly parried comment after comment from the discussion
participants, citing the scientific data and his substantial experience with
heart scanning, arguing for the concepts of detection, quantification, and
tracking of coronary plaque. He passionately criticizes the tragic folly of
the conventional approach to heart disease.
“Over the last 5 years, coronary calcium imaging has become the major
technology I use to identify those at risk and those inadequately treated.
The results are that in my practice, heart attacks and ischemic strokes are
rare indeed. I have identified a large number of at-risk patients who either
had inadequate risk factors to justify preventive therapy or who had risk
factors but thought they could fast a few days before they had their blood
drawn and change their risk. Armed with a high calcified plaque burden
report, I have been able to identify patients who need to be treated and
convince them to do things differently. To my surprise, the reduction in
heart attacks and strokes has been remarkably good.
There are over 5,000 unique patients who were seen in my practice between
March, 2006 and February, 2007. During that time, we saw one heart attack (a
69-year old male with no risk factors who had never benefited from a heart
scan) and no ischemic strokes. In the last 3 years, we have seen 4 heart
attacks and 2 ischemic strokes (both minor with full recovery). Two of the
heart attacks were in 85 year old diabetic patients undergoing cancer
surgery, one was my 69 year old friend without risk factors and without a
heart scan (who died from his first symptom of heart disease), and one in a
90 year old with known heart disease. These statistics seem unreasonably
good and when I try to describe them to “experts,” I am told basically how
foolish it is for me to tell such stories.”Dr. Bill Blanchet
Front Range Preventive Imaging
Four years ago, Dr. Blanchet established Front Range Preventive Imaging in
Boulder, Colorado, the first EBT scanner in his area.
EBT heart scanning, virtual colonoscopy, lung scanning, and carotid and
aortic ultrasound represent the most popular services offered at Front
Range. In its four years of operation, services have expanded to nearly 50
different tests, including standard CT scanning and ultrasound.
Heart scans in Colorado do not require a physician’s order and people
desiring scans can do so on their own. However, Front Range is unique in
that they have a Clinical Liaison on staff available to facilitate the
referring process for an individual physician or referring clinic.
Facilitation may range from providing information and clinic presentations,
to obtaining prior authorizations. Physician to physician consultation is
also provided.
“For the patient, we have two highly-trained and skilled technicians who
have been with us all 4 of our years. They are very sensitive to the
patient's level of anxiety, and strive to make the experience at Front Range
as stress-free and as comfortable as possible, regardless of the
procedure.We offer a consulting physician available tothe patient, who will
discuss results and answer questions at the time of their procedure.”
Lindsay Woods
Clinical Liason
Front Range is in the process of implementing a unique service they call
“integrated virtual colonoscopy,” whereby results of a virtual colonoscopy
are read by a radiologist immediately upon completion. Should the results
deem an additional procedure necessary, a gastroenterologist will be
available on call, able to perform the procedure that afternoon, if desired.
Front Range has sponsored a variety of community events. They are the sponsor
of the upcoming annual Bolder Boulder race in June, 2008. Front Range also
provides a heart lecture series to the public.
Scheduling a heart scan at FRPI is simple: one phone call. Evening
appointments are available. A doctor's referral is not required. FRPI will
submit insurance claims for the patient.
For more reading about Front Range Preventive Imaging:
Heart healthy: Heart scans becoming more mainstream
Contact information:
Front Range Preventive Imaging
2880 Folsom, Suite 100
Boulder, CO 80304
Phone: 303-443-7226
Toll Free: 877-766-2698
E-Mail: EBTBoulder@aol.com
Web: www.FrontRangePreventiveImaging.com
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