Causes and Diagnosis
Causes of Radiation-Associated Heart Disease
Radiation to the chest can cause radiation-associated heart disease. Radiation treatment is given to destroy rapidly reproducing cancer cells. However, radiation also damages nearby normal cells.
Your risk of getting radiation-associated heart disease depends on:
- How much radiation you get during treatment
- How much of the chest and heart were exposed to radiation
Diagnosis and Testing for Radiation-Associated Heart Disease
If your care team believes you may have radiation-associated heart disease, they will do a physical exam. They will listen to your heart and check your blood pressure.
The specific tests ordered will depend on your symptoms. Your care team may order:
