Advanced Cardiac Imaging Program
Echocardiography
Nuclear Cardiology
Cardiac imaging refers to the diagnostic tools used by cardiologists to view the heart’s structure, capacity, and function, helping cardiologists to diagnose disease and plan treatment. Traditional cardiac imaging services include echocardiography and nuclear cardiology. The field is advancing into the areas of CT scans and MRI as well. All of these tools are available at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and our specialists are recognized as leaders in developing new imaging modalities.
Echocardiography
The UPMC Cardiovascular Institute's Advanced Cardiac Imaging Program — Echocardiography performs more than 10,000 echocardiograms at UPMC Presbyterian and outpatient UPMC
Cardiovascular Institute at University Center laboratories annually.
Specialists at the Advanced Cardiac Imaging Program — Echocardiography have at their disposal new diagnostic technologies that are available at only a handful of centers in the world. State-of-the-art ultrasound systems are used with the latest technology including harmonic imaging and tissue Doppler imaging. Application of this technology at UPMC is allowing physicians to obtain sophisticated measures of cardiac function that, in the past, could only be obtained using invasive procedures. All studies are captured in a digital format which makes these images available to physicians via UPMC's intranet. Reports are available on a patient's electronic health record within one hour of completion by using a report generation program that was developed at UPMC.
The Advanced Cardiac Imaging Program — Echocardiography performs the following procedures:
- transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)
TEE is a technique that provides exceptionally high-quality images of cardiac structures. UPMC specialists were the first in the region to introduce TEE and today offer the most extensive experience with it. This technique is important for the diagnosis of specific conditions, such as diseases of the aorta, infections on heart valves, complex birth defects of the heart and the presence of blood clots. TEE is used during open heart surgery to assist the surgeon and anesthesiologist in monitoring cardiac function and evaluating the adequacy of valve repair or replacement. TEE is also used to assist invasive cardiologists who are closing holes in the atrial septum of the heart using catheters placed percutaneously through a vein rather that by open heart surgery (patent foramen ovale and secundum atrial septal defect).
- stress echocardiography
Stress echocardiography is a technique that measures heart function during exercise stress or during drug-induced (dobutamine) stress in patients who cannot exercise. This important information aids in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and is helpful in evaluating how a patient's heart will cope with the stress of a surgical procedure.
Research
In addition to the high volume of state-of-the-art echocardiograms, UPMC researchers are charting the future of echocardiography in areas of contrast echocardiography and tissue Doppler.
Nuclear Cardiology
CVI's Advanced Cardiac Imaging Program — Nuclear Cardiology at UPMC Presbyterian is one of the most technologically advanced facilities in the world for nuclear cardiology — the use of radiation-based methods to diagnose heart disease. The program includes:
- the most advanced imaging systems currently available for nuclear cardiology
- a unique nuclear cardiology computer information system with capabilities that go well beyond any commercially available system
- a 64-slice CT scanner for cardiac CT imaging
- a technologically advanced education center
The nuclear cardiology department has an exclusive seven-year contract to be the National Nuclear Cardiology Preceptorship Center for Philips Medical Systems. Read more about the Myocardial SPECT Perfusion Imaging Preceptorship.
One of the most experienced and highest volume nuclear cardiology programs in the United States, the laboratory is certified by the Intersocietal Commission for Accreditation of Nuclear Cardiology Laboratories.
The new nuclear cardiology department includes multiple stress testing laboratories, with a dedicated staff of cardiac nurses and physicians. During stress testing, a radionuclide substance is injected through an intravenous line at peak stress, and a repeat injection is performed at rest, with imaging following each injection. Comparison of blood flow at peak stress compared to rest permits the differentiation of areas of prior heart attack from areas with blocked arteries that are not yet irreversibly damaged.