Imaging specialists in the Department of Cardiovascular Imaging utilize several specialized diagnostic studies to diagnose heart disease, plan optimal care for patients, and help ensure that treatment is complete. They also use these diagnostic studies to minimize complications during many types of catheter-based procedures and heart surgery.

Echocardiography, including Doppler and 3-D is used to assess the overall function of the heart, determine the presence of many types of heart disease, follow the progress of valve disease and evaluate the effectiveness of medical or surgical treatment.

Stress echocardiography uses exercise or medication to make the heart work harder than when at rest. This helps us obtain more detailed pictures of the heart and how well or poorly it is functioning.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is used during surgery of the coronary arteries, valves or aorta. TEE is also done to evaluate whether a patient who has atrial fibrillation is at high risk for stroke. The procedure can show the presence of any blood clots in the heart (which have the potential to travel into the bloodstream and cause a stroke).

Intracardiac echo is valuable during electrophysiology and other catheter-based procedures to assist the cardiologist in visualizing the heart's structures and minimizing complications.

Nuclear imaging studies are used to diagnose various heart conditions. Specialists use Multigated Acquisition Scan (MUGA), Mpositron emission tomography (PET) and Sestamibi exercise stress testing to find out more about the structure and function of the heart.

64 slice CT angiography is being used as a noninvasive method for detecting blockages in the coronary arteries. 64- slice CT Angio system is used accurately detect any significant narrowing of the major coronary arteries and non-invasively detect “soft plaque,” or fatty matter that may lead to future problems if lifestyle changes or medical treatment are not initiated. It is also used to determine the conditions of the stents and bypass surgery grafts of patients who have had angioplasties or CABG.