Cardiac imaging is an important part of care at the Benderson Family Heart Center. Our clinicians in the Division of Cardiac Imaging use state-of-the-art techniques to get incredibly detailed information about heart structure and function. This evaluation plays a key role in forming treatment plans tailored to each patient’s condition and producing the best outcomes.
We are committed to:
- providing the highest quality care to our patients
- training the next generation of experts in cardiac imaging
- researching new techniques to provide even more valuable and less invasive diagnosis
Our depth of experience in cardiac imaging
Headed by Andrew Powell, MD, the Boston Children’s Division of Cardiac Imaging is among the largest, most advanced programs in the world. It’s staffed by more than 20 physicians, all specifically trained in cardiac imaging in children and adults with congenital heart disease. Adult-centered practices may not have the necessary resources and experience to fully meet the needs of pediatric or adult patients with congenital heart disease. Our services include child-life specialists and an MRI-compatible video system to minimize the need for sedation, and, when needed, a dedicated sedation service run by anesthesiologists who specialize in heart disease.
A patient-centered approach to diagnosis
Clinical care is driven by a patient-centered approach that considers the goals and safety of each patient’s needs. With expertise in all types of diagnostic imaging, the team ensures that each patient receives the right test at the right time with the right technique.
- Echocardiography: The echocardiography lab performs more than 28,000 echocardiograms each year — including transthoracic, transesophageal, fetal, stress, and epicardial echocardiograms — using the latest cardiac ultrasound techniques.
- Cardiac MRI: The Cardiac MRI program performs more than 1,300 examinations each year on a scanner dedicated to cardiovascular imaging and research.
- Cardiac CT: The Cardiac CT program performs more than 600 examinations each year using advanced dual-source CT scanners. This technology delivers stunning image quality with lower x-ray doses than previously available.
Our vast expertise and experience in imaging the entire range of pediatric and congenital heart conditions leads to better results for our patients.
