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Advanced Heart Imaging at Connecticut Children’s

Connecticut Children’s provides advanced cardiac imaging services for pediatric and adult patients with congenital and acquired heart disease.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important diagnostic tool in the care of pediatric and adult patients with congenital and acquired heart disease and risk stratification of patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Advantages include:

  • Non-invasive evaluation of cardiac anatomy, blood flow quantification, and assessment of chamber size and cardiac function
  • Tissue characterization that allows non-invasive identification of myocardial pathology
  • Unique 3D images offer unprecedented graphic detail especially suited for the surgical planning of pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart disease

Our new state-of-the-art 3T scanner allows acquisition of high-resolution cardiac cine images that allow for faster scans and simplify processes, improving efficiency and patient comfort. The addition of cardiac 4D Flow techniques will prevent the need to acquire separate volumetric sets, MRA and multiple phase-contrast imaging acquisitions.

Cardiac MRI Services

Cardiac MRI imagePatients are typically referred by their pediatric cardiologist, cardiovascular surgeon (pediatric and adult), adult cardiologist, heart failure specialist, pediatrician, internist, or hematology/oncology physician. For more information, please contact 860.545.9400.

The cardiac MRI team provides high-quality, non-invasive cardiac imaging for:

  • Infants and children with congenital and acquired heart disease
  • Adults with congenital and acquired heart disease
  • Childhood cancer survivors to identify cardiotoxicity related to cancer therapy
  • Pediatric and adult patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and genetic aortopathies
  • Patients with transfusion-dependent disorders, such as thalassemia and sickle cell disease
  • Patients of Connecticut Children’s weight management program

Advancing Care Through Research

Connecticut Children’s cardiac MRI program is expanding the use of early imaging biomarkers in congenital heart disease, and partnering with others in the industry to drive further innovation and development. Learn more about our research >

Our Cardiac MRI Team

 

Joseph Phillips Director, Clinical Services - Diagnostics

Jim Riopel Manager, Radiology

Erin Trask, RT(R) (MR) 

Ronald DeRocco, RT(R) (MR) 

 

Echocardiography

Connecticut Children’s Echocardiography Laboratory provides advanced cardiac imaging for fetuses, neonates, infants, adolescents and adults with suspected or confirmed congenital and acquired heart disease. The lab is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) to perform transthoracic, fetal and transesophageal echocardiography.

Our disease-specific protocols ensure that all areas of the heart are appropriately evaluated before and after cardiac surgery to detect potential complications. Sedation services are available as needed.

Dedicated to Education and Quality Improvement

Connecticut Children’s is the training site for the School of Pediatric Cardiac Ultrasound through the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute – School of Cardiovascular Technology. In addition to hands-on training, we provide students with regular educational lectures, quality meetings, and opportunities to prepare surgical conference presentations.

Our Echocardiography Team
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