Cardiac and Vascular Imaging
RAF is one of only a few practices to have several physicians certified by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in all 4 non-invasive cardiac imaging modalities––cardiac CT, cardiac MRI, nuclear cardiology and echocardiography.
RAF is the referral site for the latest technology in non-invasive cardiac imaging, including cardiac MRI, cardiac CTA, nuclear cardiology and echocardiography. For instance, cardiac MRI plays a critical role in the preoperative assessment of patients with myocardial infarction. It can accurately identify viable or “live” myocardium and predicts successful outcomes from stent or coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
We also utilize MRI in the diagnosis and monitoring of congenital heart disease, non-ischemic cardiomyopathies from sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, non-compaction and iron deposition. Some of these diagnoses previously required invasive biopsy of the heart for diagnosis.
RAF cardiac imaging specialists are key members of the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) program at our hospitals. We provide the expertise in acquiring ideal images and making precise measurements for preoperative planning for procedures such as these.
Cardiac CTA And 3-D Modeling
Cardiac CTA allows for a non-invasive assessment of coronary artery disease with lower radiation exposure than traditional cardiac catheterization. It also provides more anatomic detail for structural heart disease. Another exciting innovation is the creation of 3-D models of cardiac and vascular structures produced from CT scans. This allows cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and vascular surgeons to better plan for risky procedures by understanding complex cardiac and vascular anatomy and accurately determining size of prosthetic heart valves.
RAF radiologist, Dr. Krishna Nallamshetty on ABC Action News Consumer Update speaking with Kellie Lightbourne about Cardiac MRI