Echocardiography
Dr. Claude Joyner, an Allegheny physician, was the first in the United States to use echocardiography — cardiac ultrasound — to image the heart. The first echo-guided biopsies — procedures to detect rejection after heart transplantation — also were performed by an Allegheny cardiologist. Today, Allegheny professionals perform more than 12,000 echocardiography procedures annually — one of the busiest programs in Pennsylvania. Testing is performed within 48 hours of referral and test results are available within 24 hours; emergency testing is available around the clock.Leading-edge evaluation technologies in use at Allegheny's Echocardiography Laboratory include:
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).< Back to Cardiac Imaging
Through TEE, cardiologists introduce a transducer via the patient's esophagus to obtain exceptionally clear pictures of the heart. Stress echocardiography. The assessment of the heart's response to exercise helps guide clinical decision-making. For patients who cannot exercise, Allegheny physicians can "mimic" the effect of exercise using a chemical to increase the heart's activity.
Tissue Doppler imaging.
Doppler imaging is an innovative assessment tool used to analyze the strain on the left ventricle, detect ventricular dysynchrony, and guide optimization of the effectiveness of biventricular pacemakers and cardiac resynchronization therapy.
3D echocardiography.
This novel technology provides a non-invasive view of the complex geometry and relationship of cardiac structures. It is an invaluable tool for surgical planning in mitral valve repair and has exciting potential for evaluating congenital heart anomalies and the effects of heart failure on cardiac remodeling.
Contrast echocardiography. To more clearly define abnormalities, Allegheny cardiologists can use IV contrast agents during the testing process, enabling doctors to diagnose more definitively myocardial viability and intracardiac shunts.
