Sub-Cores

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Pediatric Echocardiography

About us

The role of the Pediatric/Fetal Echocardiogram Core (PFEC) is to provide facilities (including resources and personnel) that will be an asset for junior and established investigators, thereby promoting research, collaboration and education. We enable interdisciplinary research involving pediatric and fetal cardiac imaging and other ancillary cardiac testing detailed in core service offerings. We have been successful in procuring additional core resources including the advanced research echocardiogram tools for deformation imaging that will expand the utilization of the core as prospective and retrospective projects involving deformation imaging would now be possible. This core enables conducting multicenter studies through protocol and personnel training at the site. We provide guidance to investigators on echocardiogram protocol, assist in finding suited cardiology collaborators, and can train needed personnel if needed in the use of deformation software.

Personnel

Divya Shakti, MD, Director
Associate Professor
Department of Pediatrics, Cardiology

Jeff Kertis
Registered Diagnostic Sonographer 

Location

Pediatric Cardiology, first floor of the Blair E. Batson Tower at UMMC.

Equipment

  • ECHO machine: 4 Philips ie33, 5 Philips EPIC 7, 1 GE voluson (fetal) and 1 GE Vivid Q echocardiography machines
  • ECHO capabilities: Pediatric, Fetal, Transesophageal and Adult Cardiology configured, 3D Capable, Tissue Doppler imaging  
  • Strain echocardiography* using speckle tracking available directly on some Echocardiogram machines
  • Tomtec software: Vendor independent software package for deformation imaging by speckle tracking and 4D LV analysis - Acquired in September 2020.
  • 2 Philips TC 70 EKG machines
  • 1 Quantum Treadmill
  • 1 Exercise bicycle
  • Tilt table

Core services

  • Pediatric Transthoracic Echocardiogram
  • Fetal echocardiogram
  • 3-D echocardiogram
  • Tissue Doppler imaging  
  • Deformation imaging (eg Strain) by Speckle tracking
  • Exercise stress test
  • Tilt table
  • ECG
  • Tomtec Software capable of performing vendor-independent analysis offline
    • (i) Strain analysis: Left ventricle (LV), Right Ventricle (RV) through 2D CPA feature, Atrial, and fetal echocardiogram strain is possible using 2D CPA feature, AutoStrain for quick strain
    • (ii) 4D LV analysis
    • (iii)vLeft Atrial volumes
  • Training for using Tomtec software
  • Advice to Investigators looking to use core-services including review and feedback on echocardiogram protocol
  • Personnel training of a dedicated team of research sonographers for specific study protocols for quality assurance
  • Creating digital discs with images for study coordinators on request

Cost for services

This core itself does not charge fees for service- not a fee for service model. The equipment is clinical. The charges for studies performed (technical and professional charge components) are determined by the Hospital Finance. These charges go to the appropriate accounting units for the hospital and varies widely by type of funding for each funded study.