Cardiac Ultrasound
The Heart Center at Wake Forest Baptist is a pioneer in the field of cardiac ultrasound. It was one of the first in the country to utilize 2-D echo for clinical diagnosis, and later led the way in incorporating transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) into routine clinical practice. The Heart Center performed some of the first studies using TEE and 3-D echo to improve outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Dalane W. Kitzman, M.D. led the clinical development of the only currently available contrast agent for echocardiography, designing the first six trials, and leading two of them. These were pivotal in the eventual approval of these agents by the FDA for clinical use. Today, the Heart Center continues to lead in contrast with several faculty serving key authorship roles in American Society of Echocardiography Practice Guideline and Consensus Statements.
Heart Center researchers have lead and published numerous journal and authoritative articles on the use of imaging for the diagnosis of heart disease, particularly heart failure, diastolic dysfunction, and valvular heart disease.
Our Ultrasound Department offers:
© Echocardiogram: 2D and 3D
© Stress Echocardiography
© Transesophegal Echo
Learn more about echocardiogram.
Learn more about stress echocardiogram.