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Non-Invasive Department
The skill of the staff and technological
capabilities of the Baylor Hamilton Heart
and Vascular Hospital non-invasive
imaging program has earned accreditation
in echocardiography and vascular testing
from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. The
IAC grants accreditation only to facilities that provide
quality patient care, in compliance with national
standards through a comprehensive application process,
including detailed case study review. In addition, the
leadership and staff in the Non-Invasive Department are
actively involved in elevating the profession; working on a
nation-wide project to standardize the job description and
role for advanced cardiac sonographers.
During fiscal year 2017, Michael Rampoldi, ACS,
RCS, RVT, FASE, Manager of Non-Invasive
Department at Baylor Hamilton Heart and Vascular
Hospital, presented to the American Society of
Echocardiography Scientific Sessions in Baltimore,
Maryland. His presentation was titled, “The Diastolic
Stress Test.” In addition, Rampoldi and cardiac
sonographer, Paige Wallachy, RCS, RVT, presented
“TAVR and the Cardiac Sonographer” at the North
Texas Cardiac Ultrasound Society meeting which
was hosted in Dallas by Baylor Hamilton Heart and
Vascular Hospital for the first time in fiscal year 2017.
CARDIOLOGY
Baylor Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital offers
a comprehensive range of non-invasive methods and
technologies to diagnose heart disease guided by physicians
on the medical staff. In fact, a physician on the medical
staff has and continues to contribute to the development of
national practice guidelines for cardiac echocardiography
as well as program accreditation standards.
In research, the echocardiography labs have served as a
Core Lab supporting a wide variety of research trials. In
one trial, our labs provided echocardiographic findings
for inclusion into a trial using a transcatheter approach to
repair heart valves, along with intraprocedural guidance
and post-procedure follow-up imaging.
The echocardiolography labs are recognized and accredited
by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for
Echocardiographic Laboratories. Accreditation indicates
that the facility performing exams is dedicated to quality
diagnostic testing for heart and vascular disease.
Non-invasive cardiovascular services available:
• Exercise Stress Tests
• Holter Monitoring
• Metabolic Stress Testing
• Pharmacological/Exercise Stress Test
• Echocardiograms
• Transthoracic Echocardiograms
• Transesophageal Echocardiograms
VASCULAR SERVICES
The Non-Invasive Vascular Program at Baylor Hamilton
Heart and Vascular Hospital offers diagnostic testing
and pre-procedure planning services to diagnose many
conditions and abnormalities of the circulatory system.
These include blood vessel blockages and aneurysms,
and other specific areas located for study. The first step
in developing a patient treatment plan is an accurate and
concise diagnosis. At Baylor Hamilton Heart and Vascular
Hospital, the entire non-invasive vascular team has received
specialized training and certification in vascular imaging.
The Non-Invasive Vascular Lab is accredited by the
Intersocietal Accreditation Commission in peripheral
venous, peripheral arterial and extracranial cerebrovascular
duplex examinations. Accreditation is granted only
to those facilities providing quality patient care and
patient testing for the diagnosis of heart and vascular
disease. Baylor Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital
has been accredited for vascular testing since 2005. All
sonographers are nationally registered; physicians on
the medical staff are a mix of board-certified vascular
surgeons, cardiologists and other specialists.
Types of non-invasive vascular procedures available:
• Extra-cranial Cerebrovascular Duplex Scans
• Arterial Ultrasound Exams
– Upper and lower extremity arterial duplex scans
– Bypass graft scans
– Pseudoaneurysm scans
– Abdominal aorta aneurysm scans
– Renal artery scans
• Physiologic Arterial Testing
– Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI)
– Segmental pressure test
• Venous Ultrasound Exams
– Upper and lower extremity vein mapping and scanning
– Upper and lower extremity venous duplex