Services Provided by PCA
Clinical Cardiology
Extensive outreach clinics*
Fetal, transesophageal & transthoracic echocardiography
Fetal & perinatal cardiology
Exercise testing
Cardiac MRI
Complex arrhythmia treatment
Pacemaker & ICD services
Radiofrequency ablation
Cardiovascular intensive care
Adult congenital heart disease
Cardiac Catheterization
Diagnostic catheterization
Catheter-based therapy
PDA, ASD*, patent foramen ovale* closure; stents*
Largest interventional volumes*
Superior interventional results*
Cardiac Surgery
Only pediatric cardiac surgical program in New Mexico*
Neonatal repairs
ECMO
Annual surgical volume greater than national average*
Excellent outcomes relative to national benchmarks*
(*Services unique to PCA among pediatric cardiology providers in New Mexico)
Clinical Cardiology
Extensive outreach clinics*
Fetal, transesophageal & transthoracic echocardiography
Fetal & perinatal cardiology
Exercise testing
Cardiac MRI
Complex arrhythmia treatment
Pacemaker & ICD services
Radiofrequency ablation
Cardiovascular intensive care
Adult congenital heart disease
Cardiac Catheterization
Diagnostic catheterization
Catheter-based therapy
PDA, ASD*, patent foramen ovale* closure; stents*
Largest interventional volumes*
Superior interventional results*
Cardiac Surgery
Only pediatric cardiac surgical program in New Mexico*
Neonatal repairs
ECMO
Annual surgical volume greater than national average*
Excellent outcomes relative to national benchmarks*
(*Services unique to PCA among pediatric cardiology providers in New Mexico)
Echocardiography . . . Then and Now
By Doug Blagg, RDCS
Echocardiography has become the number one diagnostic tool in the pediatric cardiologist’s “bag of
tricks.” Since it’s inception in the late 50’s and early 60’s, there have been many improvements in the
quality and quantity of information gained from this one test. From it's earliest beginnings when we
could visualize the basic valve motion on an oscilloscope, to being able to make quantitative
assessment of diastolic function, we have come along way.
In the early 1960’s, pediatric cardiologists relied upon their clinical skills to make diagnoses. This
process was enhanced with the hemodynamic and angiographic information gained from a cardiac
catheterization. At that time echocardiography was just a new toy in larger facilities around the
country. Several centers were frantically working to further this fledgling technology. In the 1970’s,
echocardiography started to come into its own with the advent of widely available M-Mode machines
(with its rudimentary images) that provided images of the basic cardiac anatomy to help confirm (or
disprove) clinical diagnoses.
Realtime scanners, or what we now refer to as 2D echo, were first developed in the late 60’s. The
first mechanical scanner actually used a modified Sunbeam electric toothbrush with the ultrasound
crystal attached. However, the hemodynamic information to complete the clinical picture could only be
obtained from the catheterization laboratory. Several universities were working on useable cardiac
Doppler systems to reliably produce and record cardiac blood flow measurements non-invasively. Dr’s
Hatle and Holen in Norway noted that you could use a modified version of the Bernouli equation to
detect gradients across stenotic valves. The combination of the anatomic and hemodynamic
information in one non-invasive test is the basis of nmodern echo systems.
This technology could not have been possible if not for the tremendous growth in the computer
market. The microprocessor revolution has allowed faster processing of the images and Doppler
information and also the miniaturization of the systems themselves. Just like in the computer
industry, the first systems were the size of a refrigerator. Now, the latest addition to PCA’s echo
systems is the size of a Laptop computer and has the capabilities of systems 10 times its size.
One of the next steps in this evolution is to fully digitize the echo lab. This will allow the rapid viewing
and analysis of echo studies from multiple dates and locations for serial review. Today, when we walk
into the clinic, hospital floor or exam room, we bring with us the latest in diagnostic echo machines,
enabling us to obtain the maximum amount of clinical information from relatively simple and non-
invasive test.
By Doug Blagg, RDCS
Echocardiography has become the number one diagnostic tool in the pediatric cardiologist’s “bag of
tricks.” Since it’s inception in the late 50’s and early 60’s, there have been many improvements in the
quality and quantity of information gained from this one test. From it's earliest beginnings when we
could visualize the basic valve motion on an oscilloscope, to being able to make quantitative
assessment of diastolic function, we have come along way.
In the early 1960’s, pediatric cardiologists relied upon their clinical skills to make diagnoses. This
process was enhanced with the hemodynamic and angiographic information gained from a cardiac
catheterization. At that time echocardiography was just a new toy in larger facilities around the
country. Several centers were frantically working to further this fledgling technology. In the 1970’s,
echocardiography started to come into its own with the advent of widely available M-Mode machines
(with its rudimentary images) that provided images of the basic cardiac anatomy to help confirm (or
disprove) clinical diagnoses.
Realtime scanners, or what we now refer to as 2D echo, were first developed in the late 60’s. The
first mechanical scanner actually used a modified Sunbeam electric toothbrush with the ultrasound
crystal attached. However, the hemodynamic information to complete the clinical picture could only be
obtained from the catheterization laboratory. Several universities were working on useable cardiac
Doppler systems to reliably produce and record cardiac blood flow measurements non-invasively. Dr’s
Hatle and Holen in Norway noted that you could use a modified version of the Bernouli equation to
detect gradients across stenotic valves. The combination of the anatomic and hemodynamic
information in one non-invasive test is the basis of nmodern echo systems.
This technology could not have been possible if not for the tremendous growth in the computer
market. The microprocessor revolution has allowed faster processing of the images and Doppler
information and also the miniaturization of the systems themselves. Just like in the computer
industry, the first systems were the size of a refrigerator. Now, the latest addition to PCA’s echo
systems is the size of a Laptop computer and has the capabilities of systems 10 times its size.
One of the next steps in this evolution is to fully digitize the echo lab. This will allow the rapid viewing
and analysis of echo studies from multiple dates and locations for serial review. Today, when we walk
into the clinic, hospital floor or exam room, we bring with us the latest in diagnostic echo machines,
enabling us to obtain the maximum amount of clinical information from relatively simple and non-
invasive test.
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1970's Vintage M-mode Echo machine
Early 2D/Doppler
echo system
echo system
Contemporary echo
system recently
acquired by PCA
system recently
acquired by PCA
| Typical 4-chamber 2D echocardiogram with color-Doppler imaging |
| PEDIATRIX CARDIOLOGY ASSOCIATES OF NEW MEXICO |