The Johns Hopkins Echocardiography Laboratory is a state-of-the-art center with a strong tradition of clinical excellence, research, education and innovation. It is staffed by board-certified cardiologists, sonographers and nurses and performs ultrasound examinations of the heart.

Facilities include an outpatient and inpatient center at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, as well as satellite labs at all Johns Hopkins community sites including White Marsh, Green Spring Station, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Odenton, Columbia, two Washington DC locations and at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Combined, Johns Hopkins performs over 30,000 echocardiograms annually with a focus on providing the highest quality care for our patients and the communities we serve. Our lab is nationally accredited through the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL).

What is an Echocardiogram?

An echocardiogram uses sound waves (ultrasound) to produce images of the heart. These images show the inside of your heart and we are able to visualize the valves, the performance of your heart, and blood flow by this technology. The transducer the sonographer holds, sends out the signal of sound waves.

Conditions we diagnose include:

• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart attack
• Heart failure

Services

Tests performed in the Echocardiography Laboratory include 2-D and 3-D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), stress echocardiogram, intraprocedural transesophageal echo (TEE), and 3D TEE. Staff also provides echocardiographic guidance during complex interventions in the catheterization laboratory (interventional echocardiography). The Echocardiography Laboratory also offers strain imaging (for the improved detection of systolic dysfunction), contrast studies, optimization for left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and specialized studies for the evaluation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Research

The echocardiography lab is actively involved in multiple research projects to improve diagnostic capabilities of non-invasive imaging, with current research interests including, strain imaging, cardiotoxicity, transcatheter aortic replacement and infiltrative heart disease. The echocardiography core laboratory provides support for clinical trials in echocardiography and cardiovascular ultrasound. We assist with all imaging aspects of the clinical research process, including protocol development, onsite training and interpretation of transthoracic echocardiograms, stress tests, and transesophageal echocardiograms. Expertly and fully staffed, the echo core lab provides strict quality assurance, fast turnaround times, and high-quality image storage.

Email us at [email protected] for more information.

Fellowship

There is a strong commitment to education in the echo lab, with general cardiology fellows meeting American College of Cardiology requirements for Level I or II training in transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and stress testing. Fellows are an asset in the echo lab and are actively engaged in scanning, interpretation and reporting. Several educational conferences are available including weekly didactics, grand rounds, and case conferences.

Interested fellows are invited to apply for the Advanced Echocardiography Fellowship, a one year non-ACGME training program to achieve Level III proficiency in adult echo, and become intimately familiar with current technologies, research, and fulfil certification requirements for the position of laboratory director.

Our Faculty

Members of the Echocardiography section are actively involved in imaging and patient oriented research, have active roles in many national organizations and committees, including the American Society of Echocardiography, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Cardiology, and routinely present at national and international meetings.