Advanced Cardiac Imaging Brings Heart Expertise Closer to Home

Advances in cardiac imaging are giving physicians a clearer, more detailed view of the heart, providing valuable information to help diagnose complex cardiovascular conditions and guide treatment decisions. Technologies such as cardiac MRI, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT can reveal different aspects of the heart’s structure and function. Together, these tools can provide a more complete picture of a patient’s heart health and help physicians personalize care based on individual needs.

For East Texans, access to advanced cardiac imaging expertise close to home can make it easier to receive specialized evaluation and care without leaving the region.

Dr. Dario Manley-Casco, a cardiologist at UT Health East Texas, is dual board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, with additional board certifications in Echocardiography, Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging. He explains how advanced cardiac imaging can benefit patients and help physicians better understand and manage heart disease.

How do patients benefit from advanced cardiac imaging?

Heart disease can be complex, and no single test tells us everything. My training allows me to look at the heart from several different perspectives using tools such as echocardiography, cardiac MRI, nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT. By bringing those findings together, we can develop a more complete understanding of what is happening with a patient’s heart and use that information to guide the most appropriate treatment plan.

What is multimodality cardiac imaging, and why is it important?

Multimodality cardiac imaging simply means using different types of imaging to answer specific questions about the heart. Each technology gives us different information about its structure, function, blood flow and tissue characteristics. For patients with certain cardiovascular conditions, combining information from multiple imaging methods can help us better understand the underlying problem and determine the best next steps in their care.

Are there certain heart conditions for which advanced imaging is especially valuable?

Yes. Advanced imaging can be particularly helpful when we are evaluating complex cardiovascular disease, including conditions involving the heart valves, blockages in the heart arteries and cardiomyopathies, which are diseases of the heart muscle. These conditions can have many different causes and may affect patients differently. Detailed imaging can help us better characterize the heart, determine the severity of the condition and provide information that can help guide treatment and follow-up.

How does having this level of expertise locally benefit patients in East Texas?

When patients have access to advanced cardiovascular expertise close to home, it can make navigating a complex diagnosis easier. My goal is to provide patients and referring physicians with a comprehensive assessment while allowing patients to receive as much of their care as possible within their own community. Just as importantly, advanced technology is most valuable when we can translate the findings into information referring physicians can utilize, and patients can understand to make informed decisions about their health.

What do you want East Texans to know about taking care of their heart health?

You do not need to wait until a heart condition becomes severe to pay attention to your cardiovascular health. Knowing your risk factors, keeping up with routine medical care and talking with your healthcare provider about new or concerning symptoms are important. For patients who do develop heart disease, today’s diagnostic tools give us an increasingly detailed understanding of the heart, which can help us personalize care to the individual patient.

Dr. Manley-Casco is a dual board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, with additional board certifications in Echocardiography, Nuclear Cardiology, and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR) with additional expertise in Cardiac CT. He provides comprehensive cardiovascular care for adults with a broad range of heart and vascular conditions, with a particular clinical interest in preventive cardiology, advanced heart disease and multimodality cardiac imaging. To learn more or to make an appointment, visit UTHealthEastTexas.com or call 903-595-5514.