The East Carolina Heart Institute offers care for all heart and circulatory conditions. At our center you will find heart doctors and experts in circulatory (vascular) disease in one place, without traveling to separate offices.
Among our services are special tests for the heart and blood vessels, known as cardiovascular imaging. These tests show how well the heart is pumping blood and how it circulates through the body. These tests uncover blockages and weak or bulging vessels and other conditions. These tests, or imaging, can reveal problems in the early stages allowing doctors to treat these conditions before they become serious.
The Cardiovascular Imaging Center is located at the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU. Once you arrive, you’ll see your doctor, walk to your testing location and even have blood tests without a separate appointment at another office.
We offer traditional heart evaluations such as the stress test, echocardiogram and perfusion imaging. In addition, we offer vascular ultrasound of the carotid artery and peripheral vascular studies of extremities.
For patients scheduled for surgery, we offer all pre-operative testing. These tests include chest X-rays, on-site blood tests and CT (computerized tomography) scanning, as well.
Additional information
Our nuclear and ultrasound studies of the heart include nuclear and ultrasound studies for patients with a wide scope of medical needs. Our state-of-the-art imaging equipment employs a dual head camera system to scan the heart, providing information rapidly and with less discomfort to patients. Using the latest custom software, we can provide quantitative analysis of blood flow and wall motion (heart function) in precise two- or three-dimensional images of the heart.
Our physicians have the advanced training and certification to assure accurate analysis of diagnostic results and to obtain prognostic data for treatment, including risk stratification, medical therapy, catheterization and surgical intervention, when needed. We also actively participate in major clinical trials. In addition, our table and gantry accommodate patients weighing up to 400 pounds without compromising the quality of information.
Nuclear Services
- Gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. Monitors blood flow within the heart muscle, viability of the myocardium, regional and global left ventricular function
- Exercise treadmill in a private room
- Pharmacologic stress testing for patients unable to walk Gated blood pool imaging (MUGA) to evaluate regional and global left- and right-ventricular function
- Participation in clinical research trials
Echocardiography Services
- Transthoracic echocardiography. The single most comprehensive cardiac evaluation. Shows chamber size, muscle thickness, wall motion, right- and left-ventricular function, valve function and evaluation of the pericardium and aorta.
- Exercise and Dobutamine echocardiography
- Comprehensive Doppler echocardiography
- Exercise treadmill in a private room
- Supine bicycle stress tests for patients unable to walk on a treadmill
- Participation in clinical research trials
Vascular Imaging of the neck and extremities are also offered.
Assad Movahed, M.D., professor of medicine and radiology, serves as director of nuclear cardiology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular disease, in addition to being certified by the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology.
The East Carolina Heart Institute is a partnership between the faculty of East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine with the exceptional facilities of Pitt County Memorial Hospital. The institute has two locations.
Hours
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
Location
We are located off Stantonsburg Road and N.C. 43 (West Fifth Street).
East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU
115 Heart Drive Greenville NC 27834
See Map (PDF)
Telephone
252 744 4400
866 401 3244 (ECHI)
Fax 252 744 1950
Convenient parking is available in front of our building. ECU Physicians offices are non-smoking.
