Sinai's Institute for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Receives Accreditation for Fetal Heart Imaging Test
Baltimore, Md. - Sinai Hospital's Institute for Maternal-Fetal Medicine has been awarded accreditation in fetal echocardiography from the Ultrasound Practice Council of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM). This important and highly specialized prenatal imaging test has the potential to be lifesaving.
"Fetal echocardiography allows us to diagnose fetal heart defects as early as possible - while a woman is still pregnant - and determine what diagnostic measures can be performed during the pregnancy to further advise the parents," says Pedro Arrabal, M.D., one of Sinai's high-risk pregnancy specialists and director of the Institute for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. "In addition, prenatal diagnosis will indicate which treatment measures need to be taken immediately after birth to prevent a newborn from getting sicker."
A number of conditions put a baby at higher risk for heart defects, such as if a mother has diabetes or has been exposed to certain medications, the fetus has other birth defects, or the couple has previously had a child with congenital heart disease. Fetal echocardiography is also performed if routine ultrasound shows that a fetus has heart abnormalities.
Sinai is one of two hospitals to be the first in Maryland to receive accreditation in fetal echocardiography ultrasound by the AIUM. The hospital had to meet rigorous voluntary guidelines related to the training and qualifications of staff, ultrasound technology quality, and accuracy of image interpretation among other criteria. The Institute for Maternal-Fetal Medicine is also AIUM-accredited in obstetric ultrasound.
About the AIUM
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine is a multidisciplinary medical association of more than 9,200 physicians, sonographers, and scientists dedicated to advancing the safe and effective use of ultrasound in medicine through professional and public education, research, development of guidelines, and accreditation. Participation in the AIUM's Ultrasound Practice Accreditation program is available to practices in the following areas of ultrasound: abdominal/general, breast, complete obstetric or focused obstetric, dedicated musculoskeletal, fetal echocardiography, gynecologic, dedicated thyroid/parathyroid, and urologic. For more information, visit www.aium.org.
About Sinai Hospital
Sinai Hospital is a part of LifeBridge Health, one of the largest, most comprehensive providers of health services in northwest Baltimore. LifeBridge Health also includes Northwest Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, and related subsidiaries and affiliates. For more information, visit lbhstaging22.lifebridgehealth.org.