RWJUH Somerset Now Offers Advanced Cardiac Diagnostic Imaging

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, now offers advanced cardiac diagnostic imaging for the early detection of heart disease and the evaluation of heart damage following a heart attack.

The Cardiac PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography combined with Computed Tomography) is a type of nuclear medicine imaging that combines two advanced scanner technologies into one exam, providing information about both the structure and function of heart. A small amount of radiotracer is injected into the blood stream and the tracer drug emits signals as it travels through the body. These signals appear on images to help identify the presence of disease and its location.

The Cardiac PET/CT is used to detect reduced blood flow to the heart and measures the quantity of blood flow to different areas of the heart, helping physicians noninvasively diagnose blockages in the heart's blood flow.

It is the only noninvasive test available for diagnosing small vessel disease and spasms of the heart's blood vessels, which can lead to chest pain and is more common in women. Cardiac PET/CT is also a gold standard for distinguishing healthy versus damaged cells in the heart and helps cardiovascular surgeons determine if a patient will need bypass surgery. It is also the only test that can diagnose and assess the response to treatment for infection and inflammation, including cardiac sarcoidosis.

"This is truly the gold standard," said Sabahat Bokhari, MD, FACC, FASNC, Director of Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, who is leading the Cardiac PET/CT program for RWJBarnabas Health. "The duration of the study is short, less than 30 minutes, especially when compared to nuclear SPECT nuclear stress tests, which take over three hours. The diagnostic accuracy of Cardiac PET/CT is 95 percent in detecting blockages in the heart's blood flow, significantly higher than any other noninvasive cardiac test. Additionally, it involves only one-fifth of the radiation exposure compared to SPECT nuclear stress tests."

The Cardiac PET/CT is conveniently located on the campus of RWJUH Somerset, with free parking. The diagnostic test requires a referral from a patient's physician/cardiologist.

"The Cardiac PET/CT is an outstanding investment in technology for RWJBarnabas Health, and we are happy to partner with the heart and vascular service line to bring this advanced technology to RWJUH Somerset and add to our robust imaging modalities that are generally only at academic centers," said Pavan Khurana, MD, chair, Department of Radiology, RWJUH Somerset. "This advanced imaging capability differentiates RWJUH Somerset."

"The addition of Cardiac PET/CT at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset demonstrates the interconnectivity of the heart and vascular program with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick," said Joe Ahn, MD, a cardiologist with RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group who is chief of cardiology at RWJUH Somerset. "This new technology demonstrates the breadth and depth of RWJBarnbas Health's commitment to expanding these services throughout New Jersey."

The Cardiac PET/CT will also be used in the future for research studies for cardiac amyloidosis, a rare condition that involves the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the heart, affecting its ability to pump blood.

"Amyloidosis can be potentially fatal if not detected early and treated promptly," added Dr. Bokhari, who is also an internationally recognized amyloidosis expert leads the RWJUH and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's Cardiac Amyloidosis and Cardiomyopathy Center, the first center of its kind in New Jersey and one of the largest centers in the country. "As we leverage this imaging technology it will be provide yet another great example of how research will benefit patient outcomes-a great bench to bed example that distinguishes RWJBarnabas Health's commitment to advancing research."

RWJUH Somerset recently completed the final phase of its five-year Cardiology Services expansion project, which included renovations to its Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, renovation of the hospital's 2-East and 2-West Cardiac Pavilions and relocation of its Cardiac Diagnostic Testing Department to renovated space, consolidating all Cardiology Services on the hospital's second floor. In addition to Cardiac PET/CT, its cardiac diagnostic testing services include angiograms, computed tomography (CT) scans, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans, echocardiograms and ultrasounds.

Along with its inpatient care and diagnostic and treatment services, RWJUH Somerset also offers a three-phase cardiac rehabilitation program located in Hillsborough.

The hospital has received the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for its acute myocardial infarction program. Its Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory earned five stars from Healthgrades for pacemaker implantation. The hospital also received the 2023 Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™ from Healthgrades, ranking in the top 10% of hospitals across the country for cardiology services and among the top 10% of hospitals in the nation for coronary interventional procedures. The hospital ranks #4 in New Jersey for Cardiology, according to Healthgrades.

For more information about cardiology services at RWJUH Somerset, visit www.rwjbh.org/somerset. For a referral to an RWJBarnabas Health heart specialist, visit, rwjbh.org/heart.