The Cardiovascular Institute at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center has been named by a national organization as a top pediatric echocardiography laboratory. Le Bonheur's lab is the first pediatric accredited "echo" lab in the state and the region including Kentucky, Arkansas and Mississippi.

The Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories, ICAEL, accredited Le Bonheur's transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograph services. ICAEL is an organization that has set the national standards for echo labs, with a focus on the quality of physicians, sonographers, education, safety, structure and results.

"An echo is only as good as the person performing it. The ICAEL designation demonstrates that our team is committed to a high standards quality that is child focused," said Dr. Vijay Joshi, medical director of the lab.

Children who may have acquired heart disease or congenital heart defects are referred to Le Bonheur's echocardiography laboratory by a pediatrician or cardiologist. Pregnant women who carry a baby with a suspected heart problem are also seen. Le Bonheur's team serves the Newborn Center at the Regional Medical Center.

Echo provides ultrasound images of the heart. It helps physicians analyze the anatomy, function and blood flow through the heart. Transthoracic echocardiography is a procedure in which a probe is gently held on the chest to capture images of the heart. When the images from the chest are poor a Transesophageal echocardiography is done. In "TEE" a special small probe follows the path of food from mouth to just above the stomach and right behind the heart. The child is sedated for the test.

ICAEL is a nonprofit organization established in 1996 with the support of the American Society of Echocardiography, the American College of Cardiology, the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography and the Society of Pediatric Echocardiography.

Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center offers extensive cardiac care, including congenital and acquired heart disease, hypertension, cardiac rhythm disorders.  The Cardiac Institute is the only pediatric cardiovascular program in the greater Memphis area, utilizing the skills of pediatric cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and a specially trained staff of pediatric experts.