Immersion Week 3 - Rena

     My third week of immersion has continued to introduce me to the realm of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). I watched a clinical CMR, observing Dr. Weinsaft (who works closely with my clinical mentor Dr. Kim) and the technicians interact with the patient, set up different pulse sequences, and conduct a stress test. I have never seen a chemical stress test, so it was interesting to see her vitals spike (similar to during the TAVR procedure, when a temporary pacemaker was utilized to encourage rapid heart movement) and all the care the technicians take to ensure the safety of the patient. The imaging process is tightly controlled, minimizing length of imaging and carefully monitoring patient vitals. 

    It is really helpful to see the CMR process in full - from patient consent to imaging to diagnosis/research. I would love to watch a cardiac revascularization surgery to watch the 'final' stage of CMR and cardiac imaging: treatment and recovery. 

    Concerning diagnoses, Dr. Kim has been training new fellows in reading CMR images and has allowed me to look on and learn how radiologists assess different cardiac pathologies. There are many things to consider and it is fascinating how quickly abnormalities "jump out" at her while being practically unnoticeable to an untrained eye (me). I am also struck by the degree of automation and capacity for improvement. Machine learning and commercially-available software is responsible for many of the baseline measurements in CMR. I would love to learn more about the process of developing faster, more accurate, and more automated 2D/3D imaging algorithms to calculate stroke volume, myocardial strain, etc. 

    I have continued to work on the study comparing RV strain in echocardiography and CMR. I have conducted most of the statistical tests and have begun writing the paper. I may also begin helping on one of the many other studies in Dr. Kim' and Dr. Weinsaft's lab. Next week, there will be more patients who are enrolled in a study assessing cardiac function pre- and post-COVID.   

    I look forward to learning more about CMR. I have also had a wonderful week in NYC visiting museums, different boroughs, and continuing to try new food!