Cardiology



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Cardiology & Diagnostic Ultrasound Service

The Animal Referral Center is proud to list Dr. Mark Stamoulis as a *visiting consultant*
	Services Provided:
	Echocardiograms (cardiac ultrasound) Abdominal Ultrasound Cardiology consults Pacemaker placement Endoscopic services (evaluation & biopsy) Ultrasound guided liver/mass biopsy

Visiting Consultant schedule: 3 days a week for cardiology, diagnostic ultrasound, & other services
Dr. Stamoulis comes on a routine basis to our hospital on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, except for major holidays No set hours are established at this point, but it is our hope in the future to have a scheduled time slot for Dr. Stamoulis and to be able to offer referral echo / ultrasound appointments through the Animal Referral Center to local veterinarians who may have critical patients that can not wait a week for an ultrasound At the present time, all referrals must go through the Animal Emergency & Critical Care Center service
About Dr. Mark Stamoulis, DVM, diplomat ACVIM, specialty cardiology
Dr. Stamoulis earned his veterinary degree from Tufts University Completed an intensive 1 year internship followed by a 3 year residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City He earned his board certification in cardiology & internal medicine and became a diplomat in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in [date?] Dr. Stamoulis is a founding partner in New England Veterinary Consultants [? Name] in [date], a mobile specialist practice

FAQ- What are echocardiograms and ultrasound exams & how are they superior diagnostic tools? Read below:

What is an echocardiogram?

An echocardiogram is a 3 dimensional study of the heart using diagnostic ultrasound imaging. An echo gives an enormous amount of information about the anatomy as well as the function of the heart.
Anatomy:

Measure heart wall thickness- important in cardiomyopathy

Measure ventricular size (volume of chambers in the heart)

Assess size, shape, and thickness of the heart valves

Look for any holes or other congenital heart defects

Visualize abnormal masses (tumors of heart) or see blood clots in the heart

Visualize pericardial effusion (abnormal fluid surrounding the heart within the pericardium)

Assess degree of infection (numbers of worms) in dogs with heart worm disease.

Function

Measure ability of heart wall to contract and relax properly

Measure volume of blood ejected from the heart

Assess heart valve closure- important for patients with loud murmurs

Measure flow of blood across valves using Doppler ultrasound

What is an Abdominal Ultrasound Examination?

Similar to an echo, diagnostic ultrasounds can be used to create 3 dimensional images of the organs within the abdomen. Unlike radiographs (x-rays) where the liver can look too large or small, an ultrasound study can look into the liver and see masses, an enlarged gall bladder, or structural changes in the liver suggestive of a particular disease process. A single ultrasound exam gives an enormous amount of information and is well worth the effort in ill patients where we do not have a firm diagnosis with physical exam, laboratory tests, and radiographs (X-rays).

Most common uses of abdominal ultrasound:

Liver- masses/infiltrative neoplasia (cancer), liver shunts (abnormal blood vessel formation), fatty liver syndrome (lipidosis), hepatitis & other infections

Gall Bladder- enlargement, sludge or stones in gall bladder, bile duct obstruction

Spleen- masses

Stomach- stomach wall thickness, masses, outflow obstructions, foreign bodies

Intestines- wall thickness, masses in wall or lumen, foreign bodies

Pancreas- thickening, inflammation, masses

Kidney- structure, stones, ureter dilation

Uterus- pregnancy & fetal viability, infection in uterus (pyometra)

Urinary Bladder- bladder stones, masses

Adrenal glands- measure size

Look for free fluid in the abdomen- possibly blood, infection, ascites, leaking of urine

The ultrasound exam is invaluable by:

Showing the organ / organs involved- location

Extent or degree of the disease- single vs multiple lesion, size of lesion

Guides clinician in obtaining safe and representative samples of tissue or fluid via biopsy, needle aspirate, or tapping a pocket of fluid.

Determines if surgery is indicated- for example, a splenectomy surgery (removing the spleen) would not be advised in a patient with a splenic mass if the ultrasound also found multiple tumors throughout the liver, and intestines.

If surgery is indicated, helps surgeon plan the best approach to the diseased organ to assure the best surgical outcome.

A negative ultrasound where no structural abnormalities are detected is also valuable to the clinician. By ruling out major disease in the internal abdominal organs, attention can then be focused on diagnostics involving other systems, such as endocrine system which may be the underlying problem.