The Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Imaging Center: A Unique Setting For Clinical Care, Training, and Collaborative Research

The past decade has seen an accelerated evolution of cardiovascular imaging. Not only have the accuracy and resolution of various imaging techniques improved, but our understanding of the different strengths of each technique has deepened with experience. As multimodality imaging emerged as a clinical ideal, The Methodist Hospital found itself superbly situated to make it a clinical reality. The genesis of the Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Imaging Center, which fully came into being in January 2008, may contain useful lessons for other institutions interested in developing comprehensive imaging capabilities for the benefit of patients, trainees, physicians, and researchers.