The Gerald McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute at Allegheny General Hospital
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Part of the West Penn Allegheny Health System
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Cardiac MRI

About Us

Our History

Offering pioneering technology for the patient with cardiovascular disease has long been a tradition at Allegheny General Hospital. From the city's first cardiac catheterization laboratory in the early 1950's to coronary artery bypass, cardiac valve replacement, and heart transplants, AGH physicians have many of the region's, and often the nation's, "firsts" in heart care.

While proud of its tradition, this institution is not one to rest on its accomplishments. It is advancing heart care with one of the most exciting noninvasive diagnostic tools for the Cardiologist: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging or Cardiac MRI.

Allegheny General and the Gerald McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute are home to The Cardiac MRI Center, the region's first center and only dedicated cardiovascular MRI center in Pennsylvania. Begun in 2000, the AGH Cardiac MRI Center has undergone tremendous growth since 2001 under the leadership of Robert Biederman, M.D., an internationally recognized authority in cardiac MRI technology and research who, along with his highly specialized clinical/ research and development team, has contributed to the explosion in cardiovascular MRI uses and life-saving benefits across the world.

Our Mission

The Cardiac MRI Center is committed to achieving excellence in assessing heart disease through integration of state-of-the art cardiac MR imaging hardware and technology with innovative clinical research. To fulfill our mission of improving the diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment option of patients with heart disease, we are working to:

  • Develop, refine, and validate cardiac MRI for clinical applications
  • Investigate the pathophysiology of heart diseases using cardiac MRI
  • Use cardiac MRI to better understand the effects of medications for the heart
  • Participate in clinical trials at the national and international levels
  • Disseminate research in cardiac MRI through publication of scientific papers and presentations at local, national, and international conferences
  • Combine expertise in cardiac physics and software engineering to create new avenues of research in cardiac MRI technology
  • Play a key role in the advancement of MRI applications through participation of senior staff on peer reviews of nationally funded research at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Health (NIH), and the American Heart Association.
  • Educate physicians, post-doctoral research fellows, medical students, clinical investigators, and MRI technologists for today and tomorrow
  • Provide cardiac MRI services in an efficient and cost-effective manner

The Cardiac MRI Center mission also supports the broader mission of the Gerald McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute at Allegheny General Hospital.  At the forefront of cardiovascular care, the Gerald McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute combines a full-range of diagnostic cardiology services in one location to facilitate the delivery of care for the patient undergoing evaluation for heart disease.

Our Vision

  • To provide our patients with high quality, cost-effective clinical care delivered with compassion