Advanced Cardiac Imaging: Changing Heart Care in New Hampshire 

By Vikas Veeranna, MD and Peter Shaw, MD  

Advanced cardiac imaging, especially cardiac MRI, is transforming heart care in New Hampshire by delivering precise, radiation-free diagnostics that guide personalized treatment. At The Elliot Heart and Vascular Center in Manchester, NH, fellowship-trained cardiologists use noninvasive heart tests to detect early signs of heart disease, tailor care plans, and improve outcomes without surgery. For patients with risk factors or family history, cardiac MRI provides clarity and confidence, helping you take charge of your heart health. 

When we meet with patients who have questions about their heart health, many are surprised to learn how much we can see today without surgery or invasive testing. Over the past decade, advanced cardiac imaging has transformed the way we diagnose and manage heart disease. At The Elliot Heart and Vascular Center, we have built one of the few programs in New Hampshire that offers this level of expertise and technology. 

Cardiac MRI lets us see the heart in amazing detail. Using an MRI machine, we can look at how the heart looks and how it works. It shows how well the heart pumps blood and whether there are any changes in the heart muscle that could affect your health in the future. 

Why Cardiac MRI is the Gold Standard in Heart Imaging 

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every five deaths each year is due to heart disease. The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that someone dies from heart disease every 34 seconds. These numbers show why early and accurate diagnosis of heart disease is so crucial. 

Cardiac MRI is considered the gold standard for evaluating how well the heart is pumping. It provides a clear, three-dimensional picture of the heart without using radiation. Instead, we use a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of the heart. This technology helps us answer very specific questions that other tests, such as echocardiograms (ultrasound of the heart), nuclear stress tests or CT scans, cannot always answer. 

With a cardiac MRI scan, we can identify scar tissue from a past heart attack, detect inflammation or irritation of the heart muscle, measure the size and function of each heart chamber, and see whether the heart muscle is affected by conditions such as amyloidosis which is caused by abnormal proteins in the heart. For patients with certain forms of inherited heart disease, this level of precision helps us detect early changes even before symptoms appear. 

Advanced Cardiac Imaging in New Hampshire 

At The Elliot Heart and Vascular Center, advanced cardiac imaging, particularly cardiac MRI, is fully integrated into a comprehensive cardiovascular care model. This level of diagnostic precision and collaboration, which is typically seen at major academic medical centers, is available right here in southern New Hampshire. Very few facilities in the region offer this kind of expertise, technology, and team-based approach. 

What makes this integration so impactful is the seamless coordination between the cardiac imaging specialists, other cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons. Each scan is tailored to the patient’s unique needs, ensuring accurate and clinically meaningful results. In the past, patients often had to travel for this caliber of testing. Now, they can receive it locally without sacrificing quality or continuity of care. It is a significant advancement that brings world-class cardiac diagnostics directly to our community. 

How Cardiac MRI and Heart Imaging Guide Personalized Treatment 

Cardiac MRI and other forms of advanced imaging are not just about diagnosing your heart problem; they help your cardiologist decide what to do next. These scans often provide the missing piece of information that allows the personalization of your cardiovascular care. 

For example, a patient with heart failure would need to know whether their symptoms are due to blocked arteries, a weakened heart muscle, or inflammation of the heart muscle. Each of those causes requires a different treatment approach and cardiac MRI allows us to diagnose the cause without invasive procedures. 

Cardiac MRI is also used to monitor how well treatment is working. For example, in patients undergoing chemotherapy, cardiac MRI can detect early signs of heart injury caused by certain medications allowing for adjustment of therapy before lasting damage occurs. In other cases, cardiac MRI imaging is used to decide whether a patient would benefit from a defibrillator, ablation, or surgical procedure. 

 Early Detection and Prevention of Heart Disease Through Advanced Imaging 

For decades, cardiology was focused on treating heart disease after it appeared. Today, advanced cardiac imaging allows us to move toward prevention. When we can identify risk or early changes of heart disease before symptoms develop, we have an opportunity to intervene sooner and protect the heart from future damage. 

The CDC lists high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity as key risk factors for heart disease. Each of these increase strain on the heart, often silently. Imaging gives us a way to see how those factors are affecting the heart muscle long before a heart attack or heart failure occurs. 

In New Hampshire, heart disease accounts for roughly one in four deaths each year, similar to national trends. These numbers highlight why continued awareness and access to advanced diagnostics remain vital for our region. 

Women also need to be aware of their risk of heart disease. During their childbearing years, women have some natural protection against heart disease, but this fades with age. After age 65, women’s risk equals that of men, and by age 75, it exceeds it. Complications during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, can also raise the chance of heart disease later in life. Knowing your risk, getting checked early, and keeping up with regular monitoring can make a real difference.  

Fellowship-Trained Cardiologists and the Team Approach at The Elliot 

Advanced imaging is part of a larger, integrated heart and vascular team. We collaborate daily with interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardio-oncologists, heart failure specialists, and cardiovascular surgeons. If imaging shows a patient needs a procedure or closer follow-up, we connect them quickly with the right specialist. This coordination ensures smooth transitions from diagnosis to treatment to recovery. 

At The Elliot Heart and Vascular Center, patients receive more than just a test. They benefit from a connected, collaborative care experience focused on precision, communication, and long-term heart health. 

How You Can Take Charge of Your Heart Health 

Imaging is just one part of understanding your heart health, but it is a powerful one that can make a real difference. Our advice to anyone concerned about heart disease is to start by knowing your numbers: blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. Talk with your primary care provider about your family history and any symptoms you have noticed, even if they seem minor. If you are at higher risk or already under a cardiologist’s care, ask if advanced cardiac imaging could help you learn more. 

Early, personalized information allows you and your care team to make confident, informed decisions. That is what modern heart care is all about. 

About the Authors

This article was co-authored by Dr. Vikas Veeranna and Dr. Peter Shaw, cardiologists specializing in advanced cardiac imaging at The Elliot Heart and Vascular Center.