Our BayCare Kids doctors use many tests to diagnose, treat and monitor children who have congenital heart conditions. The results provide a foundation for the advanced pediatric cardiology care we provide.
Heart tests range from quick, in-office measurements to more complex procedures. No matter the test, we combine clinical expertise and advanced technology with compassionate care, always prioritizing your child’s safety, comfort and well-being.
We provide comprehensive heart testing for pediatric patients of all ages, including babies before birth.
It’s normal for children and parents to feel uneasy before a test or procedure. Our team uses child-friendly strategies to make the process as easy as possible. When needed, we offer safe sedation to help your child relax or sleep during testing. You also have the support of our nurse navigators and Child Life Specialists who work with families to coordinate care and make tests and procedures less stressful.
An echocardiogram is a common ultrasound test that creates still and moving images of your child’s heart. It uses a device called a transducer to send sound waves into the body. These waves echo back from the heart and are converted into images for detailed evaluation.
We are accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) to perform all three types of pediatric echocardiograms, including:
An electrocardiogram is a quick, painless test often performed in the office. Small adhesive patches are placed on your child’s chest, arms and legs to record their heart’s electrical activity. The results help us diagnose heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) and enlargement of the heart chambers.
Our pediatric cardiologists use EKGs to monitor and diagnose pediatric heart conditions. They also lend their expertise to providers across our health system, reviewing EKGs for potential issues.
An exercise test measures electrical activity in the heart while your child walks on a treadmill or rides a stationary bicycle. This test helps us:
A Holter monitor is a portable electrocardiogram that your child wears for a period of time—from one day up to several weeks. It continuously records their heart rhythm during daily activities. We compare these measurements with a log you keep of your child’s activities and symptoms to identify rhythm abnormalities.
A chest X-ray creates a picture of your child’s heart, lungs and surrounding structures. For children with heart conditions, it’s commonly used to evaluate heart size and shape and lung blood flow.
Cardiac CT scans and MRIs provide highly detailed images of your child’s heart and surrounding blood vessels. In some cases, these tests may be used instead of cardiac catheterization and angiogram.
CT scans require children to be still for a few minutes at a time, while MRIs require lying still for up to an hour. For young children and those who have difficulty remaining still, sedation by a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist can make testing easier.
Our pediatric cardiology team includes imaging specialists with expertise in cardiac CT and MRI scans. They read images taken throughout the BayCare health system, so your child receives the most appropriate care—no matter where they’re treated.
Our interventional cardiology team performs cardiac catheterizations and angiograms to evaluate your child's heart structure and function. If we find a problem, we can sometimes provide treatment during the same procedure.
A catheter is a long, hollow tube inserted into a blood vessel in the groin or neck and guided to the heart. We pass instruments through the catheter to measure blood pressure and oxygen levels in each heart chamber. We typically perform an angiogram as well. This procedure involves injecting contrast dye while taking specialized X-rays to observe blood flow through the heart.
An electrophysiology study provides detailed information about the electrical activity that controls your child’s heartbeat. A pediatric cardiologist with specialized training performs the study during cardiac catheterization.
Using instruments passed through the catheter, the care team maps the heart’s electrical activity. If we detect an abnormal signal, we may use heat or cold energy to ablate, or destroy, the small area of unhealthy tissue causing the rhythm problem. Our team was the first in Tampa Bay to implant the world’s smallest pacemaker to treat a pediatric patient with congenital heart disease.
An echocardiogram is a common ultrasound test that creates still and moving images of your child’s heart. It uses a device called a transducer to send sound waves into the body. These waves echo back from the heart and are converted into images for detailed evaluation.
We are accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) to perform all three types of pediatric echocardiograms, including:
An electrocardiogram is a quick, painless test often performed in the office. Small adhesive patches are placed on your child’s chest, arms and legs to record their heart’s electrical activity. The results help us diagnose heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) and enlargement of the heart chambers.
Our pediatric cardiologists use EKGs to monitor and diagnose pediatric heart conditions. They also lend their expertise to providers across our health system, reviewing EKGs for potential issues.
An exercise test measures electrical activity in the heart while your child walks on a treadmill or rides a stationary bicycle. This test helps us:
A Holter monitor is a portable electrocardiogram that your child wears for a period of time—from one day up to several weeks. It continuously records their heart rhythm during daily activities. We compare these measurements with a log you keep of your child’s activities and symptoms to identify rhythm abnormalities.
A chest X-ray creates a picture of your child’s heart, lungs and surrounding structures. For children with heart conditions, it’s commonly used to evaluate heart size and shape and lung blood flow.
Cardiac CT scans and MRIs provide highly detailed images of your child’s heart and surrounding blood vessels. In some cases, these tests may be used instead of cardiac catheterization and angiogram.
CT scans require children to be still for a few minutes at a time, while MRIs require lying still for up to an hour. For young children and those who have difficulty remaining still, sedation by a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist can make testing easier.
Our pediatric cardiology team includes imaging specialists with expertise in cardiac CT and MRI scans. They read images taken throughout the BayCare health system, so your child receives the most appropriate care—no matter where they’re treated.
Our interventional cardiology team performs cardiac catheterizations and angiograms to evaluate your child's heart structure and function. If we find a problem, we can sometimes provide treatment during the same procedure.
A catheter is a long, hollow tube inserted into a blood vessel in the groin or neck and guided to the heart. We pass instruments through the catheter to measure blood pressure and oxygen levels in each heart chamber. We typically perform an angiogram as well. This procedure involves injecting contrast dye while taking specialized X-rays to observe blood flow through the heart.
An electrophysiology study provides detailed information about the electrical activity that controls your child’s heartbeat. A pediatric cardiologist with specialized training performs the study during cardiac catheterization.
Using instruments passed through the catheter, the care team maps the heart’s electrical activity. If we detect an abnormal signal, we may use heat or cold energy to ablate, or destroy, the small area of unhealthy tissue causing the rhythm problem. Our team was the first in Tampa Bay to implant the world’s smallest pacemaker to treat a pediatric patient with congenital heart disease.
The best heart care for children happens when care teams work together. Our approach to pediatric heart testing is collaborative and includes pediatric cardiologists, nurses, nurse navigators, imaging specialists, technologists and Child Life Specialists.
We take time to explain every test and tailor the experience to your child’s age and needs. Working as a team, we provide gentle, coordinated care you can trust.
For more information about our pediatric heart services, or to make an appointment with one of our specialists, call the Kids Heart Hotline at (813) 644-6679.
