Royal Brompton Hospital consultant cardiologist, Professor Roxy Senior, has been selected as an Honorary Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography.
Echocardiography is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses ultrasound waves to create pictures of the structure and function of the heart. This Honorary Fellowship is presented to echocardiographers outside the United States who have made a significant contribution to the field of cardiovascular ultrasound imaging, inspiring clinicians through their research and leadership. Only a small number of other prominent experts in the field of echocardiography have been recognised as Honorary Fellows by the American Society of Echocardiography, and Professor Senior is the first from the UK to be presented with this prestigious title.
Professor Senior said: “I am very happy and proud to be recognised by the American Society of Echocardiography. Echocardiography is a marvellous tool for clinicians, allowing us to see what the heart it is doing in real time through a non-invasive procedure, helping us to diagnose heart disease.”
Dr Richard Grocott-Mason, Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals’ managing director, said: “I am delighted to see Professor Senior recognised in this way. He has always strived for excellence in the field of cardiac imaging and his work has furthered knowledge in this area considerably.”
Professor Senior became interested in echocardiography as a trainee cardiologist when it was still new technology, and soon became a champion of the imaging technique, promoting the use of stress echo to diagnose coronary artery disease – this involves patients’ hearts being monitored with echocardiography imaging while exercising to check for abnormalities. He eventually went on to help pioneer a new technique that combines echocardiography imaging with microbubbles consisting of inert gas that are injected into the blood, allowing clinicians to look at the blood flow in patients’ muscles, helping to diagnose heart problems quicker. Called myocardial contrast echocardiography, this technique is now recognised internationally, with Professor Senior writing the first guidelines on it.
The echocardiography department at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals has national and international recognition and is recognised internationally as a centre of excellent standards of clinical practice in echocardiography.