Ricardo H. Pignatelli

My clinical interests include all aspects of non invasive imaging (echocardiography), including research in the field of Congenital Heart Disease, specifically in Doppler tissue analysis, including latest cardio mechanics assessment using strain and strain rate of ventricular function and its impact on myocardial functional. This includes areas such as Cardiomyopathies, post heart transplant surveillance and pediatric heart failure.   Clinical outcomes based on ventricular function assessments and clinical management are other areas of interest.

I am the assigned principal investigator for Texas Children’s Hospital, in a Pediatric Heart Network (PHN) project. This national project has the objective of collecting data to establish normative echocardiographic cardiac measurements for our pediatric population (including all races and ethnicities). 

Another area of interest is to collaborate and participate with South American institutions for the advancement and improvement of non invasive imaging.  Collaborative projects are underway with Mexico DF and Argentina.  

* Texas Children’s Hospital physicians’ licenses and credentials are reviewed prior to practicing at any of our facilities. Sections titled From the Doctor, Professional Organizations and Publications were provided by the physician’s office and were not verified by Texas Children’s Hospital.

Pignatelli R, McMahon C, Dreyer J, Denfield S, Price J, Belmont J, Craigen W, Wu J, El Said H, Bezold L, Clunie S, Fernbach S, Bowles N, Towbin J. Clinical Characterization of Left Ventricular Noncompaction in Children: A Relatively Common Form of Cardiomyopathy. Circulation,108:2672-78, 2003.

Jefferies J, Pignatelli R, Martinez H, Robbins-Furman P, Liu P, Gu W, Lupski J, Potocki L. Cardiovascular Findings in Duplication 17p11.2 Syndrome. Genetics in Medicine 1-5.2011.

Pignatelli R, Law M, Martinez H, Altman C, Ayres N, Jefferies J, Ganame J. Two Dimensional Speckle Tracking in the management of Paraganglioma. Texas Heart Instiute Journal 2012;39(1):119-21.

Pignatelli R, Texter KM, Denfield SW, Grenier MA, Altman CA, Ayres NA, Chandra-Bose Reddy S. LV Noncompaction in Ebstein's Anomaly in Infants and Outcomes.  JACC Cardiovascular Imaging 2014 Feb;7(2):207-9.

McMahon C, Pignatelli R. Echocardiography in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease. Additional cardiomyopathies. Chapter 23. Editors Eidem B, Cetta F and O’Leary P. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2013