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LONG BEACH, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Christina Rodriguez, M.D., has been named medical director of advanced cardiac imaging at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center. Dr. Rodriguez is a fellowship-trained, board-certified, non-invasive cardiologist who specializes in various forms of advanced cardiac imaging. She is only 1 of 2 in the Southern Los Angeles/Orange County area who specializes in advanced cardiac imaging.
“Dr. Rodriguez is an amazing addition to our team at the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, and we are excited to bring this next-level cardiac imaging expertise to our community,” says David Kim, M.D., executive vice president, MemorialCare Clinical Institutes. “Dr. Rodriguez’s capabilities in advanced cardiac imaging will undoubtedly save lives by providing precise images of the heart for clearer diagnoses, without ionizing radiation.”
In her new role, Dr. Rodriguez will focus on providing patient-centered care through state-of-the-art technology for cardiac MRI, cardiac CT and structural echocardiograms to advance the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center’s understanding of heart disease and ensuring each patient is diagnosed and treated with the best treatment possible.
“Every action we take at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center is to help elevate our program to provide cardiac services on par with academic institutions at a community hospital,” says David Shavelle, M.D., chief of cardiology, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute. “With the addition of Dr. Rodriguez, MemorialCare has one of the most advanced cardiac programs in the region, with a focus always on a ‘minimally invasive approach first mentality.'”
Dr. Rodriguez’s specialties include reading and managing cardiac MRIs, cardiac CTs, and performing intraprocedural structural transesophageal echocardiograms (TEEs) for procedures such as Tricuspid and Mitral Valve Clip, and patent foramen ovales (PFO), which is a small opening in the heart. She is also board certified in reading cardiac nuclear studies, cardiac echocardiogram and cardiac CT.
“I am excited to expand Long Beach Medical Center’s advanced cardiac imaging capabilities to help our understanding of heart disease and how we can better help patients in our community,” says Dr. Rodriguez. “There are so many different minimally invasive and noninvasive ways to look into the heart – I plan to continue bringing new advanced technologies and services to our program to help patients with advanced heart conditions.”
Dr. Rodriguez is currently assisting with various research efforts, including the TEE imaging portion of the Allay-HF study – a study beginning at Long Beach Medical Center designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Alleviant System in patients with heart failure and who remain symptomatic despite medical therapy.
“There are so many different research opportunities in the field of advanced cardiac imaging, including cardiac perfusion, how blood flows to the heart, the analysis of plaque buildup in the arteries, and assessing microvascular dysfunction in women” says Dr. Rodriguez. “With the upcoming introduction of stress cardiac MRI at Long Beach Medical Center, we will better understand how microvascular dysfunction affects women – it is one of our main focuses in our new Women’s Heart Center.”
Dr. Rodriguez received her medical degree and did her residency in internal medicine at the University Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She then completed a fellowship in cardiology at Scripps Clinic/Green Hospital in San Diego and a second fellowship in advanced cardiac imaging at Stanford University in Stanford.
Driven by her passion for patient care, Dr. Rodriguez finds fulfillment in the human connection medicine offers and tailors care to each patient’s unique needs. Growing up in Puerto Rico, she speaks fluent Spanish and speaks conversational French, helping her provide patient centered care and treat their heart needs.
“First and foremost, I am a cardiologist who happens to be specialized in advanced cardiac imaging,” says Dr. Rodriguez. “All of my specialties are just tools that ultimately help my patients and give them the specialized care they need.”
About MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center:
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center is a member of MemorialCare, a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system. Long Beach Medical Center has been providing the community with compassionate, quality health care for more than 100 years. At the forefront of specialized care, research, and education, Long Beach Medical Center uses the most advanced healthcare technologies, including pioneering surgical systems like – ExactechGPS® and ExcelsiusGPS®. Recognized among the top 3% of all California acute care hospitals, Long Beach Medical Center is recognized as “Best Hospital” for OBGYN and Orthopedics and ranked regionally in the Los Angeles Metro Area by U.S. News & World Report and earned Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. With premier centers dedicated to cancer, heart, rehabilitation, orthopedics, neurosciences, and trauma, physicians and surrounding hospitals continually refer to its accredited programs. For more information, visit memorialcare.org/LongBeach.
SOURCE MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
