Diagnosing and treating heart tumors can be challenging for many reasons. Because they are rare and there are so many types of tumors, it may be difficult to determine the exact tumor type without a surgical biopsy. Collaborating with other centers across the United States and internationally, our doctors have led research efforts toward understanding how best to diagnose the type of tumor prior to surgery. This has allowed some children to avoid surgery and safely continue a wait-and-see approach. Through this and other work, we continue to develop best practices in managing heart tumors in children.
The Benderson Family Heart Center is world-renowned for the reliable, high- quality images we produce. Our experienced clinicians use advanced imaging techniques, such as cardiac MRI, two- and three-dimensional echocardiography, ultra-fast CT, catheter angiography, and 3-D printing to more accurately evaluate heart tumors.
Because many children with heart tumors also have heart rhythm abnormalities, our heart rhythm specialists are often members of the team. Once the diagnostic evaluation is completed and the tumor diagnosed, the team designs a unique treatment plan that sometimes includes a surgical approach.
We work with referring doctors to understand how the heart tumor was identified and how urgently a child needs evaluation and treatment. We also help determine whether the child needs care at Boston Children’s, or if they can continue to receive treatment at their home center.
