Our Services

The Cardiac Amyloidosis Program is a unique collaboration among clinicians and researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, providing a focused and thorough approach to caring for patients with all forms of cardiac amyloidosis. The Program offers comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services, including:

• Cardiac biopsy with advanced tissue-staining techniques to confirm the presence of cardiac amyloidosis and to type precisely the particular form of amyloid deposited in the heart;

• Genetic testing for patients with suspected familial amyloidosis;

Pictured is an endomyocardial biopsy specimen stained with sulfated Alcian blue, which produces a green color for amyloid and a yellow color for myocytes (muscle cells). In this particular case, the amyloid deposits far exceed the myocytes. Further testing confirmed a diagnosis of senile systemic amyloidosis.

• Precise assessment of cardiac function by state-of-the-art, noninvasive testing, including echocardiographic strain imaging by speckle tracking and coronary flow reserve by PET scanning, in order to better determine patient eligibility for aggressive therapy;

• Evaluation by the Advanced Heart Disease Program within the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for selected patients potentially eligible for heart transplantation;

• Sophisticated cardiac electrophysiology procedures, including implantable cardioverter-defibrillator or pacemaker, for the treatment of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias;

• Disease-specific treatment, such as chemotherapy for patients with light-chain associated (AL) amyloidosis and access to new investigational agents for amyloid of aging and familial cardiac amyloidosis.

• Diagnosis and treatment of uncommon diseases that may mimic cardiac amyloidosis on the echocardiogram, such as mitochondrial cardiomyopathy and Fabry disease.

In addition, the program provides patient care coordination with non-cardiac specialists for other conditions that often coexist with cardiac amyloidosis, including pulmonary hypertension, peripheral and autonomic neuropathy, and renal and gastroenterological disorders.

“Our approach is patient-centered,” says Dr. Falk. “The international amyloidosis community of doctors is small but of extremely high quality. Although the vast majority of problems posed by these complicated patients can be managed with our Program’s extensive resources, I never hesitate to consult a colleague, locally or internationally, if an unusual situation arises. Similarly, my colleagues have consulted us, and this leads to a collaborative model that greatly benefits the patient.”