Week 3: Jada Okaikoi

 Jada Okaikoi | Clinician Mentor: Dr. Jiwon Kim

This week provided a deeper look into both the clinical and imaging sides of cardiology. I continued observing electrophysiology procedures, including catheter ablations performed in the left atrium to treat abnormal heart rhythms. These procedures use specialized mapping systems to identify areas of disrupted electrical conduction and deliver targeted ablation therapy to restore normal cardiac signaling.

I also had the opportunity to shadow a cardiologist and learn the fundamentals of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpretation. A major focus was identifying normal cardiac anatomy across different imaging planes and understanding how structural abnormalities appear on MRI. One pathology we discussed was septal flattening, a finding in which the interventricular septum deviates from its normal curved shape and becomes flattened due to increased pressure within the right ventricle. This finding can be an indicator of right ventricular pressure overload and is commonly evaluated when assessing conditions such as pulmonary hypertension and right-sided heart dysfunction.

In preparation for beginning my research project, I spent time learning image segmentation techniques using cardiac computed tomography (CT) datasets. Through training videos and software tutorials, I was introduced to methods for outlining cardiac structures and generating three-dimensional models from medical images. These skills will be important for my upcoming work analyzing right ventricular anatomy and wall motion, as well as investigating how blood flow velocity and pressure relate to the progression of tricuspid regurgitation. This experience highlighted the critical role that advanced imaging plays in understanding cardiac structure, function, and disease.


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