New pediatric lab for heart health opens at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has opened the region’s first pediatric cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology lab.

According to a Friday, July 12 press release, a cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology lab is now open in the Children’s Tower at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

The completion of the lab comes 14 months after the opening of the 16-story Children’s Tower , which offers acute, intensive, surgical, emergency and Level I pediatric trauma care.

According to the release, the lab is outfitted with the newest imaging equipment that provides low-dose, three-dimensional rotational angiography, or a type of X-ray to check blood vessels, for CT scans and electrical images of the heart.

The scans are overlayed with existing images in real time for a complete picture of the heart’s functioning.

Prior to the lab’s opening, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU shared cardiac procedure space with the teams caring for adults at VCU Medical Center.

The hospital received approval for the lab in 2023, and construction began shortly after to convert rooms adjacent to the cardiac operating room on Level 2 of the Children’s Tower into a space to serve children and families as promptly as possible, with the suite designed to combine clinical care and comfort.

According to Christopher Snyder, M.D., chief of Children’s Hospital of Richmond’s Department of Pediatric Cardiology, the lab includes a family waiting room steps away from the procedure suite, a television for children to watch while preparing for surgery, as well as a team available 24/7.

“It changes the game when you go from a space with white walls to pops of color. Every detail was included to make the space ideal for caring for kids,” Snyder said.

The $7.5 million project was funded through the Children’s Hospital Foundation .

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