Current Environment: Production

Medical Services

Specialties

Programs & Services

Languages

  • English

Education

Undergraduate School

Duke University

1997, Durham, NC

Medical School

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

2002, Cleveland, OH

Residency

Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital

2006, Cleveland, OH

Fellowship

Cardiology

Boston Children's Hospital

2009, Boston, MA

Fellowship

Senior Fellow, Echocardiography and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

Boston Children's Hospital

2010, Boston, MA

Graduate School

Masters in Business Administration

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2022, Cambridge, MA

Certifications

  • American Board of Pediatrics (Cardiology)
  • American Board of Pediatrics (General)

Professional History

Dr. Rathod completed his medical school at Case Western Reserve University and his pediatrics residency at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.  He also served for an additional year as Chief Resident.  He subsequently completed his cardiology fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital, including serving as Chief Fellow.  His cardiology training included a fourth year as Senior Non-Invasive Fellow.  Dr. Rathod is currently a member of the Cardiac Imaging Division in the Department of Cardiology at Boston Children's Hospital performing cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and fetal, transesophageal, and transthoracic echocardiography.  As a staff cardiologist, he maintains a busy clinical practice as well.  His research interests focus primarily on the use of advanced CMR technologies in predicting outcomes of patients with complex congenital heart disease.  Much of his work is with patients with single ventricle heart disease (e.g. hypoplastic left heart syndrome) or with a Fontan circulation. He is the founder and Director of the Fontan Outcomes Registry Using CMR Examinations, which is an international consortium focused on improving outcomes in this population. In addition to clinical and academic pursuits, Dr. Rathod is dedicated to improving systems, processes, and organizations and serves as the Associate Chair/Cardiologist-in-Chief of Finance and Business Operations. 

Media

Healing for the Future

FORCE uses data and AI to improve the lives and outcomes of our patients after the Fontan operation. FORCE is the world’s largest collaboration and dataset in this population.

BostonMed Feature

Dr. Rahul Rathod featured on BostonMed, Episode 2

Publications

  1. Biomechanics and clinical implications of Fontan upsizing. Comput Biol Med. 2024 Dec; 183:109317. View Abstract

  2. Cardiac MRI Predictors of Arrhythmic Sudden Cardiac Events in Patients With Fontan Circulation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024 Dec 17; 84(25):2417-2426. View Abstract

  3. Characterization and z-score calculation of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging parameters in patients after the Fontan operation: A Fontan Outcome Registry using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Examinations study. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2024 Winter; 26(2):101113. View Abstract

  4. High-Performing Fontan Patients: A Fontan Outcome Registry by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. JACC Adv. 2024 Oct; 3(10):101254. View Abstract

  5. Life and Death: A Multicenter Study Evaluating Cardiologists' Approach to Difficult Conversations with Fontan Patients and Families. Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Aug 20. View Abstract

  6. Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance guidelines for reporting cardiovascular magnetic resonance examinations in patients with congenital heart disease. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2024 Winter; 26(2):101062. View Abstract

  7. Identifying high-risk Fontan phenotypes using K-means clustering of cardiac magnetic resonance-based dyssynchrony metrics. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2024 Winter; 26(2):101060. View Abstract

  8. Clinical Risk Assessment and Prediction in Congenital Heart Disease Across the Lifespan: JACC Scientific Statement. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024 May 28; 83(21):2092-2111. View Abstract

  9. Biomechanical Analysis of Age-Dependent Changes in Fontan Power Loss. Ann Biomed Eng. 2024 Sep; 52(9):2440-2456. View Abstract

  10. Complex patient with azygos continuation of the inferior vena cava: Value of flow simulation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2024 Dec; 168(6):e211-e216. View Abstract

  11. Impact of Age-Related Change in Caval Flow Ratio on Hepatic Flow Distribution in the Fontan Circulation. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2024 Apr; 17(4):e016104. View Abstract

  12. Design and implementation of multicenter pediatric and congenital studies with cardiovascular magnetic resonance: Big data in smaller bodies. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2024; 26(1):101041. View Abstract

  13. A Deep Learning Pipeline for Assessing Ventricular Volumes from a Cardiac MRI Registry of Patients with Single Ventricle Physiology. Radiol Artif Intell. 2024 01; 6(1):e230132. View Abstract

  14. How Good Are Cardiologists at Predicting Major Adverse Events in Fontan Patients? JACC Adv. 2024 Jan; 3(1):100736. View Abstract

  15. Ventricular dyssynchrony late after the Fontan operation is associated with decreased survival. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2023 11 20; 25(1):66. View Abstract

  16. Effectiveness of Rabeprazole and Other Proton Pump Inhibitors in Managing GERD with Varying Severity: A Retrospective, Real-world EMR-based Study (POWER GERD Study). J Assoc Physicians India. 2023 Oct; 71(10):37-44. View Abstract

  17. Impact of Age-related change in Caval Flow Ratio on Hepatic Flow Distribution in Fontan. medRxiv. 2023 Sep 08. View Abstract

  18. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Determine Single Ventricle Function in a Pediatric Population is Feasible in a Large Trial Setting: Experience from the Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial Longitudinal Follow up. Pediatr Cardiol. 2023 Oct; 44(7):1454-1461. View Abstract

  19. The Fontan Udenafil Exercise Longitudinal Trial: Subgroup Analysis. Pediatr Cardiol. 2023 Dec; 44(8):1691-1701. View Abstract

  20. Magnetic resonance three-dimensional steady-state free precession imaging of the thoracic duct in patients with Fontan circulation and its relationship to outcomes. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2023 06 12; 25(1):28. View Abstract

  21. Single Ventricular Torsional Mechanics After Fontan Palliation and Their Impact on Outcomes. JACC Adv. 2023 Jun; 2(4):100360. View Abstract

  22. Thromboprophylaxis in Patients With Fontan Circulation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023 01 31; 81(4):374-389. View Abstract

  23. Predicting and maybe preventing Fontan-associated liver disease. Heart. 2023 01 27; 109(4):248-249. View Abstract

  24. Longitudinal changes in ventricular size and function are associated with death and transplantation late after the Fontan operation. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2022 Nov 14; 24(1):56. View Abstract

  25. Isolated Coarctation of the Aorta: Current Concepts and Perspectives. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022; 9:817866. View Abstract

  26. Protein losing enteropathy after the Fontan operation. Int J Cardiol Congenit Heart Dis. 2022 Mar; 7:100338. View Abstract

  27. Characterization of Circulating and Urinary Biomarkers in the Fontan Circulation and Their Correlation With Cardiac Imaging. Am J Cardiol. 2022 01 01; 162:177-183. View Abstract

  28. Reaching consensus for unified medical language in Fontan care. ESC Heart Fail. 2021 10; 8(5):3894-3905. View Abstract

  29. Atrial pacing in Fontan patients: The effect of transvenous lead on clot burden. Heart Rhythm. 2021 11; 18(11):1860-1867. View Abstract

  30. Atrial function in the Fontan circulation: comparison with invasively assessed systemic ventricular filling pressure. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2021 Sep; 37(9):2651-2660. View Abstract

  31. Integrated Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessments Late After Fontan Operation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021 05 25; 77(20):2480-2489. View Abstract

  32. A Novel Pulmonary Valve Replacement Surgery Strategy Using Contracting Band for Patients With Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot: An MRI-Based Multipatient Modeling Study. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021; 9:638934. View Abstract

  33. Resynchronizing Right and Left Ventricles With Right Bundle Branch Block in the Congenital Heart Disease Population. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2020 12; 6(14):1762-1772. View Abstract

  34. The Adult Patient with a Fontan. Cardiol Clin. 2020 Aug; 38(3):379-401. View Abstract

  35. The Fontan outcomes network: first steps towards building a lifespan registry for individuals with Fontan circulation in the United States - CORRIGENDUM. Cardiol Young. 2020 09; 30(9):1381. View Abstract

  36. CMR-Derived Ventricular Global Function Index in Patients Late After the Fontan Operation. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2020 12; 13(12):2686-2687. View Abstract

  37. The Fontan outcomes network: first steps towards building a lifespan registry for individuals with Fontan circulation in the United States. Cardiol Young. 2020 Aug; 30(8):1070-1075. View Abstract

  38. Speckle tracking echocardiographically-based analysis of ventricular strain in children: an intervendor comparison. Cardiovasc Ultrasound. 2020 May 21; 18(1):15. View Abstract

  39. Multi-Band Surgery for Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot Patients With Reduced Right Ventricle Ejection Fraction: A Pilot Study. Front Physiol. 2020; 11:198. View Abstract

  40. Atrial function in Fontan patients assessed by CMR: Relation with exercise capacity and long-term outcomes. Int J Cardiol. 2020 08 01; 312:56-61. View Abstract

  41. Surveillance and screening practices of New England congenital cardiologists for patients after the Fontan operation. Congenit Heart Dis. 2019 Nov; 14(6):1013-1023. View Abstract

  42. Corrigendum to "Patient-specific in vivo right ventricle material parameter estimation for patients with tetralogy of fallot using MRI-Based models with different zero-load diastole and systole morphologies" [Int. J. Cardiol. 276 (2019) 93-99]. Int J Cardiol. 2020 Mar 15; 303:87. View Abstract

  43. Ventricle stress/strain comparisons between Tetralogy of Fallot patients and healthy using models with different zero-load diastole and systole morphologies. PLoS One. 2019; 14(8):e0220328. View Abstract

  44. Relation of Fontan Baffle Stroke Volume to Fontan Failure and Lower Exercise Capacity in Patients With an Atriopulmonary Fontan. Am J Cardiol. 2019 07 01; 124(1):151-157. View Abstract

  45. Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Congenital heart disease: Indications, patient preparation, and simple lesions. 2019; 359-379.

  46. Maldistribution of pulmonary blood flow in patients after the Fontan operation is associated with worse exercise capacity. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2018 12 17; 20(1):85. View Abstract

  47. Patient-specific in vivo right ventricle material parameter estimation for patients with tetralogy of Fallot using MRI-based models with different zero-load diastole and systole morphologies. Int J Cardiol. 2019 Feb 01; 276:93-99. View Abstract

  48. Three-Patch Aortic Root Reconstruction With Extended Left Main Coronary Artery Patch Augmentation in Neonates and Infants. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2019; 31(1):99-101. View Abstract

  49. Effects of Dose Reduction on Diagnostic Image Quality of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography in Children Using a Third-Generation Dual-Source Computed Tomography Scanner. Am J Cardiol. 2018 10 01; 122(7):1260-1264. View Abstract

  50. Impact of Ventricular Morphology on Fiber Stress and Strain in Fontan Patients. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2018 07; 11(7):e006738. View Abstract

  51. Inefficient Ventriculoarterial Coupling in Fontan Patients: A Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Study. Pediatr Cardiol. 2018 Apr; 39(4):763-773. View Abstract

  52. Combining smaller patch, RV remodeling and tissue regeneration in pulmonary valve replacement surgery design may lead to better post-surgery RV cardiac function for patients with tetralogy of Fallot. Mol Cell Biomech. 2018; 15:99-115.

  53. UpToDate, Post TW (Ed). Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: Anatomy, clinical features, and diagnosis. 2018.

  54. UpToDate, Post TW (Ed). Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: Management and outcome. 2018.

  55. Impact of standardized clinical assessment and management plans on resource utilization and costs in children after the arterial switch operation. Congenit Heart Dis. 2017 Dec; 12(6):768-776. View Abstract

  56. Comparison of Right Ventricle Morphological and Mechanical Characteristics for Healthy and Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot: An In Vivo MRI-Based Modeling Study. Mol Cell Biomech. 2017; 14(3):137-151. View Abstract

  57. Myocardial rescue with autologous mitochondrial transplantation in a porcine model of ischemia/reperfusion. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2017 04; 153(4):934-943. View Abstract

  58. Patient-Specific MRI-Based Right Ventricle Models Using Different Zero-Load Diastole and Systole Geometries for Better Cardiac Stress and Strain Calculations and Pulmonary Valve Replacement Surgical Outcome Predictions. PLoS One. 2016; 11(9):e0162986. View Abstract

  59. Factors associated with severe aortic dilation in patients with Fontan palliation. Heart. 2017 02 15; 103(4):280-286. View Abstract

  60. Right ventricular morphology and function following stage I palliation with a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt versus a right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduit. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2017 Jan; 51(1):50-57. View Abstract

  61. Myocardial Fibrosis in Congenital Heart Disease. Circ J. 2016 May 25; 80(6):1300-7. View Abstract

  62. Echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging based strain analysis of functional single ventricles: a study of intra- and inter-modality reproducibility. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2016 Jul; 32(7):1113-20. View Abstract

  63. Role of imaging in the evaluation of single ventricle with the Fontan palliation. Heart. 2016 Feb; 102(3):174-83. View Abstract

  64. Prenatal Diagnosis and Management of Berry Syndrome, a Rare Conotruncal Anatomy. Circulation. 2015 Oct 20; 132(16):1593-4. View Abstract

  65. Mechanical stress is associated with right ventricular response to pulmonary valve replacement in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Mar; 151(3):687-694.e3. View Abstract

  66. A fairy tale future for Fontans: Fact or fable? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015 Nov; 150(5):1370-1. View Abstract

  67. Laparoscopic Gastrojejunostomy Tube Placement in Infants with Congenital Cardiac Disease. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2015 Dec; 25(12):1047-50. View Abstract

  68. Differentiating standardized clinical assessment and management plans from clinical practice guidelines. Acad Med. 2015 Aug; 90(8):1002. View Abstract

  69. Comparison Between Echocardiography and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Predicting Transplant-Free Survival After the Fontan Operation. Am J Cardiol. 2015 Oct 01; 116(7):1132-8. View Abstract

  70. SCAMPs: A new tool for an old problem. J Hosp Med. 2015 Sep; 10(9):633-6. View Abstract

  71. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations: The consequences of bypassing the capillary bed. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015 Sep; 150(3):717-9. View Abstract

  72. Left Ventricular Dysfunction Following Neonatal Pulmonary Valve Balloon Dilation for Pulmonary Atresia or Critical Pulmonary Stenosis. Pediatr Cardiol. 2015 Aug; 36(6):1186-93. View Abstract

  73. A reinforced right-ventricle-to-pulmonary-artery conduit for the stage-1 Norwood procedure improves pulmonary artery growth. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015 Jun; 149(6):1502-8.e1. View Abstract

  74. Gathering and learning from relevant clinical data: a new framework. Acad Med. 2015 Feb; 90(2):143-8. View Abstract

  75. FSI modeling approach to develop right ventricle pulmonary valve replacement surgical procedures with a contracting actuator and improve ventricle ejection fraction. Procedia Engineering. 2015; 126:441-445.

  76. Exercise oscillatory ventilation in patients with Fontan physiology. Circ Heart Fail. 2015 Mar; 8(2):304-11. View Abstract

  77. Perinatal and infant outcomes of prenatal diagnosis of heterotaxy syndrome (asplenia and polysplenia). Am J Cardiol. 2014 Aug 15; 114(4):612-7. View Abstract

  78. Transposition of the great arteries and sinus venosus defect with partially anomalous pulmonary venous return: physiological and anatomic considerations. Cardiol Young. 2015 Apr; 25(4):787-9. View Abstract

  79. Cardiac magnetic resonance parameters predict transplantation-free survival in patients with fontan circulation. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014 05; 7(3):502-9. View Abstract

  80. Mixed aortic valve disease in the young: initial observations. Pediatr Cardiol. 2014 Aug; 35(6):934-42. View Abstract

  81. Standardized clinical assessment and management plans: a clinician-led approach to unwarranted practice variation. Virtual Mentor. 2014 Feb 01; 16(2):115-9. View Abstract

  82. Acute outcomes after introduction of a standardized clinical assessment and management plan (SCAMP) for balloon aortic valvuloplasty in congenital aortic stenosis. Congenit Heart Dis. 2014 Jul-Aug; 9(4):316-25. View Abstract

  83. A Multiphysics Modeling Approach to Develop Right Ventricle Pulmonary Valve Replacement Surgical Procedures with a Contracting Band to Improve Ventricle Ejection Fraction. Comput Struct. 2013 Jun 01; 122:78-87. View Abstract

  84. Standardized Clinical Assessment And Management Plans (SCAMPs) provide a better alternative to clinical practice guidelines. Health Aff (Millwood). 2013 May; 32(5):911-20. View Abstract

  85. Resource Utilization Reduction for Evaluation of Chest Pain in Pediatrics Using a Novel Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan (SCAMP). J Am Heart Assoc. 2012 Apr; 1(2). View Abstract

  86. Using contracting band to improve right ventricle ejection fraction for patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a modeling study using patient-specific CMR-based 2-layer anisotropic models of human right and left ventricles. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Jan; 145(1):285-93, 293.e1-2. View Abstract

  87. Relation of systemic-to-pulmonary artery collateral flow in single ventricle physiology to palliative stage and clinical status. Am J Cardiol. 2012 Apr 01; 109(7):1038-45. View Abstract

  88. Provider attitudes toward Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plans (SCAMPs). Congenit Heart Dis. 2011 Nov-Dec; 6(6):558-65. View Abstract

  89. Management of pediatric chest pain using a standardized assessment and management plan. Pediatrics. 2011 Aug; 128(2):239-45. View Abstract

  90. The evolving role of intraoperative balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in valve-sparing repair of tetralogy of Fallot. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2011 Dec; 142(6):1367-73. View Abstract

  91. Deciding without data. Congenit Heart Dis. 2010 Jul-Aug; 5(4):339-42. View Abstract

  92. A novel approach to gathering and acting on relevant clinical information: SCAMPs. Congenit Heart Dis. 2010 Jul-Aug; 5(4):343-53. View Abstract

  93. Resource utilization after introduction of a standardized clinical assessment and management plan. Congenit Heart Dis. 2010 Jul-Aug; 5(4):374-81. View Abstract

  94. Myocardial fibrosis identified by cardiac magnetic resonance late gadolinium enhancement is associated with adverse ventricular mechanics and ventricular tachycardia late after Fontan operation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010 Apr 20; 55(16):1721-8. View Abstract

One of my closest family members was born with complex congenital heart disease. She gets her cardiology care at Boston Children’s Hospital, so I have been there – not as a doctor, but as a family member watching her go through surgeries and procedures. I have seen the cardiology nurses and doctors from Boston Children’s help us when we needed it most. I understand the ups and downs that come with having a loved one go through these trials. I remember what it is like to be on the other side. I try to use those lessons to help make me a better doctor.

When I meet a family for the first time, be it in the fetal clinic with a new diagnosis, the outpatient clinic with a new concern, or over the phone as a consult for a second opinion, I think of it as the beginning of a long relationship. What I enjoy most about Pediatric Cardiology is the long term bonds I can build with patients and their families, measured not in months but in years. I am there every step of the way, in the best of times and the most difficult of times. I believe it is the strength of that relationship that helps me deliver better care.

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