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ForwardEchocardiography and Structural Heart Symposium, 43rd Annual
Course Summary
- 14.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 14.25 General certificate of attendance
- 14.25 Nurse Practitioners
- 14.00 Florida Board of Nursing
- 14.25 Florida Board of Pharmacy
- 14.00 Florida Board of Respiratory Therapy
Agenda
Friday, October 2, 2026
| 6:30 a.m. | Registration, Continental Breakfast and Visit Exhibits |
| 7:15 a.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT |
| 7:30 a.m. | Keynote: Approach to Valve Disease — When Is It Time to Act? Insights from Contemporary Trials in Valve Intervention and Structural Heart Disease: How to Benefit Abundant Options with Patient-Centered Solutions Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D. |
| MITRAL VALVE DISEASE: Decision-Making, Imaging and Intervention | |
| 7:50 a.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 7:55 a.m. | Primary vs. Secondary Mitral Regurgitation: When Should We Intervene? Vratika Agarwal, M.D. |
| 8:10 a.m. | Making Sense of Mitral Stenosis: Hemodynamics, MAC and Diagnostic Pitfalls Muhamed Saric, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 8:25 a.m. | The New Mitral Toolbox: How CT and MRI Are Reshaping Valve Therapy Omar Khalique, M.D. |
| 8:40 a.m. | FEATURED DEBATE — PART 1 Who Should Avoid the Operating Room? The Expanding Role of M-TEER and TMVR Stephen H. Little, M.D. |
| 8:55 a.m. | FEATURED DEBATE — PART 2 Why Surgery Still Does It Better: Repair, Durability and the Limits of Transcatheter Therapy Tom C. Nguyen, M.D. |
| 9:10 a.m. | FEATURED DEBATE — PART 3 Final Arguments Moderator: Muhamed Saric, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 9:20 a.m. | Break and Exhibits |
| CORE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY SKILLS: Real-World Imaging Challenges and Clinical Decision-Making | |
| 9:50 a.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 9:55 a.m. | Echo IQ: Rapid-Fire Cases, Pitfalls and Core Interpretation Pearls Moderator: Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT |
| 10:05 a.m. | Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: Imaging, Complications and Procedural Decision-Making Muhamed Saric, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 10:20 a.m. | Stress Echocardiography in 2026: Updates, Pitfalls and Clinical Applications Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D. |
| 10:40 a.m. | Left Atrial Strain Imaging: Clinical Relevance and Practical Application Christos George Mihos, D.O. |
| 10:47 a.m. | Diastology in Clinical Practice: Guidelines, Gray Zones and Real-World Applications Ana Victoria Soto-Quintela, M.D., FACC, FASE |
| 11:07 a.m. | Aspiration and Mechanical Aspiration: Procedural Echo in Structural and Right-Sided Heart Disease Sergiu Darabant, M.D. |
| 11:17 a.m. | FEATURED CASE DISCUSSION From Echocardiographic Suspicion to Surgical Intervention: A Multidisciplinary Valve Team Approach Case Presenter: Ricardo De La Villa, M.D. Imaging Commentary: Konstantinos P. Koulogiannis, M.D. Surgical Commentary: Ashok Kumar Coimbatore Jeyakumar, M.D., FACS |
| 11:37 a.m. | Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A |
| 11:47 a.m. | Lunch, Exhibits and Product Theater |
| THE NEW RIGHT HEART: RV Function, Tricuspid Disease and Structural Imaging | |
| 1:02 p.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 1:07 p.m. | Shunts and Intracardiac Communications: A Practical Echocardiographic Approach Muhamed Saric, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 1:22 p.m. | Right Heart IQ: Rapid-Fire RV Assessment, Pitfalls and Interpretation Pearls Moderator: Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT |
| 1:30 p.m. | RV Strain Imaging: Practical Applications in Pulmonary Hypertension and Tricuspid Valve Disease Christos George Mihos, D.O. |
| 1:37 p.m. | FEATURED IMAGING DEBATE: TEE vs CT/MRI in Mitral and Tricuspid Intervention: Which Modality Changes the Decision? Part 1: TEE Perspective Part 2: CT/MRI Perspective Part 3: Rebuttal and Expert Discussion Debaters: Vratika Agarwal, M.D. (TEE Perspective) Omar Khalique, M.D. (CT/MRI Perspective) Moderator: Konstantinos P. Koulogiannis, M.D. |
| 2:07 p.m. | TTVR Imaging Essentials: A Live Echocardiography Workshop Veronica Gonzalez Fernandez, RDCS, RVT, RDMS |
| 2:22 p.m. | Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A Moderator: Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT |
| 2:32 p.m. | Break, Exhibits and Product Theater |
| TRICUSPID VALVE DISEASE: The Next Frontier in Structural Heart Intervention | |
| 3:17 p.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 3:22 p.m. | Tricuspid IQ: Rapid-Fire Cases, Pitfalls and Imaging Pearls Moderator: Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT |
| 3:30 p.m. | TTE Work-Up of Tricuspid Valve Disease: A Practical Guide for Sonographers and Imaging Physicians Stephen H. Little, M.D. |
| 3:47 p.m. | Multimodality Imaging of the Right Heart: A CRISP Look at the Tricuspid Valve Omar Khalique, M.D. |
| 4:07 p.m. | Leadless vs Traditional Pacing: Device Selection and the Future of Tricuspid Valve Preservation Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT Bryan Ross Wilner, M.D. |
| 4:27 p.m. | FEATURED DEBATE PART 1: The Surgical Landscape of Tricuspid Valve Disease: When Should We Still Operate? Ashok Kumar Coimbatore Jeyakumar, M.D., FACS |
| 4:42 p.m. | FEATURED DEBATE PART 2: The Future of Tricuspid Valve Therapy: Repair, Replace, Extract or Observe? Muhamed Saric, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 4:57 p.m. | FEATURED DEBATE PART 3: Expert Rebuttals Moderator: Stephen H. Little, M.D. |
| 5:07 p.m. | Adjourn |
Saturday, October 3, 2026
| 6:30 a.m. | Registration, Continental Breakfast and Visit Exhibits |
| 7:25 a.m. | Welcome and Opening/Executive Remarks |
| ECHO FUNDAMENTALS, STRAIN IMAGING AND PROCEDURAL ECHO APPLICATIONS | |
| 7:30 a.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 7:35 a.m. | LV Strain Imaging: Clinical Applications, Pitfalls and Practical Utility Christos George Mihos, D.O. |
| 7:45 a.m. | When Hypertrophy Isn’t HCM: A “Strained” Case That Changed the Diagnosis Socrates V. Kakoulides, M.D. |
| 7:55 a.m. | HCM Through the Sonographer’s Lens: What Matters Most in Daily Practice Angelina Luxardo, RDCS, RDMS |
| 8:10 a.m. | Cardiomyopathies and MRI: What MRI Can Tell You Beyond Echocardiography Omar Khalique, M.D. |
| 8:25 a.m. | Infective Endocarditis: Diagnosis, Imaging Work-Up and the Surgery vs Antibiotic Dilemma Konstantinos P. Koulogiannis, M.D. |
| 8:40 a.m. | Advanced Echo Imaging: Strain, 3D, X-Plane and Real-Time Image Optimization Veronica Gonzalez Fernandez, RDCS, RVT, RDMS |
| 9:10 a.m. | Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A |
| 9:23 a.m. | Break and Exhibits |
| AORTIC VALVE DISEASE: Timing, Lifetime Management and Intervention Strategy | |
| 9:53 a.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 9:58 a.m. | Aortic Valve IQ: Rapid-Fire Cases, Pitfalls and Hemodynamic Pearls Moderator: Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT |
| 10:03 a.m. | Aortic Regurgitation: Defining Severity, Outcomes and Treatment Timing Vratika Agarwal, M.D. |
| 10:23 a.m. | FEATURED CASE DISCUSSION Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis With Discordant Imaging Findings: When Should We Intervene? Case Presentation: Ana Victoria Soto-Quintela, M.D., FACC, FASE Moderators: Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D., and Ashok Kumar Coimbatore Jeyakumar, M.D., FACS |
| 10:43 a.m. | Deciphering Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis: Are We Overtreating? Stephen H. Little, M.D. |
| 10:58 a.m. | FEATURED DEBATE: Aortic Valve Therapy in 2026: TAVR, SAVR or Lifetime Valve Strategy? Part 1: When Surgery Still Wins: Durability, Lifetime Management and Complex Aortic Valve Disease Part 2: TAVR in 2026: How Far Should We Go? Part 3: The Heart Team Perspective: Evidence, Guidelines and Real-World Decision-Making Debaters: Tom C. Nguyen, M.D. Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D. Stephen H. Little, M.D. Moderator: Omar Khalique, M.D. |
| 11:28 a.m. | Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A |
| 11:38 a.m. | Lunch, Exhibits and Product Theater |
| ADVANCED ECHO APPLICATIONS: When Echo Alone Is Not Enough | |
| 12:53 p.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 12:58 p.m. | AI in Echocardiography: From Image Acquisition to Diagnosis Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D. |
| 1:13 p.m. | Elevated Gradients After TAVR: Is Echo Enough? When Multimodality Imaging Changes the Diagnosis — and the Treatment Pedro Covas, M.D. |
| 1:28 p.m. | Part I: Know Your Prosthetic Valves: Aortic Edition — Rapid-Fire Cases and “Don’t Miss” Pearls Konstantinos P. Koulogiannis, M.D. |
| 1:43 p.m. | Part II: Know Your Prosthetic Valves: Mitral and Tricuspid Edition — Repairs, Replacements, TMVR /TTVR and “Don’t Miss” Pearls Konstantinos P. Koulogiannis, M.D. |
| 1:58 p.m. | When the Diagnosis Isn’t Obvious: A Multimodality Approach to a Challenging Case Socrates V. Kakoulides, M.D. Moderator: Omar Khalique, M.D. |
| 2:10 p.m. | Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A |
| SURGICAL MYSTERIES: Failed Valves, Salvage Therapy and High-Stakes Decision-Making | |
| 2:20 p.m. | Panel Introductions |
| 2:25 p.m. | Surgical Mystery IQ: Rapid-Fire Cases, Failed Valves and Imaging Pitfalls Elliott J. Elias, M.D., MPH, FACC, FASE, FSCCT |
| 2:30 p.m. | Echo Mystery: Seeing Beyond the Obvious Jessica O'Connor |
| 2:45 p.m. | Aortic Regurgitation Through the Eyes of a Surgeon: When Is It Time to Operate? Bradley S. Taylor, M.D., MPH |
| 3:05 p.m. | FEATURED STRUCTURAL CASE Valve-in-Valve TAVR: Coronary Access, Lifetime Management and Procedural Planning Lowie Van Assche, M.D. |
| 3:20 p.m. | FEATURED INTERACTIVE CASE DISCUSSION When Structural Therapy Fails: Real-World Aortic Valve Rescue Cases Panelists: Ashok Kumar Coimbatore Jeyakumar, M.D., FACS Bradley S. Taylor, M.D., MPH |
| 3:50 p.m. | Closing Discussion and Final Take-Home Pearls |
| 4:00 p.m. | Adjourn |
NOTE: Schedule subject to change.
Loews Coral Gables Hotel
2950 Coconut Grove Dr.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
United States
+1 (786) 772-7600
Located just four blocks south of the iconic Miracle Mile, Loews Coral Gables Hotel is part of a mixed-use new development - The Plaza Coral Gables.
In addition to its 242 expertly appointed guestrooms, refined amenities, and expansive indoor and outdoor meeting space, The Plaza Coral Gables is home to new office space, residential units, high-end retail, and a public collection of curated international art.
Rooms Rates and Highlights
- Special group rates starting from $299 USD per night, plus taxes/fees
- Room service - Free Wi-Fi - Complimentary fitness center access - Spa - Pool
Services + Amenities
Pick your lounge chair and take a dip in our pool, located on our 9th-floor al fresco deck. Enjoy full food and beverage service featuring delicious poolside cuisine and hand-shaken cocktails for soaking up the Miami sun. Enjoy panoramic views of downtown Coral Gables and enhance your pool day with a VIP cabana experience.
Relax and renew at The Spa at Loews Coral Gables, featuring restorative body therapies and facial treatments, as well as hair and nail salon services set in an elegant ambiance. The Spa offers a serene and elegant ambiance to indulge in self-care.
Adjacent to The Spa is our Fitness Studio, the perfect escape for an energizing workout, featuring state-of-art equipment and free weights including Peloton bikes and Technogym cardio equipment.
Dining
Savor the flavors of Miami with locally curated sips and bites at four distinct restaurants and lounges. Enjoy some of Coral Gables’ best culinary experiences, from al fresco, and poolside dining to approachable all-American fare, elevated mixology, and quick, fresh bites.
Travel Information
The drive time between the Loews Coral Gables Hotel and Miami International Airport (MIA) is around 20 minutes and covers a distance of around 5 miles.
Coral Gables
From historic Mediterranean Revival architecture to a thriving cultural scene, Coral Gables is truly the City Beautiful. Coral Gables was planned in the 1920s by visionary developer George Merrick. Situated a few miles southwest of Downtown Miami, the area is filled with wide, tree-lined avenues named after Spanish and Italian towns. It features stunning Mediterranean Revival architecture complemented by plazas, parks and fountains.
Symposium Director
Cardiologist
Medical Director of Cardiac and Structural Imaging
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Miami, Florida
Faculty
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Knight Cardiovascular Institute
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, Oregon
Cardiologist
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Miami, Florida
Director of Aortic Disease
Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care
Professor of Cardiovascular Sciences
FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Miami, Florida
Medical Cardiologist
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Miami, Florida
Medical Cardiologist
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Miami, Florida
Echocardiographer
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Miami, Florida
Medical Director, Diagnostic Center
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Baptist Health Medical Group
Miami, Florida
Director, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging
Saint Francis Hospital and Catholic Health System of Long Island
Director, Cardiovascular Imaging Research and Education
DeMatteis Cardiovascular Institute
Roslyn, New York
Structural Cardiologist
Director, Structural Heart Imaging
Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute
Atlantic Health System
Morristown, New Jersey
President, American Society of Echocardiography
Director, Cardiovascular Fellowship Program
Director of Structural Heart, Houston Methodist Hospital System
John S. Dunn Chair in Clinical Cardiovascular Research and Education
Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
Department of Cardiology, Houston Methodist Hospital
Houston, Texas
Cardiovascular Sonographer
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Miami, Florida
Director, Echocardiography Laboratory
Columbia University Division of Cardiology
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Miami Beach, Florida
Chief Medical Executive
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Director of Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery
Barry T. Katzen Endowed Chair
Professor of Surgery
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Miami, Florida
The Betty Knight Scripps Professor of Cardiovascular Disease Clinical Research
Past President, Mayo Clinic Officers and Councilors
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
Consultant, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota
Director, Noninvasive Cardiology & Echo Lab
Professor of Medicine
New York University Langone Health
New York, New York
Director of Cardiovascular Imaging
South Miami Hospital
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Miami, Florida
Chief of Cardiac Surgery
Baptist Health North Region
Chief of Quality and Outcomes
Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care
Boca Raton, Florida
Cardiac Electrophysiologist
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Miami, Florida
Disclosures and Resolution of Conflict of Interest Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer
Accreditation
Baptist Health South Florida is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Baptist Health has been re-surveyed by the ACCME and awarded Commendation for 6 years as a provider of CME for physicians.
Baptist Health South Florida designates this live activity for a maximum of 14.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This activity has been approved for a total of 14.25 credit hours, CE Broker Course #20-1381102, by the Florida Boards of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and by the Florida Council of Physician Assistants.
This activity has been approved for 14.0 credits for Nurse Practitioners and Nurses, Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs, and Respiratory Therapists. CE Broker Course #20-1381102. Baptist Health South Florida CE Broker Provider #50-182.
American Board of Surgery - Maintenance of Certification (MOC) - Accredited CME- General and Vascular Surgery
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Sonographers and vascular technologists may use these credits to fulfill their ARDMS requirements. The ARDMS accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) accepts CEs accredited by the ACCME. Individuals are responsible for checking with the AANPCB for further guidelines.
AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ claimed by physicians attending live events certified and organized in the United States for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ can be claimed through the agreement on mutual recognition of credits between UEMS and AMA, considered as being equal to the European Continuous Medical Education Credits (ECMEC©) granted by the UEMS. One AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ is equivalent to one (1) hour of European EACCME Credit (ECMEC©). Each medical specialist should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.
Disclaimer
Baptist Health South Florida presents this CME activity for use by healthcare professionals for educational purposes only. Opinions, perspectives and information presented by the faculty represent their ideas and views, and participants should carefully consider all available scientific data before acting on knowledge gained through this activity. Additionally, participants should consult the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approved uses prior to prescribing medications or utilizing medical devices discussed in this activity.
While Baptist Health makes reasonable efforts to ensure that accurate information is presented, no warranty, expressed or implied, is offered. Participants should rely on their own clinical judgment, knowledge and experience before applying information acquired to their professional use.
Available Credit
- 14.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 14.25 General certificate of attendance
- 14.25 Nurse Practitioners
- 14.00 Florida Board of Nursing
- 14.25 Florida Board of Pharmacy
- 14.00 Florida Board of Respiratory Therapy
Price
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