Biography
Rafael Zonana Amkie, M.D., is a Pediatric Cardiologist at Children’s Health℠. He specializes in fetal cardiology and prenatal counseling, echocardiography and complex congenital heart disease. His care philosophy is to support patients and their families in the face of complex diagnoses and to provide specialized and comprehensive care throughout their heart journey, giving weaker hearts a chance to beat longer and stronger.
“I believe one of the greatest strengths of a pediatric cardiologist is the ability and willingness to meet all of a patient's medical and psychological needs,” he says.
I believe one of the greatest strengths of a pediatric cardiologist is the ability and willingness to meet all of a patient's medical and psychological needs.
Dr. Zonana Amkie earned his medical degree from Anahuac University Medical School, completed his residency in pediatrics at Nicklaus Children's Hospital and completed both his fellowship in pediatric cardiology and his advanced training in non-invasive cardiac imaging with a focus on fetal cardiology and echocardiography at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
His research activities encompass numerous publications related to advanced non-invasive cardiac imaging, include examining the effectiveness of CT scans to evaluate childhood heart tumors in patients not suitable for cardiac MRI, better understanding the development of branch pulmonary artery stenosis in babies with right-sided congenital heart defects, as well as why some babies experience jaundice after heart surgery and how that impacts their outcome.
Outside of work, Dr. Zonana Amkie enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, especially with his two daughters. He also enjoys hiking and running, discovering new restaurants and reading science-fiction and history novels
Education and Training
- Medical School
- Anahuac University Medical School (2016)
- Residency
- Nicklaus Children's Hospital (2020), Pediatrics
- Fellowship
- University of Texas Health Science Ctr - Houston (2024), Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houst (2023), Pediatric Cardiology
Departments and Programs
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Research Interests
- Fetal cardiology
- Prenatal counseling
- Echocardiography
- Complex congenital heart disease
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Publications
- Zonana Amkie R, Buddhavarapu A, Patel M, et al. Computed Tomography Tissue Characterization of Pediatric Cardiac Tumor. J Am Coll Cardiol Case Rep. 2023 Sep, 21 (null).
- Vasquez Choy AL, Zonana Amkie R, Adebo DA. Role of Cardiac CTA to Evaluate Branch Pulmonary Artery Stenosis and Ductal Insertion Pattern in Right-Sided Congenital Heart Defects. Pediatr Cardiol. 2023 Jul 21.
- Pasternack Daniel M, Sasaki J, Zonana Amkie R, AlQahtani, M; Conjugated Hyperbilirubinemia as a Predictor of Mortality and Morbidity Following Cardiac Surgery. Pediatrics. 2020 Jul, 146 1_MeetingAbstract: 640–642.
- Pasternack, D.M, AlQahtani, M, Zonana Amkie R, Sosa, L.J, Reyes, M, Sasaki, J. Risk factors and outcomes for hyperbilirubinemia after heart surgery in children. 5 May 2020. Cardiology in the Young. 30(6): 761-768.
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Professional Activities
- American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)
- American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP)
- American College of Cardiology (ACC)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT)
- Fetal Heart Society (FHS)
- American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)
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Awards and Honors
- Hospital Angeles Mocel: Undergraduate Intern – Mexico City, Mexico.
- Distinction for outstanding performance (January – December 2014)
- Anahuac University, Corporate Communications: Scholarship Program – Mexico City, Mexico.
- Recognition for outstanding performance (July – December 2011)
- Recognition for valuable contributions and outstanding performance (July – December 2010)
- Recognition for outstanding work and strong commitment (August – December 2009)