Clinical expertise
Professor Dudley Pennell is a specialist in cardiology, nuclear medicine and radiology, and is the head of heart assessment.
His areas of expertise include:
- cardiomyopathy
- myocarditis including COVID
- myocardial perfusion imaging
- thalassemia (inherited blood disorder)
Locations
Our specialist provides care at these locations:
Biography
Professor Dudley Pennell is a professor of cardiology who images private and NHS patients at Royal Brompton Hospital.
Professor Pennell studied at St John’s College, University of Cambridge, before completing his medical training at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. He continued training at the London Chest Hospital (now the Barts Heart Centre at St Bartholomew’s Hospital).
Since 1988, Professor Pennell has specialised in cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. In 2012, Professor Pennell was awarded the gold medal by the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in recognition of his outstanding achievement in the field of CMR as well as exemplary service.
In 2014, he was elected a fellow of The Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci).
Research
Professor Dudley Pennell’s research interests include:
- cardiomyopathy, including gene inheritance
- thalassemia
- CMR techniques
Professor Pennell has led a major study mapping genes associated with inherited cardiac diseases. This involved sequencing all 200 known cardiac genes found in the human genome.
Professor Pennell has led an international project introducing CMR techniques across the world. The T2 technique aims to increase life expectancy and quality of life for patients with thalassemia. Professor Pennell’s new techniques for thalassemia patients have reduced the mortality rate by 80 per cent with his novel iron scanning technique being adopted in over 50 countries.
He is the director of the British Heart Foundation Centre for Advanced Magnetic Resonance In Cardiology (CAMRIC) and is a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) emeritus senior investigator.
Publications
Professor Dudley Pennell has published more than 600 papers and books on his specialist subjects, including CMR of cardiomyopathy and the early diagnosis of myocardial iron overload.
He was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance for 12 years and is now Deputy Editor of JACC Cardiovascular Imaging.
Teaching
Professor Dudley Pennell gives regular lectures at key international cardiology events and speaks at both junior doctor and international training meetings.
More information
In 2010, the BBC reported on Professor Pennell mapping the genes of BBC medical correspondent, Fergus Walsh.
Read more about Professor Pennell’s research into scans for dilated cardiomyopathy patients on BBC News Online. In the below video, Professor Pennell discusses the Trust’s research into dilated cardiomyopathy.
