Justin Tretter, MD
Pediatric Cardiology
Highlights
Age Groups Seen
- Child
- Adolescent
- Adult
Languages
- English
Gender
MaleAbout Justin Tretter
Biography
Justin Tretter is a staff pediatric cardiologist in the department of Pediatric Cardiology, Professor of Pediatrics at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Director of Advanced Cardiac Imaging for the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Center, Co-Director for the Congenital Valve Procedural Planning Center, and Director of Cardiac Morphology for both the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Center and Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute. Dr. Tretter completed his fellowship in pediatric cardiology at New York University followed by advanced cardiac imaging training at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. As Director of Advanced Cardiac Imaging he is an expert in three-dimensional echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, cardiac computed tomographic imaging, three- and four dimensional reconstructions and other advanced imaging techniques used for personalization of interventional and surgical planning. This personalized, advanced planning is made possible by Dr. Tretter’s unique additional training as a cardiac morphologist under the mentorship of world-renowned cardiac morphologist, Professor Robert Anderson in London. He has additionally undergone training at the Cleveland Clinic in adult acquired cardiac computed tomography in order to better serve his patients from birth to old age.
Dr. Tretter’s clinical and research focus has led to the development of imaging techniques specific in personalizing surgical planning for congenital heart valve disease. As co-Director, alongside the congenital cardiac surgeon Dr. Hani Najm, of the Congenital Valve Procedural Planning Program, Dr. Tretter and Dr. Najm use cutting edge three- and four-dimensional imaging techniques based on very detailed understanding of heart structure and function in personalize interventional and surgical procedures for both children and adults with various forms of congenital valve disease. Dr. Tretter’s outpatient clinic caters to this center.
Locations
- Cleveland Clinic Children's Outpatient Center
- 8950 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106
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Education & Board Certifications
Education
- Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital, 2017
- Fellowship: New York University Medical Center, 2016
- Residency: University of Rochester Medical Center, 2013
- Medical Education: St. Georges University School of Medicine, 2010
- Undergraduate: Grove City College, 2006
Board Certifications
- Pediatric Cardiology: American Board of Pediatrics, 2016
- Pediatrics: American Board of Pediatrics, 2013
Awards
Dr. Tretter has published over 190 peer reviewed articles with research interests in translational (cardiac anatomical, developmental, computational modeling) and clinical (cardiac imaging and surgery) research primarily related towards understanding detailed cardiac structure and function relevant in personalized interventional and surgical planning of both congenital and acquired heart disease in children and adults. Dr. Tretter also participates in imaging-focused outcomes-based research in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease and advanced functional imaging techniques correlated to outcomes in pediatric and congenital heart disease. He is an editor or section editor for multiple journals in the fields of pediatric cardiology, adult cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac anatomy.
Dr. Tretter is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Heart University, one of the most popular educational platforms used globally by both providers and trainees in congenital heart disease. He continues to be avidly involved in education, being a frequent speaker in national and international meetings, and on other online educational platforms such as Congenital Heart Academy and the World University for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, along with being on the Global Council for Education of Congenital Cardiac Surgeons. He has written numerous book chapters, including being the Editor-in-Chief for the 5th edition of Anderson’s Pediatric Cardiology, one of the main textbooks in the field of Pediatric Cardiology.
Innovations & Patents
As a cardiac anatomist and imager, Dr. Tretter has developed novel understanding of using clinical imaging in estimating the location of the conduction system of the heart. Through this work Dr. Tretter has become the lead scientist for Cara Medical (www.cara-medical.co) , creating FDA breakthrough technology designated cardiac CT-based software solutions to non-invasively guide structural heart disease interventions and cardiac pacing procedures in avoiding or targeting the conduction system, respectively.
Research & Publications
See publications for this provider. (Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists collaborate with industry to advance medical breakthroughs. These partnerships help commercialize discoveries for public benefit while maintaining scientific integrity. To ensure transparency and minimize potential bias, Cleveland Clinic reviews these relationships and publicly discloses when physicians/scientists receive significant compensation for consulting, serve in fiduciary roles, receive royalties, or hold equity interests related to their work. We manage potential conflicts through approval processes, annual reporting, and targeted management plans.
As of 2025-10-22, Dr. Tretter has reported the financial relationships with the companies listed below.
Consulting and/or Speaking. Dr. Tretter receives fees of $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) as a paid consultant, speaker or as a member of an advisory committee for the following companies:
- Cara Medical
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.