LEWISTON – Dr. Frances A. DeRook has joined the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute.

She will practice diagnostic cardiology with a special emphasis on congestive heart failure and the subspecialty of cardiac imaging, which includes ultrasound or echocardiology and nuclear cardiology.

DeRook worked with Dr. Richard “Pat” Cochran, the institute’s director of cardiac surgery, when both physicians were in practice at the University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center.

Her clinical experience includes 12 years of experience in diagnostic cardiology and cardiac imaging as well as performing thousands of cardiac imaging procedures. She is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease and certified by the National Board of Echocardiography.

She practiced her internal medicine internship and residency at Santa Clara Valley Medical School, Stanford University Medical School affiliate Medical School and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

She lives in Lewiston with her husband, Dr. Keith A. Comess, a cardiologist who also practices with Central Maine Heart Associates.