Computed Tomography

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) has become a primary cardiovascular imaging modality in the past 20 years, and was recommended as a 1A recommendation in the 2021 chest pain assessment guidelines. CT calcium scoring has became a primary risk assessment for coronary artery disease and whether patients should be on statins. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is used to for anatomical assessment of the arteries for plaque burden and to identify areas of blockage that may cause ischemia and heart attacks. Additional use of contrast CT perfusion or fractional flow reserve CT (FFR-CT) can offer physiological information on the function of the heart. CT plays a primary role in structural heart assessments for heart valves, repair of congenital defects and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) for both pre-procedure planning and procedural guidance. Find more news on general radiology CT use.

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Get Ready: CT-guided PCI Is Coming to a Cath Lab Near You

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Change is on the horizon for cath labs all over the world as more and more interventional cardiologists are starting to use coronary CT angiography to plan and guide PCI procedures. Patients, physicians, catheterization labs and healthcare systems all stand to gain from this growing trend.

May 23, 2023
An example of HeartFlow's new RoadMap Stenosis software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to show areas of interest for possible stenting based on a patient's CT scan and FFR-CT. This software is still undergoing beta testing at several hospitals and will likely be rolled out commercially later in 2023.

Cardiology has embraced AI more than most other specialties

Cardiology is linked to the second largest group of FDA-cleared clinical AI algorithms, and the number is still growing. 

May 12, 2023
Marcelo DiCarli, MD, chief, division of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, executive director for the cardiovascular imaging program, Brigham and Women's Hospital, discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting cardiac imaging.

What is the ROI for adopting AI in cardiac imaging?

Marcelo DiCarli, MD, and Rob Beanlands, MD, discussed the long-term value of investing in the development and implementation of AI technologies. 

May 11, 2023
An example of HeartFlow's FFR-CT technology, which takes the cardiac CT dataset and uses computational fluid dynamics to create virtual fraction flow reserve values. The FFR measurement can help determine if a coronary lesion is significant enough to require revascularization, or if the patient should be treated with medication. FFR-CT was included as a recommendation in select patients in the 2021 Chest Pain Guidelines.

Researchers question FFR-CT’s value compared to other cardiac imaging options

FFR-CT has grown in popularity due its ability to provide noninvasive evaluations of patients being considered for revascularization procedures. According to a new study in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, however, stress imaging strategies may still provide more value in certain scenarios. 

May 10, 2023
To hear about key trends in cardiac imaging, Cardiovascular Business spoke with two experts in cardiac imaging at American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2023 meeting, Marcelo DiCarli, MD, chief, division of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, executive director for the cardiovascular imaging program, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Rob Beanlands, MD, is director of the National Cardiac PET Centre at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Canada.

What's new in cardiac imaging? 2 experts discuss the latest trends

Marcelo DiCarli, MD, and Rob Beanlands, MD, shared their thoughts on the current state of cardiac imaging at ACC.23. 

May 9, 2023
Cardiologist Martha Gulati, MD, who specializes in both preventive cardiology and cardiovascular disease in women, has been named the Anita Dann Friedman Endowed Chair in Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine and Research at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

SCCT honors cardiologist Martha Gulati for her research on heart disease among women

Gulati, known for her work in the field of preventive cardiology, is also being recognized for her role in the development of the 2021 chest pain guidelines. 

May 3, 2023
#ACC23 #ACC #Heartflow

HeartFlow announces US launch of AI-powered solution for evaluating coronary arteries

The AI-powered tool gained FDA clearance back in October 2022. 

April 18, 2023
An example of the FFR-CT technology from Heartflow. The vendor's AI can take a patient's cardiac CT scan and non-invasively assess FFR hemodynamic flow for all the coronary arteries to determine if blockages are significant enough to require revascularization. Photo by Dave Fornell

HeartFlow raises $215M to keep up with growing demand

The company is still riding the momentum of its technology being included in the 2021 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association chest pain guidelines.

April 7, 2023

Around the web

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

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