Incoming ASNC president making AI's integration into nuclear cardiology a top priority
The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) will enter 2026 with a strong push to expand artificial intelligence (AI) applications, accelerate adoption of cardiac PET and explore new clinical uses for nuclear imaging, according to ASNC President-elect Jamieson M. Bourque, MD, MHS.
Bourque, medical director of nuclear cardiology, echocardiography and the stress laboratory at UVA Health and a professor of medicine and radiology at the University of Virginia, said the field is at a “critical inflection point” with major opportunities for growth.
“There’s an enormous opportunity for expansion into new indications for nuclear cardiology,” Bourque told Cardiovascular Business. “I’m excited to work with ASNC to help shepherd some of these advances into the field.”
Focus on AI integration in nuclear cardiology
Bourque, who currently chairs ASNC’s AI Task Force, said artificial intelligence will be a central theme of his presidency. In fact, ASNC will convene an AI summit in late 2026, bringing together clinicians, industry leaders and other societies to chart the best path forward.
“AI is going to enhance every aspect of imaging, from patient selection to acquisition, processing, interpretation and reporting,” he said. “We want to make sure our members not only understand these tools but also have a voice in how they’re implemented.”
ASNC will also address ethical and social issues tied to AI adoption, including bias and patient equity.
ASNC wants to expand PET imaging
Another major priority will be promoting broader access to cardiovascular PET imaging.
The recent approval of F-18 flurpiridaz, a PET perfusion tracer available in unit doses, adds a new layer of flexibility for sites considering PET adoption. Bourque said this and other emerging tracers—including rubidium and O-15 water—will make it easier for labs to enter the field.
"Cardiovascular PET use is expanding steadily and rapidly. It's a fantastic time for new centers to get into cardiovascular PET, which we know is really nuclear profusion imaging operating at its highest level. We're also excited about new applications in cardiac PET," Bourque said.
New clinical applications in nuclear cardiology
Beyond ischemic heart disease, Bourque highlighted growing uses of PET in inflammatory conditions such as vasculitis and sarcoidosis, as well as infiltrative diseases like cardiac amyloidosis. He also pointed to renewed interest in PET for cardiovascular infections, an area long established in Europe and now gaining traction in the U.S.
PET also enables additional data on microvascular cardiac blood flow, which offers more detailed assessments of patients that was previously available.
"PET allows increased quantitation, allowing serial studies and assessment of disease progression and response to therapy in conditions like sarcoid use in cardiac amyloidosis. So we think there's enormous potential,” he said.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: [email protected]