Cardiac Imaging

While cardiac ultrasound is the widely used imaging modality for heart assessments, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear imaging are also used and are often complimentary, each offering specific details about the heart other modalities cannot. For this reason the clinical question being asked often determines the imaging test that will be used.

Samin Sharma, MD, director of interventional cardiology and director of clinical cardiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, discusses the first-in-human use of the Magenta Elevate percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pLVAD) with a small 10 French size and 5.5 liters per minute of hemodynamic support.

Initial results promising for world's smallest percutaneous heart pump

A new 10 French percutaneous heart pump could help greatly reduce vascular complications and improve cardiogenic shock outcomes.

January 22, 2024
Pre-clinical images of the Abbott Volt pulsed field ablation system creating lesions using electroporation, presented at the 2023 AHA Scientific Sessions, The Abbott PFA system is now being used in a first-in-human study at the Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders at the University of Adelaide, Australia.

First patients treated with Abbott’s pulsed field ablation offering

According to Abbott, its Volt system was specifically designed to address weaknesses seen in other first-generation PFA offerings.

January 19, 2024
Illustration of a left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedure using a Watchman device. Image courtesy of Johns Hopkins Medicine. #LAA #LAAO

ICE-guided Watchman procedures linked to safety concerns—is TEE better for LAAO or will things improve?

TEE and ICE are each associated with certain advantages and disadvantages, researchers explained. The new analysis included data from nearly 40,000 patients.

January 19, 2024
Craig Sable Children's National Hospital AI echo

AI spots signs of rheumatic heart disease in echocardiograms as well as cardiologists

Researchers think this represents a potential breakthrough for low- and middle-income countries where access to high-quality imaging evaluations is still limited. 

January 18, 2024
Jamie Bourque, MD, medical director of the nuclear cardiology and stress laboratory, and medical director of the echocardiography lab, at the University of Virginia, discusses a new multimodality consensus statement for imaging cardiac amyloidosis. This area has rapidly expanded over the past couple years now that there are drugs to treat the condition. Examples of nuclear imaging for cardiac amyloidosis.

New ASNC quality metrics will support standardization of imaging for cardiac amyloidosis

Interest in cardiac amyloidosis has been on the rise in recent years. Jamie Bourque, MD, talked to Cardiovascular Business about an upcoming consensus statement focused on using cardiac imaging to evaluate patients for signs of this serious condition. 

January 18, 2024
money business cash flow dollar. Kingsway Financial Services, a Chicago-based holding company with subsidiaries in several industries, has acquired New Jersey-based Digital Diagnostics Imaging (DDI) for $11 million. The transaction was funded with $5.4 million in cash and $5.6 million in debt financing.

Integer acquires medical device specialists with experience in structural heart, electrophysiology for $140M

Integer's estimated 2023 sales nearly reached $1.6 billion, up 16% compared to 2022. According to the company's statement, this acquisition helps expand its footprint in several key markets. 

January 17, 2024
Self-expandable TAVR cusp-overlap ICE

ICE guidance reduces risk of permanent pacemaker implantation after TAVR with a self-expandable valve

Heart teams can limit the risk of conduction disturbances that lead to permanent pacemaker implantation by utilizing both the cusp-overlap method and intracardiac echocardiography.

January 17, 2024
Rob deKemp, PhD, FASNC, University of Ottawa, Canada, explains new nuclear cardiac imaging dose lowering techniques for PET and SPECT.

How to achieve much lower radiation doses in cardiac nuclear imaging

The radiation doses associated with CT have decreased significantly, leaving nuclear cardiology as the modality with the highest doses in all of cardiac imaging. Rob deKemp, PhD, talked to us about some of the many ways imagers can work to address this issue.

January 17, 2024

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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