Although declining reimbursement led to a fall in sales of 64-slice CT scanners in 2007, practices with sufficient volume can still make their technology investment pay off, thus bringing marketing to the fore in the battle to maintain or increase market share. Despite the decline in sales, 64-slice scanners are still selling, and with recent innovations in the field — such as Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE, a dynamic volume CT with 320 detector rows with 0.5mm elements — the challenge for both new and established practices is keeping the cardiac CT scanner busy enough to at least break even.

In the realm of diagnostic displays, the line between color and grayscale is starting to blur. Many facilities are embracing such a merge—presenting a variety of color and grayscale medical images along with other critical patient information in comprehensive displays with multiple monitors to review studies across different modalities.

Thanks to new, more intelligent interfacing capabilities based on new open software protocols, next-generation contrast injectors support more complex injection protocols and integrate with information systems, while keeping pace with increasing CT scanner speeds.

Insurers and the government may not be on board, but the medical community sure is: when it comes to improving patient care, cardiac CT is a must-have technology. But depending on the size and scope of your practice, department or hospital, the business case is a little less clear. Clouding the picture are uneven reimbursement rates across the country, the steep learning curve toward reading proficiency and the expense of the equipment and third-party advanced visualization software.

Cardiac catheterization labs across the country are evolving. Changes in types and volumes of procedures combined with an increasingly competitive environment and reimbursement cuts are forcing cath labs to adapt and fine-tune their management strategies. What brings success? Diversifying into EP and peripheral vascular procedures, tightly managing and even consigning pricey inventory such as drug-eluting stents, cross-training staff, and ensuring high flexibility.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for the past 80 years and is a major cause of disability. The CDC estimates that approximately 61 million people in the United States have heart disease, and approximately 950,000 people die from the condition each year. Overall, heart disease contributes to approximately 40 percent of all deaths.

In 50 years, echocardiography has gone from a single dimensional view of the heart to a 3D and even 4D real-time technique. Adding to echo’s sophistication are quantitative analysis, greater portability, better workflow and efficient information management.

Advanced visualization has shot from the realm of experimental, futuristic technology to almost routine practice in just a few short years. While the reliance by physicians on 3D varies, clinicians can often determine the presence and extent of heart disease without an invasive procedure. On the horizon, 3D users see further improvements that will reduce radiation exposure and speedier interpretation times.