Medical Imaging

Physicians utilize medical imaging to see inside the body to diagnose and treat patients. This includes computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, angiography,  and the nuclear imaging modalities of PET and SPECT. 

Ultrafast/high frame rate myocardial contrast echocardiography

Ultrafast myocardial contrast echocardiography shows early potential to evaluate CAD

Ultrafast MCE could go on to become a go-to treatment option for obstructive coronary artery disease, according to the authors of a new first-in-human clinical study.

Do cancer treatments increase a patient's risk of cardiovascular disease?

Older cancer survivors appear to face higher risks of stroke, heart attack and heart failure. Early screening and preventative measures can help.

Left, coronary CT angiography of a vessel showing plaque heavy calcium burden. Right, image showing color code of various types of plaque morphology showing the complexity of these lesions. The right image was processed using the FDA cleared, AI-enabled plaque assessment from Elucid.

FDA clears new software for AI-powered CCTA assessments

Elucid's PlaqueIQ was trained to turn CCTA images into interactive 3D reports that help physicians visualize the presence of atherosclerosis.

The new cardiac PET radiotracer flurpiridaz F-18 is posed to be a major game changer and will likely lead to increased adoption of cardiac PET.

FDA approves GE HealthCare's flurpiridaz F-18 PET radiotracer for CAD

The newly approved radiotracer is seen as a major step forward for nuclear imaging technology. Specialists have been looking forward to its arrival on the market for quite some time.

Breast arterial calcifications (BACs) identified on screening mammograms may help identify women who face a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a new analysis published in Clinical Imaging.

Younger women with breast arterial calcifications are at markedly higher risk of major cardiovascular events

Currently, there is no standardized reporting requirement related to BACs, and ACR classifies reporting vascular calcifications on breast imaging as optional. 

Erin R. Stevens, CNMT, NCT, director of nuclear medicine at Oregon Heart Center, said training physicians for what is needed in cardiac PET documentation is key for preventing issues with prior authorizations. ASNC photo

Good documentation is the key to cardiac PET prior authorizations

Knowing what, exactly, is needed in cardiac PET documentation is one of the best ways to limit prior authorization issues.

ASE establishes vocabulary for cardiac POCUS to promote consistency

As cardiac point-of-care ultrasound use continues to grow outside of traditional echo labs, the American Society of Echocardiography is working to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Banner ASC in Sun City, Arizona.

Women urged to overcome radiation fears, consider a career in interventional cardiology

"The underrepresentation of women in interventional cardiology is a significant concern," according to one cardiologist behind the new campaign. 

Around the web

Several key trends were evident at the Radiological Society of North America 2024 meeting, including new CT and MR technology and evolving adoption of artificial intelligence.

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.