Key trends in nuclear cardiology take center stage at ASNC 2025

Cardiac amyloidosis imaging is also a rapidly growing area in nuclear cardiology. Large imaging centers say amyloid imaging is making up a growing percentage of their exams because new medications are now available to slow the progression of the disease if it is caught early enough.

"This is a growing part of what we do daily, almost reaching now more than 5% of total business, which was 0% just a few years ago," Jaber explained.

Cardiac sarcoidosis PET imaging is being is also being used more and more, as is inflammation imaging for endocarditis and device-related infections . Nuclear imaging is the go-to imaging modality for infections from implantable devices, including heart valves, electrophysiology devices like pacemakers and defibrillators and aortic stent grafts. Jaber added that FDG-PET is becoming a crucial tool for detecting infection and inflammation.

Business of nuclear cardiology takes center stage

One of the most surprising draws was the “business of nuclear cardiology” track, which drew large crowds. Sessions covered how to start a lab, how to interact with payers, how to communicate with hospital administrators, how to secure reimbursement and how to advocate for resources.

"I was surprised that the sessions of the business of nuclear cardiology were filled. We always think about the payers as the gatekeepers to getting new technology because they don't pay us, we cannot accept. But now it's also we're competing for resources in the hospital and in the practice with other specialties," he said.

Even 7 a.m. breakfast sessions on the business of nuclear imaging were popular, which was a big surprise for Jaber. But he admits the interest is now high because of lower reimbursements and the margins of hospitals and departments being much more slim than 20 years ago. This also comes at a time when new technologies promise better disease detection, but a high cost.

"You can have the best technique in the world, but if you cannot implement it, you cannot finance it. It basically will die," Jaber explained.

The ASNC sessions took the approach of not lecturing about how to run nuclear cardiology departments from an ivory tower where a top hospitals says you need the best new scanners and technology. Instead, the focus was on things such as staffing, reimbursement, considerations and best practices.

Collaboration across the cardiology service line

This year’s program also underscored collaboration with other cardiovascular and imaging societies, including the Heart Failure Society of America, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and American Society of Echocardiography.

“We want to serve as a partner to other specialties,” Jaber explained. “The goal is not just better scans, but better patient management.”

Youthful energy and ASNC as a global hub

Jaber said one of the most exciting aspects of the meeting was the energy from younger physicians and researchers presenting early-phase trials and innovative approaches.

Another milestone was the meeting’s increasingly international scope, with speakers from 70 countries and attendees from more than 90. “We’ve become the global hub for nuclear cardiology,” Jaber said. “In the U.S., we have a strong collaboration between cardiology and radiology, and we’re bringing that model worldwide.”