New codes for these technologies have made a world of difference for clinicians. Reimbursement for the use of AI is an area where cardiology is far ahead of most other healthcare specialties.
The law reflects growing interest in using existing imaging studies to identify cardiovascular disease risk without requiring additional scans, radiation exposure or costs.
"We really should have a system that is patient-centric, physician-led, and professionally managed, but in a cost-effective way," Rick Snyder, MD, said.
MRI scans have traditionally been used for extracellular volume assessments. That is starting to change, however, as cardiac CT moves beyond its typical focus on the coronary arteries.
FAI CCTA imaging uses AI to show coronary inflammation and a patient's specific residual risk of heart attack that is not available using current testing methods.
Robert Califf, MD, MACC, a veteran cardiologist, delivered the keynote speech at SCCT 2026 and then spoke to Cardiovascular Business about where the country's healthcare system is headed.
"Data should simply be a measure of a broader organizational objective," one expert explained. "When the data becomes the goal, that's where organizations can get into trouble."
Medaxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC, discusses investor's interest in buying cardiology practices, noting that PE ownership remains relatively low.
