Ziad Ali explains real-world implementation of CCTA as a standard of care

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is redefining how patients with suspected coronary artery disease are evaluated and treated, helping care teams accurately assess chest pain patients with fractional flow reserve CT (FFR-CT). The technology is also seeing rapid adoption in interventional cardiology as a way to eliminate the need for diagnostic catheterizations and only bring patients to the cath lab who need percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Cardiovascular Business spoke with Ziad Ali, MD, DPhil, director of the DeMatteis Cardiovascular Institute and director of investigational interventional cardiology at St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center, about these trends. His center uses advanced photon-counting CT scanners and Heartflow’s artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled plaque assessment and FFR-CT software on a regular basis.

“Heartflow has made some major technological iterations over the last few years and made it a lot more user-friendly,” Ali said.

Originally developed as a noninvasive way to determine ischemia using FFR-CT, he said the company's technology has evolved to provide broader plaque morphology assessment and, more recently, to help guide PCI planning. The company’s newer Navigator CT-guided PCI tool uses AI to assess lesion morphology, determine appropriate stent length and diameter and complete procedural planning before the patient enters the cath lab.