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Kathryn Berlacher, MD, MS, FACC, chair of the 2026 American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2026 Scientific Sessions, and clinical director of cardiology and a women's heart and cardio-obstetrics specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, explains the major trend of artificial intelligence (AI) in cardiology, the use of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) for the first time at a medical meeting to scan attendees, and the rise in hands on, guideline, business and advocacy sessions.

ACC 2026 Chair Kathryn Berlacher, MD, MS, FACC, explains some of the big trend at this year's meeting, including AI, CCTA, hands-on and guideline sessions.

prescription drugs

Lower Medicare drug costs translated into more patients taking their medications, leading to better outcomes.

The SoloPace Fusion Temporary Pacing System from Solo Pace Inc. is deigned to eliminate the need for right ventricular (RV) lead placement, which requires the added procedural step to gaining venous access. This can cut procedure time and mitigate possible complication risks. For interventional cardiologists using improvised left ventricular (LV) pacing, this system can replace ad-hoc clip assemblies, subcutaneous needles and exposed wire connections, which are known sources of inconsistent pace capture.

New pacing system is designed to streamline TAVR cath lab workflows, cut procedural steps and increase reliability.

money maze payment reimbursement

“This is a financial emergency for our practice,” one physician says, according to a new survey from the American Society for Radiation Oncology. 

merger acquisition M&A business

The Miami-area imaging outfit has reached a deal to buy Global Imaging Solutions, a “leading” teleradiology group that handles about 350,000 reads annually. 

mergers and acquisitions handshake deal business

SpectronRx announced the funding on April 2, highlighting the critical need for a reliable domestic supply of radiopharmaceuticals.

mergers and acquisitions M&A consolidation puzzle business deal

The Utah-based company plans to merge with View Point Medical, which manufactures the OneMark Detection Imaging System. 

Medicare Money

In total, 131 hospitals are acting as plaintiffs. They’re asking a court to throw out 2023 changes to the Disproportionate Share Hospital calculation that altered the way Medicare Advantage and Social Security income were factored into the risk-adjusted payments hospitals receive for caring for vulnerable patient populations.

American Medical Association (AMA) President Bruce Scott, MD, an otolaryngologist in Louisville, Kentucky, explains some of the key issues facing physicians, including burnout, growing medical staffing shortages, declining numbers of doctors in rural areas, increasing numbers of patients, large medical education debt payments, the lack of residency positions to train new doctors, and declining Medicare payments, which have declined 33% since 2000. Scott said these issues are also interrelated.

American Medical Association President Bruce Scott, MD, explains some of the key issues facing physicians, including burnout, growing medical staffing shortages, doctors leaving rural areas, increasing patients and declining Medicare payments.

 

Krakencoder algorithm offers detailed insight into brain function

Researchers are hopeful that a new technology named after a tentacled folklore sea monster can help scientists better understand the anatomy of the brain. 

UTA's lower body negative-pressure pants for MRI stress tests

New first-in-human data highlight the potential of pants designed to improve the quality of MRI-based cardiac stress tests.

cardiologist doctor physician patient black diverse hypertension

Widaplik, the new polypill from George Medicines, includes telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide. The FDA's decision comes after positive data were published in both JACC and The Lancet.

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ACC 2026 Chair Kathryn Berlacher, MD, MS, FACC, explains some of the big trend at this year's meeting, including AI, CCTA, hands-on and guideline sessions.