Cath Lab

The cardiac catheterization laboratory is used for diagnostic angiograms and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Cath labs have also seen expanding use in recent years for transcatheter structural heart procedures. Some hospitals also share these labs with other subspecialties for catheter-based procedures in electrophysiology (EP), interventional radiology, peripheral artery disease (PAD), carotid and neuro interventional procedures and vascular surgery.

FDA clears TAVR guidewire built with BASILICA in mind

The Telltale system was designed to assist cardiologists when BASILICA is required prior to TAVR.

Jaimin Chung, director of Canon Medical’s interventional X-ray and vascular business unit, explains a new combined CT-angiography interventional system aimed at neurology, trauma, stroke and pediatrics that recently received 510(k) FDA approval. The Alphenix 4D CT Insight Edition includes numerous radiation dose lowering technologies.

Canon introduces new combined CT-angiography interventional system

Jaimin Chung, director of Canon Medical’s interventional X-ray and vascular business unit, explains the technology behind a new combined CT angiography interventional system aimed at neurology, trauma, stroke and pediatrics that recently received 510(k) FDA clearance.

artificial intelligence AI heart cardiology

AI dramatically improves the detection of severe heart attacks

Researchers put an advanced AI model to the test, using it to evaluate the ECG results of more than 1,000 patients. It performed quite well. 

Stereotaxis GenesisX

FDA clears new-look robotic system from Stereotaxis

GenesisX represents the company’s most accessible robotic system to date. It requires no room shielding or structural anchoring, for example, and the size has been significantly reduced.

Sahil Parikh, MD, director of endovascular services, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, associate professor of medicine at Columbia University, and a program director for the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting, explains the growing focus in interventional cardiology on endovascular procedures for stroke, pulmonary embolism, peripheral artery disease and renal denervation.

Interventional cardiology showing more interest in endovascular procedures

Sahil Parikh, MD, said it was clear at TCT 2025 that the specialty is getting more and more involved with endovascular procedures for stroke, pulmonary embolism and peripheral artery disease.

Carlos Collet, MD, PhD, director, cardiovascular imaging, physiology and translational therapeutics, Cardiovascular Research Foundation, explains how noninvasive coronary CT angiography (CCTA) assessments will play a major role to eliminate invasive diagnostic angiography and to pre-plan percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures.

CCTA will play an essential role in the cath labs of the future

Noninvasive coronary CT angiography is growing more and more important as time goes on, helping cardiologists make critical treatment decisions. Carlos Collet, MD, PhD, discussed the technique's potential to be a real game-changer for patient care in a new interview. 

To eat or not to eat: Is fasting still necessary before heart procedures?

As one may expect, patient satisfaction was considerably higher for individuals who did not have to fast for a minimum of six hours prior to treatment. There were no other significant differences.

The Penumbra thrombectomy pulmonary embolism clots extraction catheter displayed at TCT 2025. Photo by Dave Fornell

Pulmonary embolism thrombectomy use increases by more than 700%

Medicare claims submitted between 2017 and 2022 showed a 712% increase in thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism (PE) and a 137% increase in thrombectomy for deep vein thrombosis (DVT).