Computed Tomography

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) has become a primary cardiovascular imaging modality in the past 20 years, and was recommended as a 1A recommendation in the 2021 chest pain assessment guidelines. CT calcium scoring has became a primary risk assessment for coronary artery disease and whether patients should be on statins. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is used to for anatomical assessment of the arteries for plaque burden and to identify areas of blockage that may cause ischemia and heart attacks. Additional use of contrast CT perfusion or fractional flow reserve CT (FFR-CT) can offer physiological information on the function of the heart. CT plays a primary role in structural heart assessments for heart valves, repair of congenital defects and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) for both pre-procedure planning and procedural guidance. Find more news on general radiology CT use.

CT coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring, also known as the Agatston score, to assess the risk a patient has for future heart attacks and help decide if a patient requires statins.

VIDEO: Current guidelines for the use of CT calcium scoring in preventive cardiology

Mike Shapiro, DO, MD, director of the Center for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at Wake Forest University, discusses the current guidelines for computed tomography (CT) calcium scoring as a screening test to assess heart attack risk.

AI cardiology Cleerly soft plaque assessments

Cardiology startup raises $192M for AI-powered imaging assessments

The company has now raised $248M in total to help develop, commercialize and market its FDA-cleared technology. 

Examples of new cardiac CT technologies at the 2022 SCCT meeting. Top left clockwise, realistic 3D rendering inside the heart, the GE Revolution Apex scanner, Cleerly's AI automated soft plaque assessment, and CT strain imaging from Medis. #SCCT #SCCT2022 #YesCCT #CTA #CCTA, new computed tomography technology

PHOTO GALLERY: Cardiac CT advances at SCCT 2022

View a variety of images from the 2022 Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) meeting in Las Vegas.

Example of a patient's coronary tree extracted from a cardiac CT scan. CT allows very detailed anatomical imaging and now physiological and plaque information that can be useful in pre-planning interventional procedures. Imaging from the GE Revolution Apex system at SCCT 2022.

VIDEO: CT imaging to plan coronary interventions — Interview with Jonathon Leipsic, MD

Jonathon Leipsic, MD, chairman of the Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, explains how noninvasive computed tomography angiography (CTA) can be used to aid in planning interventional cardiology procedures for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and chronic total occlusions (CTO). 

Left, coronary CT angiography of a vessel showing plaque heavy calcium burden. Right, image showing color code of various types of plaque morphology showing the complexity of these lesions. The right image was processed using the FDA cleared, AI-enabled plaque assessment from Elucid.

Cardiac CT soft plaque assessment may offer paradigm shift for coronary disease screening

New artificial intelligence software that can evaluate coronary CT scans to automatically assess soft plaques were by far the biggest technology advance discussed at the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) 2022 meeting. 

Subclinical leaflet thrombosis after TAVR CT JAMA Cardiology OAC

Subclinical leaflet thrombosis after TAVR: What we know, and still need to learn, about a challenging complication

Treating subclinical leaflet thrombosis after TAVR has been an ongoing challenge for structural heart clinicians, but recent research has gone a long way toward improving our understanding of this important topic. 

Eric Williamson, MD, MSCCT, the 2021-2022 president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) and professor of radiology at Mayo Clinic, shares his key takeaways from the SCCT 2022 conference. #SCCT #SCCT2022 #yesCCT

VIDEO: Top 6 takeaways from the Society of Cardiovascular CT 2022 meeting

Eric Williamson, MD, MSCCT, the 2021-2022 president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) and professor of radiology at Mayo Clinic, shared his key takeaways from the SCCT 2022 conference. 

TricValve Transcatheter Bicaval Valves System P+F Products + Features GmbH

TricValve device proven safe and effective after 6 months for patients with severe symptomatic TR

The study's authors explored data from 35 patients who received the TricValve Transcatheter Bicaval Valves System. All patients presented with severe tricuspid regurgitation.