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.

Marcelo DiCarli, MD, chief, division of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, executive director for the cardiovascular imaging program, Brigham and Women's Hospital, discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting cardiac imaging.

What is the ROI for adopting AI in cardiac imaging?

Marcelo DiCarli, MD, and Rob Beanlands, MD, discussed the long-term value of investing in the development and implementation of AI technologies. 

May 11, 2023
An example of HeartFlow's FFR-CT technology, which takes the cardiac CT dataset and uses computational fluid dynamics to create virtual fraction flow reserve values. The FFR measurement can help determine if a coronary lesion is significant enough to require revascularization, or if the patient should be treated with medication. FFR-CT was included as a recommendation in select patients in the 2021 Chest Pain Guidelines.

Researchers question FFR-CT’s value compared to other cardiac imaging options

FFR-CT has grown in popularity due its ability to provide noninvasive evaluations of patients being considered for revascularization procedures. According to a new study in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, however, stress imaging strategies may still provide more value in certain scenarios. 

May 10, 2023
To hear about key trends in cardiac imaging, Cardiovascular Business spoke with two experts in cardiac imaging at American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2023 meeting, Marcelo DiCarli, MD, chief, division of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, executive director for the cardiovascular imaging program, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Rob Beanlands, MD, is director of the National Cardiac PET Centre at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Canada.

What's new in cardiac imaging? 2 experts discuss the latest trends

Marcelo DiCarli, MD, and Rob Beanlands, MD, shared their thoughts on the current state of cardiac imaging at ACC.23. 

May 9, 2023
Cardiologist Martha Gulati, MD, who specializes in both preventive cardiology and cardiovascular disease in women, has been named the Anita Dann Friedman Endowed Chair in Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine and Research at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

SCCT honors cardiologist Martha Gulati for her research on heart disease among women

Gulati, known for her work in the field of preventive cardiology, is also being recognized for her role in the development of the 2021 chest pain guidelines. 

May 3, 2023
#ACC23 #ACC #Heartflow

HeartFlow announces US launch of AI-powered solution for evaluating coronary arteries

The AI-powered tool gained FDA clearance back in October 2022. 

April 18, 2023
An example of the FFR-CT technology from Heartflow. The vendor's AI can take a patient's cardiac CT scan and non-invasively assess FFR hemodynamic flow for all the coronary arteries to determine if blockages are significant enough to require revascularization. Photo by Dave Fornell

HeartFlow raises $215M to keep up with growing demand

The company is still riding the momentum of its technology being included in the 2021 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association chest pain guidelines.

April 7, 2023
Example of an FFR-angio image-derived hemodynamic flow model performed tableside in the cath lab reconstructed using three different C-arm contract image acquisitions. This technology from CathWorks, which was recently acquired by Medtronic, can eliminate the need for pressure wires and adenosine to assess FFR pressures. These measurements are used to determine the hemodynamic significance of a stenosis and determine if a stent is necessary or if a patient can be treated medically.

PHOTO GALLERY: ACC.23 in New Orleans

Browse a selection of photos from the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting in New Orleans. The pictures highlight key moments, new technologies and much more from the big show. 

March 20, 2023

No need for updated imaging prior to major surgery in some cases, new data show

Prior chest imaging can sometimes be just as predictive of adverse events after surgery as updated imaging, according to new data set to be presented at the annual conference of the American College of Cardiology on March 5. 

March 2, 2023