Nuclear Cardiology

Single photon computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) molecular imaging are used as primary cardiac imaging modalities to evaluate the function of the heart. It uses radioactive isotopes attached to sugars that are metabolized by cardiomyocytes. This creates an image of the metabolic activity of the heart and shows areas of ischemia or infarct. Other radiotracers can image the heart to diagnosis cardiac amyloidosis and sarcoidosis.

Medicare drops AUC requirement for advanced imaging, ASNC celebrates
"This was an unneeded burden, which was solely adding to the administrative hassles of medicine," said American Society of Nuclear Cardiology President Larry Phillips.
SPECT still has an important role to play in nuclear cardiology
"I see, at least for the next decade, this being a SPECT and PET world, not one or the other," explained Tim Bateman, MD.
New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections
Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.
ASNC president advocates for Medicare reimbursement reform
Lawrence Phillips, MD, president of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, said that U.S. physicians are growing more and more frustrated by Medicare policies.
ASNC president pushes to modernize nuclear cardiology, expand the specialty's reach
ASNC President Lawrence Phillips, MD, wants to see nuclear cardiologists modernize their labs and embrace new strategies for the evaluation of amyloidosis, sarcoidosis and inflammation.

For almost nine years since the adoption of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) established the requirement for appropriate use criteria (AUC) to receive payment for advanced diagnostic imaging, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) has lobbying Congressional leaders change or repeal AUC mandate. Those efforts have paid off in the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule, where AUC program has been paused and all of its regulations were rescinded. Photo by Dave Fornell.

Medicare drops AUC requirement for advanced imaging, ASNC celebrates

"This was an unneeded burden, which was solely adding to the administrative hassles of medicine," said American Society of Nuclear Cardiology President Larry Phillips.

April 8, 2024

Video interview with Tim Bateman, MD, co-director, cardiovascular radiologic imaging program, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and an American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) past-president, explaining the role of SPECT into the future as PET becomes more popular. A new look at PET vs SPECT.

SPECT still has an important role to play in nuclear cardiology

"I see, at least for the next decade, this being a SPECT and PET world, not one or the other," explained Tim Bateman, MD.

March 26, 2024

New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

March 12, 2024

American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) 2024 President Lawrence Phillips, MD, FASNC, director of nuclear cardiology and medical director for outpatient cardiology at NYU Langone Health, explains ASNC’s advocacy efforts for Medicare payments and reform.

ASNC president advocates for Medicare reimbursement reform

Lawrence Phillips, MD, president of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, said that U.S. physicians are growing more and more frustrated by Medicare policies.

February 9, 2024

Video interview with ASNC President Lawrence Phillips, MD, NYU, who is encouraging the modernization of nuclear cardiology labs and expansion into new diagnostic areas.

ASNC president pushes to modernize nuclear cardiology, expand the specialty's reach

ASNC President Lawrence Phillips, MD, wants to see nuclear cardiologists modernize their labs and embrace new strategies for the evaluation of amyloidosis, sarcoidosis and inflammation.

February 7, 2024

DOJ targets former imaging executive with new complaint over alleged kickback scheme

Back in October, a mobile cardiac imaging provider and its CEO agreed to pay $85 million to settle allegations they had participated in a kickback scheme. This latest DOJ complaint focuses on a former executive not named in that initial settlement.

February 6, 2024

Jamie Bourque, MD, medical director of the nuclear cardiology and stress laboratory, and medical director of the echocardiography lab, at the University of Virginia, discusses a new multimodality consensus statement for imaging cardiac amyloidosis. This area has rapidly expanded over the past couple years now that there are drugs to treat the condition. Examples of nuclear imaging for cardiac amyloidosis.

New ASNC quality metrics will support standardization of imaging for cardiac amyloidosis

Interest in cardiac amyloidosis has been on the rise in recent years. Jamie Bourque, MD, talked to Cardiovascular Business about an upcoming consensus statement focused on using cardiac imaging to evaluate patients for signs of this serious condition.

January 18, 2024

Rob deKemp, PhD, FASNC, University of Ottawa, Canada, explains new nuclear cardiac imaging dose lowering techniques for PET and SPECT.

How to achieve much lower radiation doses in cardiac nuclear imaging

The radiation doses associated with CT have decreased significantly, leaving nuclear cardiology as the modality with the highest doses in all of cardiac imaging. Rob deKemp, PhD, talked to us about some of the many ways imagers can work to address this issue.

January 17, 2024