Cardiac Imaging

While cardiac ultrasound is the widely used imaging modality for heart assessments, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear imaging are also used and are often complimentary, each offering specific details about the heart other modalities cannot. For this reason the clinical question being asked often determines the imaging test that will be used.

The ASNC team at the 2024 AMA meeting, Georgia Lawrence, JD, ASNC director of regulatory affairs; Suman Tandon, MD, FASNC, delegate to the AMA HOD and cardiac imager at NYU Langone; and Kathy Flood, ASNC CEO. #AMA #AMA24 #AMA2024 #AMAHOD #ASNC

ASNC supports AMA effort to limit use of AI in prior authorization decisions

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) supports an AMA policy that condemns the use AI to make prior authorization decisions rather than a doctor or clinician.

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.

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Cardiology, radiology groups urge insurance provider to rethink imaging policy

SCAI and four other major healthcare organizations signed a joint letter in support of intravascular ultrasound. 

Avicenna.AI, a French artificial intelligence (AI) startup co-founded by a radiologist, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for two new offerings designed to automatically identify cardiovascular findings in CT scans, CINA-iPE and CINA-ASPECTS.

Radiology AI company gains FDA clearance for new CT offerings focused on PE, stroke

The newly approved AI models are designed to improve the detection of pulmonary embolisms and strokes in patients who undergo CT scans.

Going green in the cath lab makes economic sense

New research explored the potential savings of turning off angiography systems at night and on weekends.

Breast arterial calcifications (BACs) identified on screening mammograms may help identify women who face a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a new analysis published in Clinical Imaging.

Incidental breast calcifications on mammograms linked to much higher risk of cardiovascular disease

These findings may say a lot more about a patient's long-term health than clinicians realized. 

Using computed tomography (CT) to perform coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring can help identify symptomatic chest pain patients who do not require further testing, according to a new analysis published in Radiology.[1]

Coronary calcium scoring predicts when chest pain patients can skip invasive testing

Using CT to perform coronary artery calcium scoring on symptomatic chest pain patients can deliver significant value, according to a new data published in Radiology

Kate Hanneman, MD, University Of Toronto, explains why vendors and hospitals are increasingly discussing lowing their carbon footprint by starting with radiology. 

What does radiology have to do with climate change?

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

Around the web

The new F-18 flurpiridaz radiotracer is expected to help drive cardiac PET growth, but it requires waiting between rest and stress scans. Software from MultiFunctional Imaging can help care teams combat that problem.

News of an incident is a stark reminder that healthcare workers and patients aren’t the only ones who need to be aware around MRI suites.

The ACR hopes these changes, including the addition of diagnostic performance feedback, will help reduce the number of patients with incidental nodules lost to follow-up each year.