Measuring peak radiation skin dose during interventional procedures became a reality with Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.’s introduction of Dose Tracking System (DTS), which helps make exams safer for patients. To expand clinical applications, Toshiba is introducing enhancements to DTS for the entire Infinix product line, including the Elite, Select and Essential cardiovascular X-ray systems.

The Prairie Heart Institute at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, has become the first cardiac catheterization laboratory in Illinois to achieve ACE accreditation. It is also one of the highest volume facilities to achieve this notable accomplishment.

New clinical research is essential to the development of hospital quality measurement, public reporting and pay-for-performance programs, according to Robert Harrington, MD, FSCAI, chair of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, who will present the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2015 Scientific Sessions Hildner Lecture, "The Future of Clinical Research in Interventional Cardiology: Challenges and Opportunities," on Friday, May 8, in San Diego.

BURLINGTON, Mass. – December 16, 2014 – Infraredx, Inc., a cardiovascular imaging company pioneering the personalized diagnosis of coronary artery disease, today announced a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and leading coronary imaging researcher, Gary Tearney, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School, Mike and Sue Hazard Family MGH Research Scholar, and founder of the Tearney Lab at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at MGH. 

Volcano Corporation (NASDAQ: VOLC), a leading company focused on improving patient and economic outcomes on a global basis by developing and delivering innovative minimally invasive coronary and peripheral visualization, physiology diagnostics and therapies, today announced that more than 1,000 systems have been activated with its instant wave-Free Ratio™, or iFR® Modality software, allowing physicians and patients around the globe to benefit from the simplified workflow, and reduced need for hyperemic agents.

It doesn’t take a mathematician to see that the cost structure for echocardiograms in the U.S. is wacky. The New York Times illustrates that price variability with an anecdote of one retired math professor whose bills for two echo exams differed by $4,100. 

Medtronic  today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and commercial launch of two additional Attain Performa left ventricular (LV) quadripolar leads, which can be paired with the Medtronic Viva Quad XT and Viva Quad S cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) to treat patients with heart failure. The newest additions to the Attain Performa lead portfolio, the S-shape and Straight leads, are designed to accommodate patients' varying vessel sizes and curvatures to enhance successful lead placement. Quadripolar leads (leads with four electrodes) help physicians optimize cardiac resynchronization therapy, which uses an implantable device to improve the pumping efficiency of the heart.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology collection continues to grow with the launch of JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, which will feature original research and review articles regarding cardiac rhythm disorders. David J. Wilber, MD, FACC, will serve as Editor-in-Chief of the new journal, which will begin publishing in March 2015 on a bimonthly basis.