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.

A comparison on the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy (left) with PET cardiac myocardial perfusion nuclear imaging exams (right).  The cardiac diagnosis of the galactic heart is motion artifact. Black hole image from the EHT Collaboration

Cardiologist and ASNC president diagnoses the heart of the galaxy based on black hole imaging

The first image of the black hole at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy amazed the scientific community, but left cardiologists with questions about the true cardiac health of the galaxy.

May 16, 2022
ACC.22 kicked off on Saturday, April 2, in Washington, D.C.

VIDEO: Key technology trends in cardiology, as seen at ACC.22

American College of Cardiology President Edward T. A. Fry, MD, discusses his general takeaways on technology advances seen during ACC.22. 

May 13, 2022
The Medtronic Onyx Frontier DES used the Resolute Onyx platform with a new delivery system featuring improved catheter flexibility and a lower crossing profile.

Medtronic’s more deliverable drug-eluting stent gains FDA approval

According to Medtronic, the Onyx Frontier DES features improved catheter flexibility and a lower crossing profile.

May 13, 2022

A key update: 1 year later, no signs of long-term heart damage among college athletes who had COVID-19

More than 3,500 college athletes with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were included in the new study. The median follow-up period was more than one full year. 

May 12, 2022
TAVR aortic stenosis aortic valve structural heart disease

TAVR safe and effective for patients with mixed aortic valve disease

MAVD patients did face a higher risk of requiring a permanent pacemaker, researchers noted, though the reason for this trend remains unclear. 

May 12, 2022
Performing CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) improves the accuracy of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and helps limit unneeded invasive coronary angiography (ICA), according to a new study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. Heartflow

CT-FFR before TAVR improves detection of coronary artery disease, limits invasive imaging exams

CT-FFR, which recently got a boost from the 2021 AHA/ACC chest pain guidelines, could play a key role for clinicians hoping to screen TAVR patients for coronary heart disease. 

May 11, 2022
An example of CT imaging coronary plaque assessment on TeraRecon's advanced visualization software.

VIDEO: Use of CT to assess coronary plaques

Leslee Shaw, PhD, director of The Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, explains how cardiac computed tomography (CT) can be used to assess coronary plaques.

May 9, 2022
transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure guided by CT fusion imaging on a patient with heart failure and a blood clot. CT fusion imaging-guided deployment of the Sentinel Cerebral Protection System during a TAVR procedure. Image courtesy of Vasudev et al.

Cardiologists and surgeons perform first TAVR using CT imaging guidance on HF patient with blood clot

“We believe this case is potentially groundbreaking," one interventional cardiologist said. 

May 6, 2022

Around the web

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

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."

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