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.

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Big private payer reverses course on cardiac PET/CT coverage

One of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. has gone from considering hybrid PET/CT for cardiac indications “experimental/investigational” to displaying willingness to pay for the modality. 

July 1, 2022
The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) has responded to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) recommendation that all infants and young children who receive iodinated contrast media (ICM) undergo thyroid testing. The group pushed back against this proposal, emphasizing that implementation would have “far-reaching consequences.”

Cardiologists push back on FDA’s thyroid monitoring/contrast media proposal

According to a new SCAI statement, the FDA's recommendation would result in "far-reaching consequences" across multiple specialties. 

June 24, 2022
U.S. News & World Report children’s hospitals cardiology heart surgery

Lower doses, faster acquisitions: Experts share how to improve PET scans for peds

This week in AJR, experts shared how they were able to reduce FDG PET scan acquisition times by 33%, thus reducing the amount of total radiation exposure to more vulnerable pediatric patients. 

June 22, 2022
The American Medical Association (AMA) Board of Delegates approved a policy calling on payers to reimburse for the drug regadenoson and not to employ payment policies that push for cardiologists to change the drug they use for pharmacologic stress for one that is considered less safe. The policy was adopted at the AMA 2022 meeting. #AMA #AMA175 #AMAmtg #ASNC

AMA supports reimbursement for pharmacologic stress agent regadenoson

The American Medical Association Board of Delegates approved a policy calling on payers to reimburse for the drug regadenoson and not to employ payment policies that push for cardiologists to change the drug they use for pharmacologic stress for one that is considered less safe.

June 22, 2022
Researchers have designed a new cardiac SPECT imaging system that could potentially deliver images much faster than current models. The team presented its findings at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), SNMMI 2022. #SNMMI22 #snmmi #SNMMI2022

The need for speed: New-look cardiac SPECT imaging system could be up to 100 times faster than current models

Researchers presented their proposed design of a self-collimating SPECT system at SNMMI 2022.

June 16, 2022
SNMMI Image of the Year 68Ga-FAPI-46 PET/CT heart attack acute myocardial infarction

‘Image of the Year’ highlights the predictive power of a new PET imaging agent

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging has chosen its 2022 Image of the Year, and it’s one that is sure to interest anyone in the field of cardiac imaging.

June 15, 2022

Siemens debuts new, cleared SPECT/CT model

Siemens Healthineers splashed an FDA-approved SPECT/CT system June 12 at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine & Nuclear Imaging in Vancouver, B.C.

June 14, 2022
There have been a big increase in interest in cardiac CT following the publication of the 2021 ACC Chest Pain Evaluation Guidelines, which raised CT angiography (CTA) to a 1A level of evidence. This has prompted many centers to consider creating CTA programs. This is a cardiac patient being set up for a CCTA scan at Duly Health and Care in the Chicago suburbs. The healthcare group opened one of the first out-patient cardiac clinics in the country with a dedicated cardiac CT scanner.

VIDEO: Cardiac CT training requirements for radiologists and technologists

Brian Ghoshhajra, MD, division chief, cardiovascular imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, explains what specialized training is needed to perform coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) as interest rapidly rises in this field. 

June 8, 2022

Around the web

Automated AI-generated measurements combined with annotated CT images can improve treatment planning and help referring physicians and patients better understand their disease, explained Sarah Jane Rinehart, MD, director of cardiac imaging with Charleston Area Medical Center.

Two advanced algorithms—one for CAC scores and another for segmenting cardiac chamber volumes—outperformed radiologists when assessing low-dose chest CT scans. 

"Gen AI can help tackle repetitive tasks and provide insights into massive datasets, saving valuable time," Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said Tuesday. 

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