Cardiology Associations

This page includes news coverage of cardiology societies and associations. Follow these links for specific cardiology society news pages: American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association (AHA), American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), American Society Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), European Society of Cardiology (ESC), Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography Interventions (SCAI), Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT), Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), and Vascular Interventional Advances (VIVA).

AI helps cardiologists track new drug's effect on inflammation
The combination of AI and CT helped Nehal Mehta, MD, and colleagues track the performance of a new drug designed to target coronary inflammation.
AI improves CT assessments, boosts care for real-world heart patients
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.
First-in-human trial shows potential of guiding CABG with cardiac CT and AI—no ICA required
An independent heart team blinded to ICA results was able to deliver helpful guidance for CABG procedures for 99.1% of patients using just CCTA and FFR_CT alone. This approach is safe and feasible, researchers wrote, and the next step is to gather additional data.
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.
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.

Comparison of flurpiridaz F-18 PET, SPECT and angiography of the 60-year-old female patients in the Aurora trial. The SPECT scan appeared normal, but flurpiridaz was shown to be more sensitive and showed the ischemia from two blockages in the right coronary artery. The new radiotracer may help expand cardiac PET. #ASNC

Flurpiridaz data shows promise to expand and enhance cardiac PET

The biggest news from the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) 2022 meeting was positive late-breaking data on the phase 3 Aurora trial for the flurpiridaz (F-18) PET radiotracer agent.

September 12, 2022

Interview with Rebecca T. Hahn, MD, Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Chief Scientific Officer of the Echo Core Lab at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation and Director of Interventional Echocardiography at the Columbia Structural Heart and Valve Center. She discusses some of the trends of growing use of interventional echocardiographic guidance in transcatheter structural heart procedures, the growing number of tricuspid valve procedures, and use of 3D ICE.

VIDEO: Trends in structural heart procedural imaging - a discussion with Rebecca Hahn

Rebecca T. Hahn, MD, Director of Interventional Echocardiography at the Columbia Structural Heart and Valve Center, discusses some of the trends in the growing use of interventional echocardiographic guidance in transcatheter structural heart procedures.

September 9, 2022

Coronary CT Angiography (CCTA) has evolved into a much more helpful resource than interventional cardiologists may have originally believed. In fact, the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) emphasized in a new expert consensus statement that CCTA provides specialists with an effective tool in the preparation and optimization of coronary procedures. The 2021 chest pain guidelines elevated CTA to a class 1A recommendation. Harold Litt , MD, explains the use of CCTA in the ED.

CCTA a helpful tool for interventional cardiologists planning coronary procedures

A new consensus statement from the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography emphasized the increasing importance of CCTA among interventional cardiologists. It is no longer seen as “a mere diagnostic tool," the group observed.

August 30, 2022

Echocardiography shows smoking is even more damaging to the heart than previously believed

Compared to the individuals without a history of smoking, both current and former smokers had thicker, weaker and heavier hearts.

August 25, 2022

PET imaging uncovers a surprising new way COVID-19 affects the heart

A new study in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging focuses on a potential new side effect of COVID-19, highlighting the continued importance of monitoring these patients going forward.

August 18, 2022

Vascular CT beyond the coronaries includes imaging for aortic aneurism, aortic dissection, SCAD and fibromuscular dysplasia. #SCCT #SCCT2022 #SCAD #yescct

VIDEO: Vascular imaging applications for CT beyond the heart

Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) President Brian Ghoshhajra, MD, explains the vascular imaging sessions at SCCT 2022 that went beyond the usual coronaries and structural heart evaluations.

August 12, 2022

Fat attenuation index (FAI) CT imaging of coronary artery fat can show inflammation and can help pin-point vulnerable plaques, or show the reversal of inflammation due to drug therapies. The technology is being developed by the vendor Caristo, which has European CE mark and the company is seeking FDA clearance. #SCCT #SCCT2022

VIDEO: New Technologies in Cardiac CT Imaging

Ron Blankstein, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital, explains recent advances in coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) technology.

August 3, 2022

A cardiac CT scan being performed at Duly Healthcare in suburban Chicago in the spring of 2022. This is one of the first outpatient cardiology clinics in the U.S. to implement a CCTA program for screening non-acute chest pain patients and for structural heart evaluations. This applies to CCTA, CTA, Cardiac CT, and CT angiography and coronary CT angiography.

Cardiac CT now in the spotlight thanks to chest pain guidelines

With the elevation of cardiac CT to a 1A indication in the 2021 Chest Pain Guidelines, there has been a large amount of interest in starting coronary artery CT angiography (CCTA) programs.

August 3, 2022

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business

AI improves CT assessments, boosts care for real-world heart patients

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.

Cardiovascular Business

AI predicts cardiovascular risk during CT scans—no invasive tests or contrast required

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

Radiology Business

Google teams with Bayer to address radiologist burnout via AI

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