In this segment of our DAIC Thought Leadership Series, which features one-on-one conversations with cardiovascular leaders, we're talking with Dr. Jeffrey Soble. He serves both as a practicing cardiologist at Rush University Medical Group’s Cardiology Intensive Care Unit, and CEO of Ascend Cardiovascular. in this video he addresses some of the challenges related to collaborating in complex cardiology settings, and provides insight into ways telepresence and augmented reality can be used — from a clinical perspective, using a holistic approach to structured reporting.
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DAIC Thought Leadership Series: Collaboration Challenges in Complex Cardiology Settings
In this segment of our DAIC Thought Leadership Series, which features one-on-one conversations with cardiovascular leaders, we're talking with Dr. Jeffrey Soble. He serves both as a practicing cardiologist at Rush University Medical Group’s Cardiology Intensive Care Unit, and CEO of Ascend Cardiovascular. in this video he addresses some of the challenges related to collaborating in complex cardiology settings, and provides insight into ways telepresence and augmented reality can be used — from a clinical perspective, using a holistic approach to structured reporting.
Recent Video
Industry trade shows and conferences seem to be making their comeback in 2024. And the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Global Conference and Exhibition seems particularly poised to deliver the best of the best when it comes to digital transformation in both the delivery of healthcare, but also the delivery of a quality experience for those in this demanding, rapidly evolving industry. This month in our ongoing One on One series with industry leaders, we are talking with Hal Wolf, FHIMSS, president and CEO of HIMSS. He offered insights on the society’s new partnership with Informa Markets, key topics being covered at HIMSS24, AI’s impact on the industry, and his thoughts on healthcare sustainability.
Find more HIMSS24 conference coverage here
A New Partnership for Growth
Last August, Informa Markets and HIMSS announced a landmark partnership to propel the growth and evolution of the HIMSS Global Health Conference and Exhibition, recognized as the most influential healthcare technology event of the year, and in North America. It draws 40,000 health professionals, tech leaders, providers and governmental organizations from across the globe. Informa Markets, the world’s largest exhibition organizer, took on management of the HIMSS Exhibition, while HIMSS continues to oversee developing expert content and programming.
Exciting New Features at HIMSS24
At HIMSS2024, with this new collaboration comes new features, including:
- A Digital Health Technology Theme Park, filled with innovations that revolve around AI, workforce and the business of healthcare;
- The Government Connections Plaza, featuring the latest rundown from Washington;
- A reimagined Interoperability Showcase for a deeper dive into the inner workings of healthcare;
- Hot topics will be featured on the exhibition Main Stage; and
- A Hosted Buyer Program, facilitating focused meetings between providers and trusted companies in healthcare technology.
Related content:
Find more HIMSS24 conference coverage here
VIDEO: Using Maturity Models to Measure Digital Health
VIDEO: Moving Digital Transformation Forward in Healthcare
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
In this third and final segment in DAIC’s “One on One” series with Dr. Christine Seidman, learn what’s on the horizon at Harvard’s Seidman Lab, and how she views the value of learning from and mentoring a new generation of researchers.Â
Part 1 in this 3-part series delved into the research and treatments of the heart muscle disorder, hypertropic cardiomyopathy. You can view VIDEO, Part 1: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: One on One with a Cardiovascular Research Leader, here.
In Part 2 of this series with Dr. Christine Seidman, a discussion on the discovery of gene-based diagnostics at Harvard’s Seidman Lab which allowed for targeted disease treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. You can watch Part 2: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Focus, here.
Related Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy content:
Part 1: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: One on One with a Cardiovascular Research Leader
Part 2: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Focus
First International Guidelines on Heart Muscle Diseases Published
In Part 2 of DAIC’s 3-part “One on One” series with Dr. Christine Seidman, a discussion on the discovery of gene-based diagnostics at Harvard’s Seidman Lab which allowed for targeted disease treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Â
Part 1 in this 3-part series delved into the research and treatments of the heart muscle disorder, hypertropic cardiomyopathy. You can view VIDEO, Part 1: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: One on One with a Cardiovascular Research Leader, here.
The third and final segment in DAIC’s “One on One” series with Dr. Christine Seidman will discuss what’s on the horizon at Harvard’s Seidman Lab, and how she views the value of learning from and mentoring a new generation of researchers.Â
Related Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy content:
Part 1: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: One on One with a Cardiovascular Research Leader
First International Guidelines on Heart Muscle Diseases Published
A 3-part video series with Christine E. Seidman, MD, FACC, FAHA
In the first of this 3-part “One on One” series, Dr. Christine Seidman — recognized as one of the world’s most respected physician scientists — delves into the research and treatments of the heart muscle disorder, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Â
In part 2 of DAIC’s 3-part “One on One” series with Dr. Christine Seidman, a discussion on the discovery of gene-based diagnostics at Harvard’s Seidman Lab which allowed for targeted disease treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Watch Part 2: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Focus, here.
Don’t miss the third and final segment in DAIC’s “One on One” series with Dr. Christine Seidman. Learn what’s on the horizon at Harvard’s Seidman Lab, and how she views the value of learning from and mentoring a new generation of researchers.Â
Related Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy content:
Part 2: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Focus
Part 1: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: One on One with a Cardiovascular Research Leader
First International Guidelines on Heart Muscle Diseases Published
HIMMS is working to bring empirical knowledge and evidence of value and impact of digital maturity measured by the HIMSS maturity models and the Digital Health Indicator (DHI), which is a blueprint for digital health advancement. The maturity models provide prescriptive frameworks to healthcare organizations to help build their digital health ecosystems. DAIC spoke with Anne Snowdon, RN, PhD, FAAN, professor of strategy entrepreneurship, Odette Business School, University of Windsor, CEO of SCAN Health and Chief Scientific Research Officer, HIMSS Analytics, to find out more about these models, and what the latest scientific research is telling us.
Dr. Anne Snowdon is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor.  Currently, Dr. Snowdon is the Chief Scientific Research Officer for HIMSS, Vice Chair of the Board of the Directors for Alberta Innovates, and member of the Health Futures Council of Arizona State University (ASU).  She is an Adjunct Faculty at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Windsor, the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University and the Centre for Innovative Medical Technology (CIMT), at the University of Southern Denmark.  Dr. Snowdon is leading a national Community of Practice to advance supply chain resilience across Canada, she has published more than 150 research articles, papers and cases, has received over $24 million in research funding, holds patents and has commercialized a highly successful booster seat product for children traveling in vehicles and is a Fulbright Scholar. She holds a PhD in Nursing from the University of Michigan, an MSc from McGill University, and BScN from Western University. Â
Find more HIMSS23 coverage here
VIDEO: Moving Digital Transformation Forward in Healthcare
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
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VIDEO: Using Maturity Models to Measure Digital Health
VIDEO: Moving Digital Transformation Forward in Healthcare
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
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New ACC President Defines Priorities for Year Ahead
Health That Connects + Tech That Cares at HIMSS 2023
ACC22: Transforming Cardiovascular Care
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Healthcare is constantly evolving, finding new ways to innovate and advance digital tools and technology. With this comes the need for transformation to keep up with these advancements. DAIC spoke with Anne Snowdon, RN, PhD, FAAN, professor of strategy entrepreneurship, Odette Business School, University of Windsor, CEO of SCAN Health and Chief Scientific Research Officer, HIMSS Analytics, to find out more about the steps needed for this transformation and what we can expect to see in the future of healthcare.
Dr. Anne Snowdon is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor.  Currently, Dr. Snowdon is the Chief Scientific Research Officer for HIMSS, Vice Chair of the Board of the Directors for Alberta Innovates, and member of the Health Futures Council of Arizona State University (ASU).  She is an Adjunct Faculty at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Windsor, the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University and the Centre for Innovative Medical Technology (CIMT), at the University of Southern Denmark.  Dr. Snowdon is leading a national Community of Practice to advance supply chain resilience across Canada, she has published more than 150 research articles, papers and cases, has received over $24 million in research funding, holds patents and has commercialized a highly successful booster seat product for children traveling in vehicles and is a Fulbright Scholar. She holds a PhD in Nursing from the University of Michigan, an MSc from McGill University, and BScN from Western University. Â
Find more HIMSS23 coverage here
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
Related Digital Transformation Content:
Robocath Launches New Robotic Platform R-One+
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VIDEO: Moving Digital Transformation Forward in Healthcare
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VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
New ACC President Defines Priorities for Year Ahead
Successfully creating and implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and analytic solutions in general requires a number of key factors, including data quality and a certain level of expertise. DAIC had a conversation with Julius Bogdan, a leading expert in Digital transformation, Data and analytics, and Artificial intelligence and machine learning, to learn more about the key components needed to create and implement AI and digital transformation solutions.
Julius is Vice President and General Manager, Digital Health Advisory Team for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). In that role, he leads sales, business development, product management, product marketing and advisory services teams across the continent on digital health transformation. He is responsible for the growth of the HIMSS Analytics portfolio adoption, channel strategy, and cultivating relationships across the provider, payer and public sector health landscape. He also serves on the advisory council of various start-ups and early stage firms in finance and healthcare on technology trends, architecture and market analysis.
Find more HIMSS23 content hereÂ
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
Related Digital Transformation Content:
Robocath Launches New Robotic Platform R-One+
VIDEO: Using Maturity Models to Measure Digital Health
VIDEO: Moving Digital Transformation Forward in Healthcare
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
New ACC President Defines Priorities for Year Ahead
With the help of artificial intelligence, cutting-edge technology is being developed that will help improve patient outcomes and build efficiencies in healthcare, which will help transform the future of healthcare delivery. DAIC sat down with Julius Bogdan, a leading expert in Digital transformation, Data and analytics, and Artificial intelligence and machine learning, to find out more about the inroads AI is making.
Julius is Vice President and General Manager, Digital Health Advisory Team for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). In that role, he leads sales, business development, product management, product marketing and advisory services teams across the continent on digital health transformation. He is responsible for the growth of the HIMSS Analytics portfolio adoption, channel strategy, and cultivating relationships across the provider, payer and public sector health landscape. He also serves on the advisory council of various start-ups and early stage firms in finance and healthcare on technology trends, architecture and market analysis.
Find more HIMSS23 content here
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
Related Digital Transformation Content:
Robocath Launches New Robotic Platform R-One+
VIDEO: Using Maturity Models to Measure Digital Health
VIDEO: Moving Digital Transformation Forward in Healthcare
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
New ACC President Defines Priorities for Year Ahead
This year at HIMSS, the theme is Health That Connects + Tech That Cares, and cybersecurity is indeed a part of this picture. ITN spoke with Lee Kim, who is the Senior Principal, Cybersecurity and Privacy at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), on cybersecurity and how healthcare is at risk. In the video, Lee also discusses the 2022 HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Survey, which reflects the opinions of healthcare cybersecurity professionals. You can more information about the survey results here.
Find more HIMSS23 content hereÂ
2022 HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Survey Report Results Published
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
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Robocath Launches New Robotic Platform R-One+
VIDEO: Using Maturity Models to Measure Digital Health
VIDEO: Moving Digital Transformation Forward in Healthcare
VIDEO: Key Components to Creating and Implementing AI and Digital Transformation Solutions
VIDEO: The Benefits and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
VIDEO: A Look at Cybersecurity and How Healthcare is at Risk
New ACC President Defines Priorities for Year Ahead
Managing Acute Coronary Syndromes in Women: Why and When is a Unique Approach Required features an in-depth interview with Malissa J. Wood, MD, FACC. Wood is the co-director of the Corrigan Women’s Heart Health Program at Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center, and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. Here, she offers detailed guidance to cardiologists for improving the diagnosing and treatment of heart disease in women. Wood serves as the American College of Cardiology, ACC Chair, Board of Governors, and Secretary, Board of Trustees (2022-2023). This video interview is part of DAIC's One on One ... feature series that profiles a leader in cardiology to share insight, updates and initiatives on a range of hot topics impacting the cardiology community. The series also includes a feature profile and podcast.
Related content:
VIDEO: Precision Cardiovascular Medicine: The Next Frontier in Patient Care and Innovation
VIDEO: Unique Features of Coronary Artery Disease in Women
Treatment for Heart Attacks Improving but Gaps in Access Persist, New Study Shows
Closing the Gap in Healthcare by Addressing Gender BiasÂ
Diagnostic Differences in Women’s Heart Health Â
VIDEO: Differences in Cardiac Complications and Presentation Between Men and Women — Interview with Cindy Grines, M.D. Â
DAIC's Women's Cardiovascular Health Channel Â
VIDEO: How to Build a Successful Women’s Heart Center — Interview with Malissa Wood, M.D. Â
VIDEO: Creating a Cardio-Obstetrics Team — Doreen DeFaria Yeh, M.D.Â
Related Content on New Technology and Ideas to Address Health Disparities:Â
VIDEO: New Ideas in Addressing Cardiovascular Disease Disparities — Clyde Yancy, M.DÂ
VIDEO: How Smartphones May Revolutionize Healthcare in the Developing World —Interview with Jacques Kpodonu, M.D.Â
VIDEO: Reducing Hypertension Among African-Americans — Interview with Kim Allan Williams, Sr., M.D.Â
Artificial intelligence and general consolidation were two top cardiology trends at RSNA22. ITN/DAIC spoke with Val Kapitula, partner, Paragon Consulting Partners LLC, about some of the trends he is seeing emerge in this field.Â
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Related content:
RSNA 2022 Theme in Action: Empowering Patients and Partners in Care
Photo Gallery of Radiology Technology, Highlights from RSNA 2022
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RSNA 2022: Innovative Solutions on Display, Leadership Addresses Value of Imaging
RSNA 2022 Day 2: Focus on Breast Screening & AI, Future of Patient Care
At TCT 2022, Jane Leopold, MD, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Director, Women's Interventional Cardiology Health Initiative; and Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, moderated a late-breaker session on Clinical Science in Structural Heart Disease. Here, she highlights the key results of the clinical trials for DAIC/dicardiology.com.
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Related TCT 2022 Coverage:
VIDEO: Precision Cardiovascular Medicine: The Next Frontier in Patient Care and Innovation
VIDEO: 3-Year Follow-up of the SYMPLICITY HTN-3 Trial
VIDEO: Unique Features of Coronary Artery Disease in Women
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Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s (CRF) TCT 2022 in Review
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Educational Leaders Join Forces on Educational Opportunities
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At TCT 2022, Jane Leopold, MD, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Director, Women's Interventional Cardiology Health Initiative; and Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, presented on Precision Cardiovascular Medicine. She spoke with DAIC about some of the goals of precision medicine and how this data can be used.
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Related TCT 2022 Coverage:
VIDEO: 3-Year Follow-up of the SYMPLICITY HTN-3 Trial
VIDEO: Unique Features of Coronary Artery Disease in Women
Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s (CRF) TCT 2022 in Review
Photo Gallery Highlighting TCT 2022
Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s (CRF) TCT 2022 in Review
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TCT 2022 Announces Winner of Shark Tank Innovation Award
Educational Leaders Join Forces on Educational Opportunities
Top TCT 2022 Award Recipients announced by Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF)
At TCT 2022, Deepak Bhatt, MD, MPh, Executive Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs, Brigham and Women's Hospital, presented a late-breaker session on Long-Term Outcomes Following Catheter-Based Renal Denervation in Patients With Uncontrolled Hypertensions: 3-Year Follow-up of the SYMPLICITY HTN-3 Trial. He spoke with DAIC editors about the outcomes.
Related TCT 2022 Coverage:
VIDEO: Unique Features of Coronary Artery Disease in Women
Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s (CRF) TCT 2022 in Review
Photo Gallery Highlighting TCT 2022
Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s (CRF) TCT 2022 in Review
TCT 2022 Honors Recipient of Thomas J. Linnemeier Young Investigator Award
TCT 2022 Announces Winner of Shark Tank Innovation Award
Educational Leaders Join Forces on Educational Opportunities
Top TCT 2022 Award Recipients announced by Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF)
At TCT 2022, Dr. Akl Fahed, Physician-scientist and Interventional Cardiologist, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Ozan Unlu, fellow in cardiovascular medicine and Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, co-presented on Unique Features of Coronary Artery Disease in Women. Here is a summary of their findings.
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Related TCT 2022 Coverage:
Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s (CRF) TCT 2022 in Review
Photo Gallery Highlighting TCT 2022
Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s (CRF) TCT 2022 in Review
TCT 2022 Honors Recipient of Thomas J. Linnemeier Young Investigator Award
TCT 2022 Announces Winner of Shark Tank Innovation Award
Educational Leaders Join Forces on Educational Opportunities
Top TCT 2022 Award Recipients announced by Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF)
Enhanced features on the Philips EPIQ CVx ultrasound system provide a next level photorealistic 3D rendering, making it easy for users to interpret what they are seeing. The TrueVue feature enhances the sense of depth and space, producing images that appear natural and realistic to the human eye. Â
Watch the video to check out how TrueVue can help improve views of LAA and MV morphology.Â
Automated features on the Philips EPIQ CVx cardiology ultrasound system are helping to bring consistency and speed to every echo exam. The AI-empowered algorithm delivers fast and consistent measurements – in half the time of manual methods.* Â
Watch the video to see how you can put “smart”  to work with the latest AI-powered quantification tools.Â
*External study with external sonographers comparing the results of 18 exams with and without AutoMeasure
The X5-1c transducer from Philips provides enhanced clinical information in transthoracic imaging over a standard phased array transducer. When combined with nSIGHT Plus image formation on the EPIQ CVx cardiology ultrasound system, the X5-1c transducer enables image quality rarely seen from a transthoracic transducer.Â
Watch the video to learn about the benefits which may include decreased exam time due to faster access to echo windows, increased confidence in quantification results and more.Â
Philips recently announced an update to their flagship EPIQ CVx premium cardiology ultrasound system. Watch the video to learn about the latest features including the next-generation nSIGHT Plus imaging architecture system that leverages both hardware and software to support sophisticated image formation and enhanced image quality.
Interview with Campbell Rogers, M.D., chief medical officer of HeartFlow which has developed a CT image-based fractional flow reserve (FFR-CT) algorithm. The technology was recently included as a recommendation for front line chest pain evaluations in the 2021 ACC/AHA chest pain evaluation guidelines.
The new guidelines gave high levels of evidence for the use of computed tomography and FFR-CT cardiac imaging as front line imaging modalities for chest pain evaluation.
Related Chest Pain Imaging Content:
First International Chest Pain Diagnosis Guidelines Released
VIDEO: Why the ASNC Did Not Endorse the 2021 Chest Pain Guidelines — Interview with ASNC President Dennis Calnon, M.D.
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Campbell Rogers, M.D., chief medical officer of HeartFlow, explains how hospitals are using CT image-based fractional flow reserve (FFR-CT) assessments to speed throughput of patients in emergency rooms and reduce the need for diagnostic angiograms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) President Dennis Calnon, M.D., MASNC, FASE, FSCCT, director of cardiac imaging for McConnell Heart Hospital at Riverside Methodist Hospital, and director of nuclear imaging for Ohio Health Heart and Vascular Physicians in Columbus, explains why the society did not endorse the first-ever U.S. or international guideline for the evaluation and diagnosis of patients with acute or stable chest pain.
Nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has been a gold-standard for evaluation of coronary disease in patients for years, and it is included in the new guidelines. However, computed tomography angiography (CTA) has seen immense growth over the past decade and gained a prominent position in the guidelines as a front line imaging modality. This is due to nearly all hospital emergency rooms now having access to CT systems capable of performing immediate cardiac exams. CT has been seen mainly as an anatomical imaging test, but it also can be used for myocardial perfusion imaging using iodine contrast. While CT has had limits with its ability to image through heavily calcified vessels or stents, that is changing with new CT technologies now coming into service.
One new CT technology that is prominently included I the new chest pain guidelines is CT fractional flow reserve (FFR-CT) imaging. This uses a computational fluid dynamics algorithm to analyze a patient's CTA. It sends back a report and an interactive 3D reconstruction of all the coronary vessels that shows a color coded drop in FFR ratios, which is a measure of blood flow. Past a certain threshold, the reduced flow needs to be treated with revascularization. Lower level blockages can be treated with drug therapies. FFR-CT is widely expected in the coming years to become a gate keeper for invasive diagnostic angiograms. The hope is it will eliminate the need for the majority of cath lab angiogram exams and only send patients to the lab that need a stent or angioplasty.Â
However, the ASNC had major issues with FFR-CT being included in the chest pain guidelines. Its board members argued there is need for more evidence and there should have been more information contraindications for its use, which was included on other imaging modalities in the guidelines. They also argued access to the technology has been very limited. Calnon explains more detail in the video on why this was a sticking point and caused the ASNC to not endorse the guidelines.
Read more in the article — First International Chest Pain Diagnosis Guidelines Released
American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) President Dennis Calnon, M.D., MASNC, FASE, FSCCT, director of cardiac imaging for McConnell Heart Hospital at Riverside Methodist Hospital, and director of nuclear imaging for Ohio Health Heart and Vascular Physicians in Columbus, offers a concise overview of new technologies that are enhancing cardiac nuclear imaging. He also explains some of the new developments and uses for PET and SPECT imaging technology.
Find more nuclear imaging technology news
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Siddharth Singh, M.D., director of the COVID-19 heart program, staff cardiologist and echocardiographer, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, explains what has been learned in the first year of the hospital's long-COVID clinic. Cedar-Sinai was one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to create a cardiac long-COVID clinic. As of January 2022, the clinic has been more than 120 long-COVID patients with cardiac specific complains.Â
"Depending on what study you read, a percentage of patients with acute COVID infection will go on to develop long-lasting sequelae, but typically the percentage falls over time," explained Siddharth Singh, M.D., director of the COVID heart program, staff cardiologist and echocardiographer, Cedars-Sinai Hospital.
He said studies show between 10-25 percent of COVID patients will experience at least one disabling long-COVID symptom six months after their acute infection.
Cedars-Sinai long-COVID has seen over 500 patients since late 2020. Of these, 120 were referred for cardiac evaluations. The most common presentations in those patients include:
  • Shortness of breath
  • Exertional intolerance
  • Chest pain
  • Heart palpitations Â
  • Sensations of light-headedness and dizziness
  • Insomnia
  • Brain fogÂ
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Numbness or tingling in the extremities
  • Longer lasting issues with smell and taste
Singh also said many patients experience anxiety and depression due to the continued symptoms, and are concerned the issues they have from COVID may be permanent. Both Baggish and Trivax also reported seeing these issues in many of their patients.
In a smaller subset of patients these clinics have found lingering pericarditis or myocarditis. Most of these patients reported developing chest pain within two week or so after their acute infection. Singh said abnormalities can be imaged using echo and MRI.
"They do typically have abnormalities on imaging. But reassuringly, of all the patients who came to our clinic with these issues, we did not see any decline in left ventricular ejection fraction or systolic function," Singh stressed.
Patients with lingering pericarditis or myocarditis issues are treated with anti-inflammatories. Singh reinforced that the number of patients treated for this have been very low.
Singh said the arrhythmias he has seen include atrial fibrillation (AF) and supraventricular tachycardia. He noted ventricular tachycardia is very rare in these patients. In discussions with his electrophysiology (EP) colleagues, Singh believes the issues with post-COVID arrhythmias often comes down to the substrate of the patient's heart. He said the more cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathy, scarring, or previous AF a patient has, the more predisposed they are to developing an arrhythmia after a COVID infection.Â
Watch more of the interview with Singh in the VIDEO: Examination of Cardiac COVID Long-Haulers
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Related Long-COVID Content:
What We Know About Cardiac Long-COVID Two Years Into the PandemicÂ
VIDEO: Long-term Cardiac Impacts of COVID-19 Two Years Into The Pandemic — Interview with Aaron Baggish, M.D.
VIDEO: Long-COVID Presentations in Cardiology at Beaumont Hospital — Interview with Justin Trivax, M.D.
VIDEO: Examination of Cardiac COVID Long-Haulers — Interview with Siddharth Singh, M.D.
Find more COVID news and video
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Siddharth Singh, M.D., director of the COVID-19 heart program, staff cardiologist and echocardiographer, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, explains how they work up cardiac patients in the Cedars-Sinai long-COVID clinic. He goes through the list of exams  and labs they use in these patients.
Cardiac patients at the Cedar-Sinai long-COVID clinic are evaluated with a basic physical exam, extensive family and medical history, an ECG, basic labs that include troponin and BNP, D-dimer, A1C, lipid panel and a metabolic profile since many patients have become much less active during the pandemic. Patients with symptoms are evaluated with an echocardiogram, including global longitudinal strain. If patients have abnormalities on the echo, or if there is suspected pericarditis or myocarditis, the patient is referred for a cardiac MRI with contrast.Â
Watch more of this interview in the VIDEO: Cardiac Presentations in COVID Long-haulers at Cedars-Sinai HospitalÂ
Related Long-COVID Content:
What We Know About Cardiac Long-COVID Two Years Into the PandemicÂ
VIDEO: Long-term Cardiac Impacts of COVID-19 Two Years Into The Pandemic — Interview with Aaron Baggish, M.D.
VIDEO: Long-COVID Presentations in Cardiology at Beaumont Hospital — Interview with Justin Trivax, M.D.
VIDEO: Cardiac Presentations in COVID Long-haulers at Cedars-Sinai Hospital — Interview with Siddharth Singh, M.D.
Find more COVID news and video
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Justin Trivax, M.D., an interventional cardiologist who works with long-COVID patients at Beaumont Hospital, explains some of the common symptoms and their prevalence in the Beaumont long-COVID clinic.Â
COVID long hauler syndrome is no longer seen as a big mystery because large numbers of these patients have been seen and treated. The bottom line is that while long-hauler symptoms are an issue for patients, they do not appear to be life-threatening and the big fear of large numbers of new heart failure patients post infection has not materialized.
"Interestingly, the patients do get better. It is a slow process, but by the one-year point we do see improvement in patients with this prolonged syndrome," reassured Trivax.
Many of the patients Trivax has seen only had a mild case of COVID, but presenting months later with cardiac issues. Trivax said these patients often test troponin positive. The question as to what is causing this often results in a cardiac MRI.
"There are also patients who had very mild symptoms [during their COVID infection] and those patients don't have a major event, however, they may have those prolonged symptoms," Trivax said. "We see this in the MRI studies that have been performed. But, what these abnormal cardiac MRIs really mean, we don't quite know. We don't have any long-term data for these COVID patients."
Read more of his observations in the article What We Know About Cardiac Long-COVID Two Years Into the Pandemic
Related Long-COVID Content:
What We Know About Cardiac Long-COVID Two Years Into the PandemicÂ
VIDEO: Cardiac Presentations in COVID Long-haulers at Cedars-Sinai Hospital — Interview with Siddharth Singh, M.D.
VIDEO: Long-term Cardiac Impacts of COVID-19 Two Years Into The Pandemic — Interview with Aaron Baggish, M.D.
VIDEO: Long-COVID Presentations in Cardiology at Beaumont Hospital — Interview with Justin Trivax, M.D.
VIDEO: Examination of Cardiac COVID Long-Haulers — Interview with Siddharth Singh, M.D.
Aaron Baggish, M.D., director of the cardiovascular performance program, Mass General Hospital, has been involved in the care of cardiac COVID-19 long-hauler patients and monitoring athletes recovering from COVID the past two years.
He spoke to DAIC a year ago in late 2020 about the beginning of the Mass General monitoring of long-COVID patients and he shares what they have learned over the past year. He said the common long-term issues include arrhythmias, brain fog and other issues. Baggish also explains what they do to evaluate post-COVID infection patients with complaints or odd presentations weeks or months after their acute phase of infection ended.
Watch the 2020 interview with Baggish on long-COVID — VIDEO: Lingering Myocardial Involvement After COVID-19 Infection
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Related Long-COVID Content:
What We Know About Cardiac Long-COVID Two Years Into the PandemicÂ
VIDEO: Long-term Cardiac Impacts of COVID-19 Two Years Into The Pandemic — Interview with Aaron Baggish, M.D.
VIDEO: Long-COVID Presentations in Cardiology at Beaumont Hospital — Interview with Justin Trivax, M.D.
VIDEO: Examination of Cardiac COVID Long-Haulers — Interview with Siddharth Singh, M.D.
VIDEO: What Are The Long-term Cardiac Impacts of COVID-19 Infection — Interview with Todd Hurst, M.D.
VIDEO: Cardiac Presentations in COVID Long-haulers at Cedars-Sinai Hospital — Interview with Siddharth Singh, M.D.
Orlando Simonetti, Ph.D., professor, cardiovascular medicine, worked with Siemens to help develop a new, lower-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the Magnetom Free.Max. It can scan patients that previously may have been contraindicated because of implantable medical devices. The first system installed in the U.S. is at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. It has a much lower magnetic field and a larger patient opening, removing barriers to MRI imaging for many patients.
Simonetti and his colleagues developed new techniques to boost the signal-to-noise ratio in MRI machines, which allowed the creation of a machine with a lower magnetic field strength that still enables high quality images.
The system gained FDA clearance in July 2021Â and was featured by Siemens at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2021 meeting.
The interview and footage was provided by The Ohio University State University Wexner Medical Center.
Read more in the article New FDA-approved MRI Expands Access to Life-saving Imaging.
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Here are two examples of artificial intelligence (AI) driven pulmonary embolism (PE) response team apps featured by vendors Aidoc and Viz.AI at the 2021 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2021 meeting.
The AI scans computed tomography (CT) image datasets as they came off the imaging system and looked for evidence of PE. If detected by the algorithm, it immediately sends an alert to the stroke care team members via smartphone messaging. This is done before the images are even loaded into the PACS. The radiologist on the team can use a link on the app to open the CT dataset and has basic tools for scrolling, windowing and leveling to determine if there is a PE and the severity. The team can then use the app to send messages, access patient information, imaging and reports. This enabled them all to be on the same page and can communicate quickly via mobile devices, rather than being required to use dedicated workstations in the hospital.Â
Both vendors showed similar apps for stroke at RSNA 2019. That idea for rapid alerts, diagnosis and communications for acute care teams has now expanded to PE and also for aortic dissection and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). AI.Viz and Aidoc are looking at expanding this type of technology for other acute care team rolls, including heart failure response.Â
Read more about this technology in the article AI Can Facilitate Automated Activation of Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams.
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Advancements in analytics and data visualizations are helping to streamline operations and improve productivity at cath labs across the country. Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene Idaho has a single cath lab performing more than 2,000 cases per year. Diane Penkert, executive director of heart and vascular services, discusses how the implementation of the Philips Performance Bridge analytics platform has enabled them to better leverage cardiovascular procedure data.
The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) announced the first successful transplant of a genetically modified pig’s heart into a human patient took place Jan. 9, 2022. The innovative procedure may pave the way to eliminating the current heart transplant wait lists. The cardiologists who developed this procedure believe in the near future, an unlimited number of pig hearts could be used to allow heart transplants in any patients who need them on demand, and regardless of the medical requirements that currently limit access to human heart transplants.
Cardiac surgeons Muhammad M. Mohiuddin, M.D., scientific and program director, Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program, University of Maryland, and Bartley P. Griffith, M.D., M.D., explain how the procedure and technology works. They surgically transplanted a pig heart into the human patient after the patient had no options left and did not qualify for the heart transplant list. The patient was surviving in the hospital only through the use of an ECMO heart-lung machine.
The patient, 57-year-old Maryland resident David Bennett, was granted a FDA emergency authorization for the surgery on New Year’s Eve through its expanded access (compassionate use) provision. It is used when an experimental medical product, in this case the genetically-modified pig’s heart, is the only option available for a patient faced with end-stage heart failure, a serious or life-threatening medical condition. The authorization to proceed was granted in the hope of saving the patient’s life.
“This was a breakthrough surgery and brings us one step closer to solving the organ shortage crisis. There are simply not enough donor human hearts available to meet the long list of potential recipients,” said Griffith, the Thomas E. and Alice Marie Hales Distinguished Professor in Transplant Surgery at UMSOM. “We are proceeding cautiously, but we are also optimistic that this first-in-the-world surgery will provide an important new option for patients in the future.”
This video includes video footage from the historic procedure and interviews with Griffith, Mohiuddin and other officials at University of Maryland Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Read more in the article First Human Receives a Pig Heart Transplant.
Jean Jeudy, M.D., professor of radiology and vice chair of informatics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, presented a late-breaking study at the 2021 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)Â meeting on COVID-19 linked myocarditis in college athletes.Â
A small but significant percentage of college athletes with COVID-19 develop myocarditis, a potentially dangerous inflammation of the heart muscle, that can only be seen on cardiac MRI, according to the study Jeudy presented. Myocarditis, which typically occurs as a result of a bacterial or viral infection, can affect the heart’s rhythm and ability to pump and often leaves behind lasting damage in the form of scarring to the heart muscle. It has been linked to as many as 20% of sudden deaths in young athletes. The COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns over an increased incidence of the condition in student-athletes.
For the new study, clinicians at schools in the highly competitive Big Ten athletic conference collaborated to collect data on the frequency of myocarditis in student-athletes recovering from COVID-19 infection. Conference officials had required all athletes who had COVID-19 to get a series of cardiac tests before returning to play, providing a unique opportunity for researchers to collect data on the athletes’ cardiac status.
Jeudy serves as the cardiac MRI core leader for the Big Ten Cardiac Registry. This registry oversaw the collection of all the data from the individual schools of the Big Ten conference. He reviewed the results of 1,597 cardiac MRI exams collected at the 13 participating schools.Â
Thirty-seven of the athletes, or 2.3%, were diagnosed with COVID-19 myocarditis, a percentage on par with the incidence of myocarditis in the general population. However, an alarmingly high proportion of the myocarditis cases were found in athletes with no clinical symptoms. Twenty of the patients with COVID-19 myocarditis (54%) had neither cardiac symptoms nor cardiac testing abnormalities. Only cardiac MRI identified the problem.
Read more details in the article COVID-19 Linked to Heart Inflammation in College Athletes.
Related COVID-19 Imaging and Myocarditis Content:
Overview of Myocarditis Cases Caused by the COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 Linked to Heart Inflammation in College Athletes — RSNA 2021 late-breaker
VIDEO: Cardiac MRI Assessment of Non-ischemic Myocardial Inflammation Caused by COVID-19 Vaccinations — Interview with Kate Hanneman, M.D.
Cardiac MRI of Myocarditis After COVID-19 Vaccination in Adolescents
Large International Study Reveals Spectrum of COVID-19 Brain Complications - RSNA 2021 late-breaker
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FDA Adds Myocarditis Warning to COVID mRNA Vaccine Clinician Fact Sheets
Small Number of Patients Have Myocarditis-like Illness After COVID-19 Vaccination
The vendor Radiaction introduced a new type of scatter radiation protection shielding system that mounts to the angiography system in the cath lab. It was shown for the first time at the 2021 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting.
The system uses a motorized series of tungsten-polymer radiation shield plates that extend down from the detector, and up from the X-ray source, to the patient and bottom of the table. This greatly reduces scatter radiation in the lab, by as much as 92% according to the company's research.Â
The shields are deployed using a table-side controller. The shield has sensors to stop extending when it comes close to the patient or the table. The shield can be partly pulled back to enable panning the table. The company said the shield can be mounted on existing angiography C-arms.
It has CE mark and is installed clinically in two cath labs in Israel. The company hopes to submit for U.S. FDA review in 2022.
Related Cath Lab Radiation Dose Reduction Content:
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VIDEO: Minimizing X-ray Exposure to Physicians During Interventional Procedures With the ControlRad System — Interview with Dr. Simon Dixon
Medical Imaging Radiation Levels in U.S. Dropped Over Past Decade
Philips Developing X-ray Free Cath Lab Imaging to Replace or Supplement Angiography
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Kate Hanneman, M.D., MPH FRCPC, director of cardiac imaging research JDMI, and the medical imaging site director at Toronto General Hospital, Women’s College Hospital, was an author on a recent overview of cardiac MRI assessments of non-ischemic myocardial inflammation caused by the COVID-19 vaccine. She presented this study and other related data at the 2021 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting.Â
The rare side effect from the COVID vaccine is seen mainly in young men between ages 12-29. It appears to resolve on its own after a couple days, but longer term monitoring is needed to show if there is any lasting cardiac damage. A small number of single cases with follow up MRI imaging so far have not shown long term damage.Â
Hanneman noted the incidence of vaccine-related myocarditis is very rare and people have a much high probability of getting much more serious COVID-viral myocarditis is they are not vaccinated. She said so the risk-vs-benefit analysis currently shows it is better to get vaccinated to prevent or lessen the effects of COVID.Â
Related COVID-19 Imaging Content:
Overview of Myocarditis Cases Caused by the COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 Linked to Heart Inflammation in College Athletes — RSNA 2021 late-breaker
Cardiac MRI of Myocarditis After COVID-19 Vaccination in Adolescents
Large International Study Reveals Spectrum of COVID-19 Brain Complications - RSNA 2021 late-breaker
COVID-19 During Pregnancy Doesn’t Harm Baby’s Brain
FDA Adds Myocarditis Warning to COVID mRNA Vaccine Clinician Fact Sheets
Small Number of Patients Have Myocarditis-like Illness After COVID-19 Vaccination
Examples of TrueView and GlassView 3D cardiac ultrasound visualization and artificial intelligence (AI) assisted automated measurements on the Philips Healthcare Epiq CV version 9.0 echo system. The latest version of the system was FDA cleared in October 2021 and shown at the 2021 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting for the first time. The Epiq is an AI-based platform, starting with anatomical intelligence to identify the anatomy being images automatically. The latest version of the system adds additional AI auto measurements and quantification to save time, speed workflow and reduce intra-operator variability.Â
The short video shows photo-realistic rendering of the mitral valve and a new feature where the opacity of the tissue can be dialed in our out to show glass-like ghost view of the tissue. This can make it easier to navigate or see anatomical landmarks without rotating or slicing through the image planes in the 3D rendering.
Christine Albert, M.D., MPH, professor, chair of the Department of Cardiology and the Lee and Harold Kapelovitz Distinguished Chair in Cardiology, and former president of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS). She spoke at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2021 meeting on innovations in electrophysiology (EP) technologies.Â
Advances she discusses include:
  • Leadless pacing and CRT systems Â
  • Wearable patch heart monitors and that are largely replacing traditional Holter monitors.
  • Pulsed field ablation (also called electroporation) that may improve cardiac ablations and prevent damage to underlying tissues.
  • Cryo-ablation balloons.
  • Improved EP mapping technologies.
  • and left atrial appendage (LAA) occluders.
Susan Cheng, M.D., MPH, director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Department of Cardiology at Cedars-Sinai, moderated the Best Science in Cardiovascular Genetics and Genomics: Building Blocks to Better Outcomes, at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2021 meeting. She is an expert in cardiac genetic testing and said tailoring LDL-lowering drug therapy based on routine genetic tests is coming, but is still a few years off.
Susan Cheng, M.D., MPH, director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Department of Cardiology at Cedars-Sinai and the Erika J. Glazer Chair in Women's Cardiovascular Health and Population Science, led a discussion at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2021 meeting on novel therapeutics for the lipid lowering treatments.Â
She discusses bempedoic acid, inclisiran to reduce LDL-C, icosapent ethyl and the use of genetic testing to further reduce high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in patients were statin therapy is not enough.
Cheng discusses more in the VIDEO: Use of Genetic Testing to Tailor Lipid Lowering Therapies.
Find more AHA 2021 late-breaking studies and video
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Dr. Simon Dixon, MBChB, chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak, the Dorothy Susan Timmis Endowed Chair of Cardiology, and a professor of medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, spoke at the 2021 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting about a study Beaumont performed to lower radiation dose in the cath lab by more than 50%.
Using a new angiographic collimation technology from ControlRad, it helped cut radiation dose to interventional cardiologists by 57%. The device collimates the area of interest where the physicians are working, and reduces the dose significantly to peripheral areas in the image. This reduces exposure to ionizing X-ray radiation scatter from the imaging system. It is one of two new radiation protection systems used at Beaumont.
The ControlRad device, approved for commercial cath lab use by the FDA in December 2020, is retrofitted to X-ray equipment in the catheterization lab. It creates a type of aperture that collimates the image area being viewed. By using a touch pad attached to the table side rail, the cardiologist controls the aperture to narrow or widen the field of view on the X-ray, which in turn reduces the amount of radiation used to produce the images. It works with gloves on.
For the study, cath lab workers wore radiation-detecting badges near their thyroid and inside their lead apron during procedures. Another badge was placed on a wall inside the lab. The study detected a 55% to 57% decrease in radiation exposure at the thyroid position of the main cardiologist, or lead operator, and a 49% decrease in radiation exposure to the cardiologist assisting, or operator 2. The badge on the wall detected a 38% decrease in radiation exposure, reflecting the dose savings to other cath lab staff further away from the imaging system.
Beaumont is also using the the Protego system, which places a barrier wall between the imaging equipment and the operator and staff in the cath lab. While it does not protect the patient from radiation during their procedure, it is designed to allow staff to work in the cath lab without wearing a heavy lead apron.