CardiArc SPECT Imaging System Up for Clinical Trials at Cleveland Clinic, Emory

July 23, 2008 - Independent research institutions will put the CardiArc SPECT system from CardiArc Inc, Southfield, MI, to the test. Both Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, and Emory University, Atlanta, will evaluate the performance and design of the cardiovascular camera in clinical settings.

The unit is designed specifically for cardiac imaging, particularly for coronary artery disease detection. SPECT, or single photon emission computed tomography, noninvasively creates 3D images that show the blood flow and function of major organs, such as the heart.

The company said its main goal is looking for comparisons with regular patients on conventional types of SPECT imaging when looking for coronary artery disease. The research programs will explore how the CardiArc system stacks up to other SPECT systems.

Cleveland Clinic will compare the scans of 100 patients who will be scanned by both the CardiArc SPECT system and the facility’s current clinical SPECT machine. Researchers also will compile a database of CardiArc scans that show diseased hearts as well as normal hearts both at rest and under stress. Emory University will perform similar research with a pool of 200 patients.

For more information: www.cardiarc.com