"Imagine a future where we can prevent cardiac amyloidosis and heart failure from amyloid. Molecular imaging is the key. It holds many more ways we can transform our patients' care." - Sharmila Dorbala, MD, MPH, MASNC
July 26, 2022 — ASNC Past President Sharmila Dorbala, MD, MPH, MASNC, will present the Mario Verani Memorial Lecture, titled "Molecular Imaging of Cardiac Amyloidosis: From Unraveling Pathophysiology to Transforming Patient Care," at ASNC2022.
Dorbala's Verani Lecture will recount the remarkable story of how imaging has become central to transforming the care of patients with cardiac amyloidosis and heart failure from amyloid. She also intends to look to the future – at how molecular-imaging-fueled research is deepening the field's understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and opening doors to both secondary and primary prevention.
Tranforming Care at Bedside, Bench and Beyond
"This is the story of imaging's potential not just at the bedside but at the bench," Dorbala said. "Imaging has played the key role in patients avoiding biopsy, achieving a diagnosis, making patients eligible for therapy and uncovering the epidemiology of this disease. You could never do this with a biopsy-based study, but you can with an imaging-based study. Let us imagine a future where we can prevent amyloidosis."
'Let's Not Wait for More Serendipity'
"With cardiac amyloidosis, there was a lot of luck and timing. Imaging helped us understand the pathophsiology of cardiac amyloidosis at exactly the right time – just as treatments were coming to fruition," Dorbala said. "Let's not wait for more serendipity. We need to develop and use molecular imaging to understand the precise pathophysiology of various diseases and use that knowledge to develop targeted therapies and also prevent organ dysfunction."
This formula is the future of nuclear imaging, predicted Dorbala. "You can't say this for many fields, but for those of us in radionuclear imaging, the future is here now."
Dorbala will present her Mario Verani Memorial Lecture on Friday, Sept. 9, during the Opening Plenary Session.
For more information: https://www.asnc.org/register
October 12, 2026 
