"Potential” can be a loaded word, especially in healthcare. Many clinicians have tagged coronary MR angiography (MRA) with the “potential” label. Despite the scan’s reported safety advantages over coronary CT angiography (CTA), as well as its superior physiologic information, coronary MRA has not gained the widespread acceptance of coronary CTA.


This summer we asked readers of Diagnostic & Invasive Cardiology to submit the names and feats of the most innovative heart hospitals in the U.S. Two of those submissions are highlighted here to explain how one significantly decreased its door-to-balloon time and how the other is separating itself from competing hospitals with outstanding customer service.

Cutting Door-to-Balloon Time

October 31, 2008 - Corgenix Medical Corp. recently said new CHARISMA trial findings published in Circulation confirm elevated urinary levels of the biomarker 11-dehydro thromboxane B2 (11dhTxB2) indicate an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiac death.

The AspirinWorks Test by Corgenix is the only FDA-cleared test that measures urinary 11dhTxB2 to accurately determine aspirin effect in apparently healthy individuals. 11dhTxB2 is a metabolite of thromboxane, the target of aspirin therapy.

October 31, 2008 - TCT India Live is a three-day symposium designed for interventional cardiologists, clinical cardiologists, vascular medicine specialists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals from around the world who have special interests in the field of interventional and vascular medicine.

October 30, 2008 - Medtronic Inc. said today it plans to launch its portfolio of angioplasty products in the U.S. on the rapid exchange (RX) delivery system, including the Endeavor drug-eluting stent (DES), the Driver and MicroDriver bare-metal stents, and the NC (non-compliant) Sprinter balloon catheter systems.

October 31, 2008 - Surface modification and drug delivery technologies company SurModics Inc. said today it is providing advanced hydrophilic coating technology for Elixir Medical Corp’s drug-eluting and bare metal stent systems, which are designed to optimize vessel scaffolding and localized drug delivery to provide a safe and effective treatment for cardiovascular patients.

Just ahead of the expected release of clinical practice guidelines on Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) by the influential National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), Tepnel Life Sciences PLC launched a DNA test for the early detection of FH, a genetic condition that predisposes individuals to high blood cholesterol levels and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Mennen Medical recently released a new cath lab hemodynamic monitoring system, the Horizon XVu, which is embedded with a reportedly ultra modern interface and analysis system, includes network ability and efficient workflow connectivity as part of Mennen’s total IT solution. The new software displays eight main focus areas.

The ClariTEE miniaturized transesophageal echocardiography probe facilitates episodic monitoring of cardiac function. It is a single-use device that can remain indwelling for up to 72 hours, allowing intensivists and anesthesiologists to periodically assess cardiac preload and left ventricular systolic function over a prolonged period of time.

CardioECG 3.2, introduced by LUMEDX Corp. and Epiphany Cardiography Products, is a multimodality, multivendor, pure-Web software for cardiac rhythm data management.

By delivering clinical data from more than 60 different devices and over 30 vendors across 10 different modalities such as cardiograph, Holter, stress, patient monitoring, PF, and defibrillator, CardioECG is said to streamline data management, support best-of-breed clinical environments and significantly reduce total cost of ownership.

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