Dear Cardiac Imaging Insider,
There's a mountain of money to be made in noninvasive cardiac imaging, but it's cardiologists who will probably see their incomes peak, according to a prominent radiologist from Rotterdam.
Noninvasive cardiac imaging modalities such as CT and MRI have transformed cardiac imaging in recent years, said Dr. Gabriel Krestin, Ph.D., in a recent talk in Vienna. They have successfully challenged the accuracy of angiography, and stand at the forefront of a rich future in the detection and management of heart disease, he said.
But cardiologists and a handful of other subspecialists are doing most of the research, and if history is any guide, those who sow the seeds are destined to reap the harvest. Translation: If radiologists really want to inhabit the heart of imaging, they need to get to work now.
Krestin's advice, which you'll find in this issue's Insider Exclusive article, applies to anyone who wants to make a success of cardiac imaging.
In today's Cardiac Imaging Digital Community, a new study confirms that coronary CT angiography can detect pathology in patients without detectable coronary artery calcium.
When to use this powerful but relatively high-dose tool is the question of the day. How high a dose depends on how and whom you scan, according to an article from the recent American College of Cardiology meeting in Atlanta. That CTA is cost-effective seems assured, at least in patients with abnormal nuclear scans, according to another study from ACC.
Another article covers research on quantitative assessments of wall motion abnormalities via MRI, an area in which subjective evaluation dominates. MDCT and MRI are largely equivalent in the task of measuring aortic valves, according to another study.
Did you hear about the 256-slice cardiac MDCT scan performed in a heartbeat? You'll find that story here. Just scroll down for the rest of the news in our freshly redesigned Cardiac Imaging Digital Community.
