ACC urges all interventional cardiologists to use intravascular imaging during PCI

The ACC released a new guideline asking interventional cardiologists to use intravascular imaging to improve outcomes in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a catheter-based imaging technology that allows physicians to visualize blood vessels from the inside out. Image courtesy of Philips. 

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a catheter-based imaging technology that allows physicians to visualize blood vessels from the inside out. Image courtesy of Philips. 

New recommendations from the American College of Cardiology detail how intravascular imaging can help clinicians before, during and after PCI procedures. 

How effective are chest CT severity scores in managing COVID?

CT of coronavirus pneumonia, a solitary rounded ground-glass opacity (GGO) pattern. A 51-year-old woman in China presented in January 2020 without fever, but had close contact with positive patients. Top, baseline axial unenhanced chest CT obtained 6 days before the first positive PCR test. Bottom, chest CT scan 4 days later shows the size increase of the lesion (arrow). Image courtesy of RSNA. #COVID #SARSCoV2

CT of coronavirus pneumonia, a solitary rounded ground-glass opacity (GGO) pattern. A 51-year-old woman in China presented in January 2020 without fever, but had close contact with positive patients. Top, baseline axial unenhanced chest CT obtained 6 days before the first positive PCR test. Bottom, chest CT scan 4 days later shows the size increase of the lesion (arrow). Image courtesy of RSNA. Read more.

While the studies on these systems have proven them to be effective in diagnosing and treating COVID in specific cohorts, the varying settings in which they were used can make it difficult to derive definitive conclusions on their efficacy.