Computed Tomography

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) has become a primary cardiovascular imaging modality in the past 20 years, and was recommended as a 1A recommendation in the 2021 chest pain assessment guidelines. CT calcium scoring has became a primary risk assessment for coronary artery disease and whether patients should be on statins. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is used to for anatomical assessment of the arteries for plaque burden and to identify areas of blockage that may cause ischemia and heart attacks. Additional use of contrast CT perfusion or fractional flow reserve CT (FFR-CT) can offer physiological information on the function of the heart. CT plays a primary role in structural heart assessments for heart valves, repair of congenital defects and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) for both pre-procedure planning and procedural guidance. Find more news on general radiology CT use.

Video of James Min, MD, explaining the future of cardiac care using CT and AI plaque analysis to create a personalized and more accurate cardiac risk assessment, similar to a mammogram for the heart.

Embracing the future: James Min left academia to push for a paradigm shift in preventive cardiology

James Min, MD, Cleerly's founder and CEO, changed careers to address what he saw as a major unmet need in cardiology.

lung cancer pulmonary nodule

Opportunistic imaging detects signs of heart disease in lung cancer patients

These findings show that opportunistic imaging could go a long way toward making more patients aware of the cardiovascular risks they face—all without requiring additional scans to be performed. 

The impact of Trump tariffs on iodine contrast media costs

GE HealthCare said the price of iodine contrast increased by more than 200% between 2017 to 2023. Will new Chinese tariffs drive costs even higher?

COVID-19 linked to accelerated plaque growth, long-term risk of heart attack or stroke

These risks appear to be present regardless of a person's age or health at the time of infection.

Medical imaging trends to watch in 2025

The healthcare market analysis firm Signify Research released a list of predictions in radiology its analysts expect to see in 2025. 

Video of Deepak Bhatt explaining details on the TRANSFORM trial using CCTA and AI. #TCT #TCT24 #TCT2024 #AHA24 #AHA2024

New cardiac prevention paradigm explored in TRANSFORM trial using AI and CCTA

Deepak Bhatt, MD, director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and principal investigator of the TRANSFORM trial, explains an emerging technique for cardiac screening: combining coronary CT angiography with artificial intelligence for plaque analysis to create an approach similar to mammography.

Cardiology, radiology specialists debate CCTA’s rise as a go-to imaging modality for CAD

CCTA is being utilized more and more for the diagnosis and management of suspected coronary artery disease. An international group of specialists shared their perspective on this ongoing trend.

RSNA attendees through bore of the new release Philips CT 5300 scanner at RSNA 2024. Three new CT systems were released at RSNA that included numerous AI enhancements. Photo by Dave Fornell. #RSNA #RSNA24 #RSNA2024

Key takeaways from RSNA 2024 for AI, CT, MRI and the radiology staffing shortage

Several key trends were evident at the Radiological Society of North America 2024 meeting, including new CT and MR technology and evolving adoption of artificial intelligence.

Around the web

GE HealthCare said the price of iodine contrast increased by more than 200% between 2017 to 2023. Will new Chinese tariffs drive costs even higher?

These risks appear to be present regardless of a person's age or health at the time of infection.

Agfa and Sectra both performed well with end-user satisfaction scores in the 2025 Best in KLAS list of radiology IT systems.