Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT)

The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) focuses on the advancement and expansion of cardiac CT. The society serves a membership split about evenly between radiologists and cardiologists. SCCT hosts educational events, advocates for CCTA for reimbursement and helps set guidelines for cardiac imaging. The news, videos and content on this page are created by our Innovate Healthcare editorial team and focus on the clinical, operational and financial aspects of cardiac CT.

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Mark Rabbat, MD, director of cardica CT at Loyola, discusses legislative advocacy efforts by SCCT to gain wider reimbursement for cardiac CT. #SCCT #SCCT23 #SCCT2023

SCCT hopes to increase cardiac CT reimbursements through advocacy

Mark Rabbat, MD, discusses the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography's efforts to make an impact by lobbying in Washington. 

Video interview with Martha Gulati, MD, was the lead author of the 2021 chest pain guidelines and shares impacts.

Cardiac CT gaining popularity due to chest pain guidelines, cost savings

Cardiologist Martha Gulati, MD, lead author of the 2021 chest pain guidelines, explained how the document may have contributed to the rise of cardiac CT. "These guidelines have made it harder for people to push back and say you don't need this test," she said. 

SCCT President Ed Nicol, MD, explains key trends trends in cardiac CT imaging at the 2023 meeting. #SCCT #SCCT23 #SCCT2023

Key trends and takeaways in cardiac CT at SCCT 2023

Several key trends at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography were outlined by society President Ed Nicol, MD, including AI, reimbursement issue, business management discussions, and a growing interest in cardiac CT leading to record attendance this year.

HeartFlow's RoadMap technology where AI reads the image in a first pass to highlight areas of interest with for the radiologist or cardiologist on coronary CT scan. The technology was shown to reduce reading time by 25%.

Three studies show value of AI to speed cardiac CT reads and soft plaque evaluation 

AI to help interpret cardiac CT was shown to reduce exam read times to improve workflow efficiency, and improve patient diagnostics with additional information on soft plaques. Data was presented in three HeartFlow AI technology studies at SCCT 2023.

A CT coronary calcium scoring exam at Northwestern Medicine's Central DuPage Hospital in the Chicago Suburbs. Dave Fornell

The remaining gaps in evidence for cardiac CT

While the ACC/AHA 2021 Chest Pain Assessment Guidelines included cardiac CT angiography as a top level recommendation, gaps in evidence still need to be filled.

An example of an FDA cleared radiology AI algorithm to automatically take a cardiac CT scan and identify, contour and quantify soft plaque in the coronary arteries. The Cleerly software then generates an automated report with images, measurements and a risk assessment for the patient. This type of quantification is too time consuming and complex for human readers to bother with, but AI assisted reports like this may become a new normal over the next decade. Example from Cleerly Imaging at SCCT 2022.

Legal considerations for artificial intelligence in radiology and cardiology

There are now more than 520 FDA-cleared AI algorithms and the majority are for radiology and cardiology, raising the question of who is liable if the AI gets something wrong.

Increased use of CCTA improves CAD outcomes without raising costs

Researchers examined data from nearly 2 million patients, sharing their full findings in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.

Ed Nicol, MD, MBA, FSCCT, consultant cardiologist, honorary senior clinical lecturer, Kings College London, and president-elect of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT), discusses what he sees as the big technology advances in cardiac CT. #SCCT #SCCT22 #RSNA22

VIDEO: New cardiac CT advances to watch

Ed Nicol, MD, MBA, president-elect of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, discusses what he sees as the big technology advances in cardiac CT.

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