Perfusion imaging: The future of CT?
CT scanners now nicely cover morphology. The challenge is moving to CT functional imaging without frying patients
Cardiology
PET/MR: The opportunities are almost unlimited
MRI has become the gold standard for many indications in cardiac imaging, apart from imaging the coronary arteries. For function and morphology assessment, MRI is the leading technology. A further advance into as yet unknown territory is myocardial imaging aided by one of the first integrated 3-Tesla PET/MR systems currently used at the Institute of Radiology, Essen University Hospital,…
Implantable cardiac devices
Patients with cardiac implantable electric devices (CIED) need ongoing and lifelong follow-ups. Due to the growing number of CIEDs, the demand for follow-up visits is increasing rapidly and already pushing clinics to maximum capacities.
Austria’s cardiovascular research
Arterial stiffness of the central human blood vessels leads to increased work for the heart and damages microstructures in the organs. However, measuring blood vessel elasticity inside the body is not that easy.
Agreement to introduce high standard of care to Bulgarian patients
Royal Philips Electronics today announced the signing of an agreement with City Hospitals & Clinics, a Bulgarian healthcare group, to equip their new hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Siemens re-engineers radiography with flat emitter, new detector
In the highly competitive US market for interventional radiology, Siemens introduced a ground-breaking new imaging chain for the Artis line that sets a new standard for image quality.
Toshiba boosts CT scanning to maximum performance
The new Aquilion ONE ViSION is the widest, fastest, thinnest-slice CT ever built, capable to pushing both anatomical and functional studies to new levels.
Tracking the source of heart failure
To treat heart problems, common sense says we should look to the heart. New European research based on an advanced ultrasound system suggests that stiffening of the arteries plays a key role
Total artificial hearts and ventricular assist devices today
Artificial hearts, originally designed to bridge the time on the waiting list for a heart transplant, in recent years have increasingly become an independent treatment option for patients with chronic heart failure (HF).
Hearts in motion
Ultrasound is enthusiastically embraced by cardiologists in guidelines as essential for evaluating a patient's heart. Now visualisation of 3-D wall motion takes ultrasound to a higher level, opening a new understanding of heart mechanics
Fame 2 rates FFR as a new gold standard
John Brosky reports on a ground-breaking trial and how CT-FFR may change the practice of invasive cardiology and cardiac surgery.
MRI brings a new beat to rhythmology
More anatomy details, real-time visualisation of catheter movement, and reduced exposure – MRI has promising potential in rhythmology, explain Professor Matthias Gutberlet and PD Dr Christopher Piorkowski, at the Heart Centre, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany.
Article • cTCA vs. cardiovascular diseases
CT coronary angiography
Cardiovascular diseases, the most common cause of death in the West, includes diseases for which early detection is an important objective in cardiac imaging – particularly for coronary artery stenosis. Diagnosis is often made in the cardiac catheter laboratory. Now, however, CT scanning advances provide a lower impact alternative to that invasive exam. PD Dr Thomas Schlosser, Consultant at the…
CIED patients can have MRI examinations
A new generation of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) includes the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy Defibrillator (CRT-Ds) and Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy Pacemakers (CRT-Ps). Professor W R Bauer at University Hospital Würzburg has been significantly involved in their development, EH Editor Ralf Mateblowski to ask him about…
Nanotechnology
Over the last five years the tiniest particles have attracted large attention in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Indeed, as in other medical disciplines, nanotechnology is advancing in cardiology despite as yet insufficient research on the extent of its effect and double blind studies to confirm findings
CT angiography best for low-risk patients
Incorporating coronary CT angiography (CCTA) into the initial evaluation of low-risk patients coming to hospital emergency departments (EDs) with chest pain appears to reduce the time patients spend in the hospital without incurring additional costs or exposing patients to significant risks. The report of a study conducted at nine U.S. hospitals appears in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Looking beyond the lungs: don’t forget the cardiac structures!
So close yet so far away! A fitting description of many diagnostic examinations of heart and lungs. Modern imaging modalities allow these two neighbouring organs to be evaluated together, nevertheless it is rarely done.
EuroPRevent 2012
CVD prevention experts will meet in Dublin from 3-5 May for the leading international forum for preventive cardiology, Finn Snyder reports.
Agfa HealthCare’s Cardiovascular Information System
The Impax CV12A, a new version of Agfa HealthCare’s Cardiovascular Information System (CVIS), was introduced this March during the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC’s) 61st Annual Scientific Session & Expo in Chicago, USA.
EIZO Presents a New Widescreen Monitor for the Operating Room
EIZO GmbH, Display Technologies introduced the RadiForce LX600W, a large widescreen LCD color monitor with an LED (light-emitting diode) backlight. This 8 megapixel monitor is designed for use in operating rooms (interventional radiology, cardiology, and surgery).
ECR 2013: Cardiac imaging is picking up speed
They examine the structure of the heart muscle with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or evaluate the status of the coronary vessels with computed tomography (CT): radiologists increasingly use imaging methods to prevent or to assess cardiac diseases.
The end of blooming effects
During the RSNA 2011, Professor Uwe J Schoepf MD, was asked what will be the chosen procedure of the future in cardiac imaging, he answered without hesitation: ‘Definitely CT,’ and, the Director of Cardiovascular Imaging at the Medical University Charleston, South Carolina.
A conceptual shift for medical device manufacturers
Much has changed for medical device manufacturers. Take scanner development; whereas the aim has long been to increase multi-slices, produce higher field strengths and sharper images, optimise the ergonomics and then launch the new product at a specific group of customers, in recent years this approach became insufficient.
