Health Imaging & IT - March 2008 - (Page 20)

i n s i d e c a R d i ac i M ag i n g By Lisa Fratt C A RD I OVA SCUL A R C T cardiovascular ct stands both at a crossroads and directly in the crosshairs. sixty-four slice and higher slice-count scanners are proving their prowess at creating exquisite images of the heart and coronary arteries, and clinical research and experience continue to demonstrate the clinical and economic value of cardiovascular ct. that’s because cardiovascular ct provides a non-invasive means to help physicians detect heart disease earlier, limit invasive cardiac catheterizations and save money compared to nuclear stress testing and catheterization. plus, the newest scanners effectively reduce radiation dose. n the downside, the cardiovascular CT community finds itself facing a formidable foe. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed adoption of a national coverage determination (NCD) that could substantially limit the use of CT angiography. If implemented, the policy would replace local coverage determination in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with an NCD that restricts coverage to narrow chest pain indications. Despite the current regulatory ambiguity, cardiovascular CT remains a valuable option in the cardiac imaging arsenal. This month, a few experienced sites share their know-how. caRdiOvasculaR ct at a glance Cardiovascular CT has evolved tremendously over the last few years. Take for example cardiovascular CT pioneer Fairfax radiological Consultants in Fairfax, Va. The outpatient radiology group began offering cardiac CT in 2003 and recently invested in a new system: the Ge Healthcare VCT XT, a next-generation 64-slice scanner. The new scanner offers a number of advantages over its predecessors, says Medical Director Jay earls, MD. “The VCT XT pairs improved speed with high-quality images at a much lower radiation dose than before. Five years ago, it took 20 seconds or longer to scan the heart, which presented problems for patients who couldn’t hold their breath for the duration of the scan. The average acquisition time on Ge VCT XT is 4 seconds.” Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis is a relative newcomer to cardiac CT. The hospital deployed Siemens Medical Solutions Somatom Definition dual-source CT scanner in January 2007 and completed 2,300 scans last year. HealthImaging.com o [ Philips Brilliance iCT Cardiac ] 20 Health Imaging & IT | March 2008 http://HealthImaging.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Health Imaging & IT - March 2008

Health Imaging & IT - March 2008 Table of Contents On the Web The Enterprise: Communicating Better News Update Critical Test Results Management: The Human Touch The Changing Face of the Cath Lab Cardiovascular CT: A Clinical Boon Cardiology PACS: Solutions to Fit Your Needs ACC 08: Building Quality & Value Together Picking the Perfect PACS Displays PET/CT: A Game-Changer in Cancer Patient Management DR: You Gotta Have IT – Delivering Speed, Efficiency, Savings Laser Imagers: Answering the Call for Hard Copy Reader's Resources Stat Sheet

Health Imaging & IT - March 2008

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