On Demand: Building a World-Class Cardiac CT Program With AI‑Powered Coronary Plaque Quantification and Inflammation Research-Webinar Recording

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Video Summary

The webinar introduced a new approach to cardiac CT using AI-powered coronary plaque and inflammation analysis from Caristo Diagnostics, presented with leaders from NCH Healthcare. Dr. Carl Orringer explained that traditional ASCVD risk assessment focuses on risk factors, calcium scoring, and plaque burden, but may miss a key driver of events: coronary inflammation. He described how Caristo’s technology measures pericoronary fat attenuation to identify inflammation, helping predict cardiovascular death and major adverse events. He also outlined a prevention strategy that combines CTA plaque findings, inflammation scores, and aggressive medical therapy when risk is high.<br /><br />Dr. Didi Wang then discussed the administrative and operational value of building a world-class cardiac CT program. She emphasized that cardiac CT can improve access, reduce unnecessary invasive testing, support preventive cardiology, and create a “halo effect” that increases overall cardiovascular volume and efficiency. She shared practical steps for implementation, including easy referral pathways, IT integration, staff training, and fast data transfer.<br /><br />Peter Petropoulos reinforced that successful adoption requires workflow integration, multidisciplinary engagement, and EHR/PACS connectivity. In Q&A, the panel noted that Caristo Plaque is FDA-cleared and covered, while Caristo Heart is pending FDA clearance and currently investigational. They emphasized that inflammation adds important prognostic information beyond plaque analysis alone.

Keywords

cardiac CT

coronary inflammation

Caristo Diagnostics

pericoronary fat attenuation

ASCVD risk assessment

coronary plaque analysis

preventive cardiology

workflow integration

FDA-cleared