Cardiovascular Imaging
Within the Felix Sabates Family Advanced Imaging Center, we integrate the latest, most innovative imaging modalities into diagnostics, treatment and follow-up, as part of our commitment to continuously improving care for every patient.
Recent Highlights
A national hub for best practices: Sanger’s facility at Atrium Health Kenilworth has been designated as Siemens showcase venue for cardiac CT and cardiac MRI. Health Care professionals from across the nation will gather here to gain insights into best practices for cardiac imaging.
Commitment to imaging quality: We added an education and quality manager to the cardiovascular imaging team. The person in this role is a nationally acclaimed, senior echocardiographer who has developed an advanced onboarding, educational and peer review system for echocardiography.
Innovations
Adding a second MRI scanner: Sanger has commenced installation of a second MRI scanner designed exclusively for cardiac imaging. This state-of-the-art 3T Prisma scanner will deliver stress MR studies of exceptional quality. The scanner will be at Atrium Health Kenilworth and is scheduled to be operational in the first quarter of 2024.
Expanding our CT-first strategy: Sanger’s 8th cardiaccapable CT scanner came online at Atrium Health Cleveland in Shelby, NC in the first quarter of 2023. To further improve access to care and testing accuracy, we’re in the planning stages of installing a state-of-the-art photon counting CT at Atrium Health Kenilworth in 2024. This technology will allow a broader use of cardiac CT for patients who have been excluded in the past. This will increase cardiac service line capabilities while reducing radiation exposure.
All of Sanger’s 23 imaging labs are accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. These labs bring advanced imaging technologies to patients throughout our region.
Accreditation
How a CT-First Approach Improves Diagnostic Accuracy
This year, Sanger performed an analysis on our patients without known coronary artery disease (CAD) who were referred for invasive coronary angiography for suspected angina. The results revealed higher rates of revascularization (predominantly driven by coronary stent procedures) when the initial test was a coronary CTA compared to stress testing or no lead in testing. Put simply, fewer patients underwent unnecessary invasive coronary angiograms with a CT-guided strategy.
Coronary CTA visualizes the presence or absence of plaques and stenoses that can’t be seen on stress tests. Our analysis validates the expectation that a CT-favored approach can improve diagnostic accuracy and management decisions for suitable patients who don’t have established CAD.
For these reasons, Sanger remains committed to improving our population’s access to cardiac CT. The yearly growth of our program and the more than 12,000 contrast cardiac CT angiographic studies performed in 2023 reflects this commitment.
Stanley GA, Scherer MD, Hajostek MM, et al. Utilization of coronary computed tomography angiography and computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve in a critical limb-threatening ischemia cohort. J Vasc Surg Cases Innov Tech. 2023;10(2):101272. Published 2023 Jul 23. doi:10.1016/j.jvscit.2023.101272
Malahfji M, Crudo V, Kaolawanich Y, et al. Influence of Cardiac Remodeling on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Aortic Regurgitation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023;81(19):1885-1898. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2023.03.001. PMID: 36882135 Vidula MK, Rajewska-Tabor J, Cao JJ, et al. Myocardial Injury on CMR in Patients With COVID-19 and Suspected Cardiac Involvement. JACC Cardiovascular Imaging. 2023;16(5):609-624. doi:10.1016/j.jcmg.2022.10.021. PMID: 36752429
Petek BJ, Chung EH, Kim JH, Lampert R, Levine BD, Phelan D, Danielian A, Dean PN, Dineen EH, Fernandez AB, Husaini M, Krishnan S, Shah AB, Stewart KM, Wasfy MM. Impact of Sex on Cardiovascular Adaptations to Exercise: JACC Review Topic of the Week J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023 Sep 5;82(10):1030-1038. PMID 37648352 Martinez KA, Bos JM, Baggish AL, et al. Return-to-Play for Elite Athletes With Genetic Heart Diseases Predisposing to Sudden Cardiac Death. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023;82(8):661-670. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2023.05.059. PMID: 37587576
Moulson N, Petek BJ, Ackerman MJ, et al. Rationale and Design of the ORCCA (Outcomes Registry for Cardiac Conditions in Athletes) Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(11):e029052. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.029052. PMID: 37259981
Corneil H, Liblik K, Varghese SS, et al. Shared Decision-Making in Athletes Diagnosed With a Cardiovascular Condition: A Scoping Review. Curr Probl Cardiol. 2023;48(10):101815. doi:10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.101815. PMID 37211302 Mitchell CC, Frye C, Jankowski M, et al. A Practical Approach to Echocardiographic Imaging in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2023;36(9):913-932. doi:10.1016/j.echo.2023.04.020. PMID: 37160197
Hill B, Grubic N, Williamson M, et al. Does cardiovascular preparticipation screening cause psychological distress in athletes? A systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(3):172-178. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-105918. PMID: 36418151
Ali Ghandour MD; M. Ramzi Almajed MD; Ayman Alsaadi MD; Jeffrey Geske MD; Federico Asch MD; Mithun Devraj MD; Erica Scherer BS; Carl Wilson MS; Markus Scherer MD; William O’Neill MD; Dee Dee Wang MD. Interventional Imaging Physician Operator Experience in Performance of Interventional TEE for TEER versus Standard of Care TEE: Multi-center Analysis. Oral Presentation at CSI Frankfurt 2023
Mohamed Ramzi Almajed MD; Ayman Alsaadi MD; Ali Hussein Ghandour MD; Jeffrey Geske MD; Federico Asch MD; Mithun Devraj MD; Erica Scherer BS; Carl Wilson MS; Markus Scherer MD; William W O’Neill MD; Dee Dee Wang MD. Overtime: A Multi-Center Analysis of Interventional TEE Procedure Times to Guide TEER Versus Standard of Care TEE. Poster Abstract at TVT Phoenix 2023
Leadership
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Dermot M. Phelan, MD, PhD, FASE, FACC
Medical Director, Cardiovascular Imaging
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Markus Scherer, MD
Director, Cardiac CT
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Michael Elliott, MD
Director, Cardiac MRI