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 CT modality focus page provides information, videos, podcasts, and the latest news about industry product developments, trial results, screening guidelines, and protocol guidance that touch on the use of CT across the healthcare continuum, from various cancer screenings, such as lung and colon, to cardiothoracic imaging, to appendicitis, and more.

While recently published research raised concerns about projections of future radiation-induced cancers from computed tomography (CT) scans, Joseph Cavallo, M.D., maintained in a new 

 that advances in technology may continue to facilitate lower radiation dosing with CT.

“Whether it's the photon-counting CT machines or AI post-processing algorithms, there are multiple avenues to lower dosing … It's not going to be a one size fits all, or a silver bullet. It's going to be a combination of different technologies on the machine side, on the software side, that help us continually make these examinations safer and improve the risk benefit profile moving forward,” noted Dr. Cavallo, an assistant professor of radiology and biomedical imaging at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Ct.

Highlighting significant reductions with cardiac CT radiation dosing in recent years, Mahadevappa Mahesh, MS, Ph.D., also challenged perceptions about overuse of CT scans in the emergency room setting.

“Generally, emergency room physicians get the bad rap (with the perception that) they're ordering too many studies. … If we look (at this) closely, emergency room physicians, radiology, everybody (is) working with such a time-compressed timeline, and they're trying to save the patient. … As a medical physicist, I am all for radiation dose reduction, but at the same time, I am also a proponent of never tying anybody's hand because of radiation, even in the cath lab. If you have to do the procedure, do it,” asserted Dr. Mahesh. the president of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), and a professor of radiology and radiological sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

(Editor’s note: For related content, see “

The Reading Room Podcast: Current Insights on Recent Research About Radiation-Induced Cancers with CT Scans, Part 1

What New Research Reveals About Computed Tomography and Radiation-Induced Cancer Risk

Nine Takeaways from New Research on CT Scans and Radiation-Induced Cancers

For more insights from Dr. Cavallo and Dr. Mahesh, listen below or 

In a second part of a new podcast episode on recently published research on projected radiation-induced cancers from computed tomography (CT) scans, Mahadevappa Mahesh, MS, Ph.D., and Joseph Cavallo, M.D., offer current perspectives on cardiac CT dosing, AI advances and the importance of teamwork in ensuring appropriate dosing for CT. 

The Reading Room Podcast: Current Insights on Recent Research About Radiation-Induced Cancers with CT Scans, Part 2

In a recently published study, researchers estimated that out of an estimated 93 million computed tomography (CT) exams performed in 2023, there may be 103,000 future cases of radiation-induced cancers. Based on current CT use and radiation dosing levels, the study authors suggested that radiation-induced cancers from CT exposure may account for 5 percent of all cancer cases.

, Joseph Cavallo, M.D., emphasized appropriate perspective with the aforementioned risk modeling study and taking all the risks into account to optimize patient care.

“I would have liked to see a little more discussion about underlying risk in general. They speak to the risk of CT, but we're really not comparing the risk of a CT versus the risk of doing nothing … Hopefully, in all the cases where we're doing CT or other radiation-based imaging, we should be comparing the risk of CT versus the risk of the underlying disease and the risk of complications from the underlying disease, and ultimately, the risk of missing the diagnosis of some of those diseases,” posited Dr. Cavallo, an assistant professor of radiology and biomedical imaging at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Ct.

 suggested that multiphase scanning, occurring in 28.5 percent of CT exams, is commonly overutilized, Mahadevappa Mahesh, MS, Ph.D., emphasized that patient history and disease presentation are key considerations.

“Which patients (had the multiphase scanning)? Was it necessary? Because it's very subjective to say overused. … Did any of them have cancer-related studies? Do they have other underlying diseases? (In these cases), you only (get) answers with a triphasic study. That's important to say. I'm not refuting the numbers, but the justification of these numbers is very important,” added Dr. Mahesh, the president of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), and a professor of radiology and radiological sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

AI Denoising Bolsters Ultra-Low-Dose CT Detection of Pneumonia Findings in Immunocompromised Adults

For more insights from Dr. Cavallo and Dr. Mahesh, listen below or 

In a new podcast, Mahadevappa Mahesh, MS, Ph.D., and Joseph Cavallo, M.D., share their perspectives on recently published research looking at projections for future radiation-induced cancers from computed tomography (CT) scans.

When it comes to brain imaging, functional MRI – commonly called fMRI – is considered the gold standard. However, it can be costly, time consuming, and come with several restrictions that can prohibit use with certain patients. 

In recent years, investigators have been searching for a different brain imaging method that can side-step these problems and potentially provide better quality scans at the same time. Researchers from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and California Institute of Technology recently succeeded. They’ve developed functional photoacoustic computed tomography (fPACT) – a technique that works by emitting a laser beam of light into the area being imaged. 

Drs. Charles Liu and Jonathan Russin join me to discuss the differences and benefits with fPACT.

Drs. Charles Liu and Jonathan Russin discuss the benefits and potential of fPACT, the alternative to functional MRI.

The Reading Room: Potential fMRI Alternative -- fPACT

COVID-19 halted all cancer screening services at the beginning of the pandemic, and slowly those scans have become more and more available -- but, not necessarily for everyone.

In many instances, racial and minority patients continue to face the same healthcare disparities that made it difficult for them to access the services at the outset. Now, the fear and trepidation associated with the pandemic are layered on top. 

Despite these difficulties, there are things healthcare institutions and providers can do to help. In this episode of 

 spoke with Shalmon Kalnicki, M.D., chair of radiation and oncology at Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine about the challenges these patients continue to face with cancer screenings. Not only did he share with us how COVID-19 has impacted this existing problem, but he also outlined the steps institutions can take to improve this situation.


In this podcast episode, Dr. Shalom Kalnicki, from Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, discusses the disparities minority patients face with cancer screenings and what can be done to increase access during the pandemic.

The Reading Room: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Cancer Screenings, and COVID-19

Current lung cancer screening guidelines could be overlooking African American smokers who are at risk for developing lung cancer.

According to a study published in the Sept. 15 

Journal of the American College of Radiology

 the current guideline based on the 30-pack-year threshold sets the bar too high, as most African American smokers self-report a less than 30 pack-year history. This determination sounds an alarm bell because African Americans have a high incidence of and worse outcomes from lung cancer.

“There is growing concern that there are healthcare disparities in lung cancer screening guidelines and programs,” said lead study author Anupam Basu, M.D., a diagnostic radiologist in Cook County Health. “Evidence suggests that the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) and Preventive Services Take Force inclusion threshold of a 30-pack-year smoking history excludes a portion of African American patients at risk for lung cancer.”

Even though African Americans are more significantly impacted by lung cancer, the team said, they still only account for 4 percent of the NLST. Based on existing evidence this group does have a smoking duration history similar to their white counterparts – but, they actually smoke fewer packs a day. Consequently, they have a shorter pack history – the benchmark providers use to determine who should undergo lung cancer screening.

The team, therefore, suggested lung cancer screenings would be much more accurate and impactful if they adopted a 20-pack-year threshold.

To subscribe to The Reading Room podcast, click 

To identify a threshold that could better identify more African American smokers who could benefit from lung cancer screening, the team retrospectively reviewed low-dose CT scans from patients in their public hospital between September 2017 to December 2019. 

All total, they reviewed data from 784 patients, 57.5 percent of whom were men with an average age of 62. The majority were African American (66.2 percent), followed by white (20.4 percent), Hispanic (8.3 percent), Asian (4.8 percent), and Native American (0.3 percent).

Of the group, three-quarters – 75.5 percent – were active smokers, and just more than half – 51.5 percent revealed a pack history of fewer than 30 years. Total years smoked did not vary much by race, the team said. But, the African American experience was somewhat different, and it painted a grim picture.

“African Americans smoked fewer packs per day and had fewer pack-years compared with other races,” the team said. “African Americans were more likely to be active smokers but also more likely to report [less than] 30 pack-years compared with other races.”

Low-dose CT findings determined that lung cancer incidence did not vary by race, but African American had an incidence of 2.5 percent while whites experience 1.9 percent. Fortunately, the majority of cancers identified (75 percent) were Stage 1, and all patients had the cancerous tissues successfully removed with surgery.

Looking at lung cancer diagnosis specifically in the context of smoking brought more bad news. African Americans were the only race diagnosed with lung cancer when their self-reported pack-year history was less than 30. For smokers in this group with more than 30-pack-year histories, the incidence rate was 2.2 percent. For those with less than 30 years, it was 2.7 percent.

“We are concerned that the 30-pack-year threshold in the African American population may exclude a portion of patients who are still at risk for lung cancer,” the team said. “We propose prospective study of African Americans with [less than] 30-pack-year histories to determine the potential benefits and harms of [lung cancer screening] in this unique underserved population.”

For more coverage based on industry expert insights and research, subscribe to the Diagnostic Imaging e-Newsletter

In this podcast, Dr. Anupam Basu from Cook County Health in Chicago discusses the 30-pack-year threshold for lung cancer screening that overlooks at-risk African American smokers.

The Reading Room: Lung Cancer Screening Misses At-Risk African American Smokers

Lung injuries caused by vaping leave signature marks on CT scans, a follow-up study has revealed, arming radiologists with the details needed to potentially make more accurate diagnoses and help patients avoid unnecessary biopsies.

 a team led by Michael Gotway, M.D., a radiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, laid out their findings that show these lung injuries – called EVALI (electronic cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury) – produce patterns on chest CT scans that correlate with previously observed pathological findings.

The first reports of EVALI surfaced last year from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Within the first six months after this report, almost 3,000 EVALI-related hospitalization were recorded, as well as 68 confirmed deaths. Almost all patients present with complaints of shortness-of-breath, chest pain, and constitutional symptoms that can resemble viral illness. The non-specific nature of these symptoms can make an accurate diagnosis difficult.

 Chest Imaging Reveals Traits of Vaping-Related Lung Injuries in Teens

Based on their findings, he said, 96 percent of patients exhibited multi-focal or diffuse ground-glass opacities and consolidation that involves most or all lobes bilaterally and could involve mild interlobular septal thickening and subpleural sparing. As the illness evolves, imaging findings can suggest mild architectural distortion, intralobular lines, lobular distortion, and traction bronchiectasis.

These findings can be particularly helpful, he said, when providers are imaging younger patients with chest pain and shortness-of-breath. In those cases, a diagnosis of EVALI should be strongly considered.

Even though patients may be reticent to admit they are vaping, he said, if a radiologist recognizes one of these patterns on CT, he or she can advise the clinician, potentially leading to a nicotine metabolite test and further questions about exposure. Employing that approach could help patients avoid the invasiveness, time, expense, and risk associated with unnecessary biopsies.

“These radiological findings will be especially beneficial to physicians to help them determine potentially less invasive treatment options,” Gotway said. “We could potentially make that diagnosis non-invasively through cooperation with our clinical colleagues. By alerting them to a scan pattern that is suggestive of the possibility of EVALI, we may actually save patients from having to meet a surgeon.”

Michael Gotway, M.D., cardiopulmonary radiologist with the Mayo Clinic, discusses the signature signs of EVALI on CT scans in this podcast.

The Reading Room: Signature Signs of EVALI on CT

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_crop","fid":"8165","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image media-image-left","id":"media_crop_9348676445430","media_crop_h":"0","media_crop_image_style":"-1","media_crop_instance":"213","media_crop_rotate":"0","media_crop_scale_h":"0","media_crop_scale_w":"0","media_crop_w":"0","media_crop_x":"0","media_crop_y":"0","style":"margin: 5px; float: left;","title":" ","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]] Bridging the two complementary modalities of PET and MR has advantages over PET/CT, as a lower dose and more differentiating modality. That's according to Osman Ratib, MD, PhD, FAHA, professor and chief of nuclear medicine in the Department of Radiology and chairman of the Department of Imaging and Medical Informatics at the University Hospital of Geneva. His orgnanization was an early adopter of PET/MR with Philips’ Ingenuity TF, which received FDA clearance in November 2011.

The system includes two devices separated by about 10 feet with a rotating table so the patient can be scanned in the same position in each machine. Data are merged via software. In this podcast, Ratib discusses the advantages of this hybrid modality, what the transition was like for hospital staff, and the future of PET/MR.

Osman Ratib, MD, PhD, FAHA, professor and chief of nuclear medicine in the Department of Radiology  at the University Hospital of Geneva, discusses the advantages and future of the hybrid PET/MR modality.

Podcast: Advantages of Hybrid PET/MR

spoke with Dr. Johnsey Leef III, a radiologist with Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, WV, about how the industry is responding to the call for lower dose imaging and what his department is doing to address the issue.

Diagnostic Imaging spoke with Dr. Johnsey Leef III, a radiologist with Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, WV, about how the industry is responding to the call for lower dose imaging and what his department is doing to address the issue.

Podcast: A Conversation about Lowering Radiation Dose

Use of the AI-powered Salix Coronary Plaque module, which offers detection of high-risk plaque within 10 minutes based off of CCTA scans, will reportedly qualify for $950 in Category 1 CPT reimbursement in 2026.



FDA Clears Coronary Plaque Software Module for Coronary CT Angiography

Nine months after initiation of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), prostate cancer patients with higher myocardial extracellular volume (ECV) — derived from chest contrast-enhanced CT — had over a fourfold higher risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), according to new research.

Should Chest CT be Routine for Prostate Cancer Patients on Androgen Deprivation Therapy?

In addition to facilitating centralized scanning for a variety of imaging, the TechLive system may help ease the strain of technologist shortages and broaden access to advanced imaging exams.

FDA Clears Remote Scanning Platform TechLive for MRI, CT, PET/CT and Ultrasound

While a CT-based deep learning model demonstrated a 91 percent AUC for predicting lung cancer risk within one year, researchers noted other mixed results in a new study involving over 18,000 individuals.

Can Deep Learning Enhance Low-Dose Chest CT Assessment of Lung Cancer Risk?

Computed tomography colonography (CTC) demonstrated a 91.6 percent positive predictive value (PPV) for polyps > 6 mm, according to new research involving over 9,000 patients who underwent CTC for primary asymptomatic colorectal cancer screening.

Twenty Years of CT Colonography for Colorectal Cancer Screening: What the Research Reveals

Conventional assessments for possible coronary artery disease based on presenting symptoms and/or risk profiles are inadequate, according to Amir Ahmadi, M.D.

In a recent interview, Dr. Ahmadi noted key research findings —presented at the European Congress of Cardiology in 2024 and currently being evaluated for a peer-reviewed publication — that showed that 67 percent of patients under 65 with a first heart attack had no pain two days prior, 54 percent had no pain until the day of the heart attack, and 47 percent of patients wouldn’t have met criteria for statin initiation two days prior to a heart attack.

“Coronary disease is a plaque in the heart. … We do everything about risk stratification by measuring the LDL (low-density lipoprotein) in the bloodstream, not the heart vessels. Now plaque quantification and looking at a CT can actually tell us … about the quantification of what actually matters at the level of the heart vessel, and that's game changing in my opinion,” emphasized Dr. Ahmadi, an associate professor of medicine and cardiology, and director of inpatient cardiology at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City.

Dr. Ahmadi said use of the AI-powered software PlaqueIQ (Elucid) with computed tomography angiography (CTA) facilitates a shift from “risk factor guesstimation to treating the disease itself.” Not only does PlaqueIQ bolster accuracy with initial assessments, it enables monitoring of treatment as well, according to Dr. Ahmadi, who will be presenting on CT-guided treatment of CAD at the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) conference in Montreal, Canada.

“What you need is an accurate, objective and reproducible measurement of different types of plaque, and specifically the types of plaque that are known to make the person and the lesion more prone to have a plaque rupture and heart attack,” maintained Dr. Ahmadi, the lead scientific advisor for Elucid.

Can Emerging AI Software Offer Detection of CAD on CCTA on Par with Radiologists?

Study Shows Enhanced Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Stenosis with Photon-Counting CTA

Meta-Analysis Shows Merits of AI with CTA Detection of Coronary Artery Stenosis and Calcified Plaque

For more insights from Dr. Ahmadi, watch the video below.

In a recent interview, Amir Ahmadi, M.D., discussed limitations of conventional diagnostic assessments for people with suspected coronary artery disease, and the emergence of AI-enabled plaque quantification to facilitate more timely detection and intervention.

Emerging Concepts in CT-Guided Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease

Emphasizing the preventative benefit of computed tomography angiography (CTA), C. Alberto Morales, M.D., discussed a friend whose father had a heart attack in his mid-30s. Given the family history, the friend had annual stress testing with cardiologists and was told he was in good shape and even had a zero coronary artery calcium (CAC) score.

However, a CTA scan in Dr. Morales’s office revealed that his friend had diffuse coronary artery disease and a 70 to 80 percent blockage in the mid-right coronary artery (RCA). After aggressive management, follow-up CTA imaging at one year showed a 36 percent decrease in the RCA blockage and stabilization in other arteries, according to Dr. Morales, the owner of South Tampa Cardiology and Advanced Imaging Center in Tampa, Fla.

In a recent interview, Dr. Morales said advances in CTA scanning has led to a significant shift in preventive capabilities with CTA. In addition to significantly lower and more consistent radiation dosing (approximately three millisieverts (mSvs) per CTA scan), Dr. Morales cites the enhanced resolution going from a traditional 64-slice CT scanner to the 560-slice SpotLight CT scanner (Arineta).

“ … The resolution is so much crisper (and) the coronaries are almost still. Now you're able to identify things … such as these soft, 15-mm, 15 percent stenotic plaques that are within the wall that you are missing with the 64-slice CT. The resolution is just so much sharper and, as a result, now you're able to add other pieces of the puzzle, such as artificial intelligence (AI),” noted Dr. Morales.

Dr. Morales said the emergence of adjunctive AI tools with CTA has provided sharper analysis of plaque volume and characteristics.

“AI is leading the way with these advanced CT scanners in a completely new approach to patient care where we can actually identify disease, such as in a screening manner, treat patients, and then we can perform serial surveillance imaging to ensure that treatment is following the path of stabilization or, even in some cases, regression,” posited Dr. Morales.

Can Cardiac CTA be a Viable Alternative for Post-Op Assessment of Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Closure?

For more insights from Dr. Morales, watch the video below.

In a recent interview, C. Alberto Morales, M.D., discussed the impact of advances with computed tomography angiography and AI, and a shifting emphasis in cardiac risk stratification from stenosis to plaque burden.

Combining Advances in Computed Tomography Angiography with AI to Enhance Preventive Care

In a recent interview, C. Alberto Morales, M.D., discussed the impact of advances with CTA imaging and AI, and a shifting emphasis in cardiac risk stratification from stenosis to plaque burden.

The statistics on colon cancer continue to be troubling. Colorectal cancer (CTC) is reportedly the third leading cause of death among African Americans, and there has been an increasing incidence of CTC among people under the age of 50.

, researchers noted increasing annual incidence rates of colorectal adenocarcinoma among people 15 to 50 years of age.

In a recent interview. Syam Reddy, M.D., discussed these trends and lamented that screening is only being done for approximately 60 percent of those at risk for colon cancer.

“Our screening efforts need to expand. And to do that, we just need to have more opportunities that people have available for screening. That's what makes CT colonography such an ideal exam for these screening tools. You know, some of the tools out there, they screen for cancer, but not for pre-cancerous lesions. That's a huge advantage for CT colonography as well as the optical colonoscopy. Both of those are pretty equivalent when it comes to cancer detection or pre-cancer detection,” maintained Dr. Reddy, the clinical chairman at the UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill.

With this in mind, Dr. Reddy recently developed a 

 with Radiology Partners for incorporating CTC into radiology practice. Dr. Reddy describes it as a resource that compiles available information on CTC for technologists, radiologists, patients, and administrators.

“The reason for doing that is we really wanted to, in this crazy, busy world, allow for some kind of resource for our radiologists to be able to pick this up and share it with their local sites, because it's such an important way to help our population on a bigger scale,” explained Dr. Reddy, who is affiliated with Radiology Partners, and is the current president of the Chicago Radiological Society.

Could Lymph Node Distribution Patterns on CT Improve Staging for Colon Cancer?

Survey Results Reveal Doubling of CT Colonography Use During COVID-19 Pandemic

Study: Deep Learning Reconstruction Reduces Effective Dosing for CT Colonography by 83 Percent

For more insights from Dr. Reddy, watch the video below.

In a recent interview, Syam Reddy, MD discusses trends with the rising incidence of colon cancer and a new clinical pathway resource to facilitate implementation of CT colonography into radiology practice.

Incorporating CT Colonography into Radiology Practice

1. Saka AH, Giaquinto AN, McCullough LE, et al. Cancer statistics for African American and Black people. 2025. 

. Published February 20, 2025. Accessed April 21, 2025.

2. Bussetty A, Shen J, Benias PC, Ma M, Stewart M, Trindade J. Incidence of pancreas and colorectal adenocarcinoma in the U.S. 

 2025:8(4):e254682. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.4682 .

In a recent interview, Syam Reddy, M.D., discussed the rising incidence of colon cancer and a clinical pathway resource with Radiology Partners that facilitates the integration of computed tomography colonography (CTC) into radiology practice.

A new study estimates that computed tomography (CT) exams performed in the United States in 2023 will lead to over 100,000 future cases of radiation-induced cancer.

, researchers reviewed data from an estimated 93,000,000 CT exams performed in 2023 for an estimated 61,510,000 patients, including 58,940,000 adults and 2,570,000 children, as well as data from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) International CT Dose Registry.

Based on current use and radiation dosing levels with CT exams, the study authors estimated that exposure to CT exams performed in 2023 will lead to radiation-induced cancer in 103,000 patients.

While acknowledging that the risk of radiation-induced cancers with CT scans is relatively low, lead study author Rebecca Smith-Bindman, M.D., in a recent interview, emphasized that the projection of radiation-induced cancers is a significant number when considering other risk factors for cancer.

“If we look in the context of cancer in general, if these (CT) dosing practices and utilization practices continue, CT will account for a ballpark of 5 percent of all cancers,” noted Dr. Smith-Bindman, the director of the Radiology Outcomes Research Laboratory and a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the UCSF School of Medicine.

“It's not 95 percent, it's not 50 percent but it's a meaningful (number), and it's a number that's comparable to other cancer risk factors that we really think about (like) alcohol consumption (and) obesity, (that) both account for five to 7 percent of cancer. So those are modifiable risk factors that we want to modify to reduce cancers. CT scanning is in that category.”

Dr. Smith-Bindman noted that abdominal and pelvic CT exams accounted for 32 percent of the total number of CT exams in 2023 and were projected to cause 37 percent of the estimated future cases of radiation-induced cancer. Extraneous use of multi-phase scans for routine abdominal CT could be a key target, according to Dr. Smith-Bindman.

“Reducing those multiple phase scans could have a huge impact on reducing the number of future cancers,” maintained Dr. Smith-Bindman.

Deep Learning Denoising May Facilitate Up to a 75 Percent Reduction in Radiation Dosing for Head CT

Can AI Facilitate Single-Phase CT Acquisition for COPD Diagnosis and Staging?

Emerging Strategies for Managing the Acute Shortage of Iodinated Contrast Media

(Editor's note: Graphic in video courtesy of JAMA Internal Medicine.)

For more insights from Dr. Smith-Bindman, watch the video below.

In a recent interview, Rebecca Smith-Bindman, M.D., offered key insights on new research examining the link between computed tomography scans and projected future cases of radiation-induced cancer.

While single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is well validated for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) and other cardiovascular abnormalities, there is a degrading effect with attenuation that requires an additional computed tomography (CT) scan to address attenuation compensation.

However, in a recent interview, Abhinav Kumar Jha, Ph.D, noted there are a large number of SPECT scanners that do not have the CT component and this issue is particularly prevalent in community hospitals and rural facilities. Dr. Jha says this problem is compounded as studies have demonstrated a higher prevalence of heart disease in rural health-care settings.

Dr. Jha pointed out that 75 percent of SPECT MPI exams are performed without attenuation compensation and cites a survey of nuclear cardiology providers that found only 5.6 percent provided CT-based attenuation correction.

“Therefore, you can imagine there's a very important need for a large segment of the patient population to have access to this technology of attenuation correction without being able to take a CT scan,” noted Dr. Jha, an associate professor of biomedical engineering and radiology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

However, in recently published research, Dr. Jha and other researchers developed a deep learning technique that provides CT-less (dubbed CTLESS) attenuation compensation. With this research and other studies, Dr. Jha said the CTLESS approach has provided consistent performance across scanner models and patients with different degrees of heart disease.

In a recent interview, Abhinav K. Jha, Ph.D., discussed key challenges with the use of SPECT MRI and how an emerging deep learning model may facilitate attenuation compensation without the need for an additional computed tomography (CT) scan.

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