Shimadzu Medical Systems USA and Change Healthcare have entered a partnership through which Shimadzu will offer Change Healthcare Cardiology Hemo, along with its Trinias line of angiography systems. The announcement was made at the 2018 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) annual meeting, Sept. 21-25 in San Diego.

A new study published in the European Heart Journal shows computed tomography (CT) can be a useful aid in heart team decision-making for complex coronary disease. Results also suggest the state-of-the-art imaging technology may offer a non-invasive diagnostic alternative to conventional coronary angiography. Coronary artery disease (CAD) and its complications are a leading cause of death throughout the world. According to therapeutic guidelines, left main or three vessel diseases represent the most severe, high-risk CAD cases, often requiring coronary bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as treatment.

The nation’s two leading cardiac accreditation and certification organizations are joining forces to offer a single joint product for hospitals beginning Jan. 1, 2019. The American Heart Association and The Joint Commission, the largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare, are collaborating to enhance cardiovascular patient care and improve outcomes and quality of life for patients with cardiovascular disease.

The Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals Inc. (CORAR) — the voice of the radionuclide, radiopharmaceutical and nuclear pharmacy industries in North America — strongly supports legislation recently introduced by Congressman George Holding (R-NC-2) and Seth Moulton (D-MA-6). This legislation, designated H.R. 6948 - Medicare Diagnostic Radiopharmaceutical Payment Equity Act of 2018, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to recognize diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals (RPs) as drugs and institute a separate payment policy under the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS).