Keya Medical’s Sponsored Webinar
Moderator
Mary-Pierre Waiss
President, Keya Medical, North America
Speaker
Asif Ali, MD
Cardiologist, Clinical Assistant Professor: UT McGovern and University of Houston- Cardiovascular Medicine, Health Technology Advisory Group: AHA, Director: Cena Research Institute
Speaker
John Rumberger, PHD, MD, FACC, MSCCT
Medical Director & Director of Cardiac Imaging, Corazon Imaging
Overview
This webinar focused on how AI can improve coronary CT angiography (CCTA) interpretation and downstream patient management, especially by improving consistency, trust, and clinical decision-making.
Dr. Ali emphasized that clinicians require transparent, evidence-based tools (“trust but verify”) and shared data demonstrating variability between human reads and AI measurements near clinical thresholds.
Dr. Rumberger expanded on CT-derived FFR (CT-FFR) and introduced ∆ DVFR* (CT-FFR Flow Gradient) to identify focal, high-risk lesions and potentially vulnerable plaque, even when overall CT-FFR values appear borderline or non-ischemic.
* Investigational device. Limited by Federal law to investigational use. Not for sale in the US
Key Takeaways
Variability Near Decision Thresholds
Dr. Ali shared practical evidence that human CCTA reads can differ from AI results—often near key thresholds (e.g., 50% and 70%) that drive next steps. These discrepancies can materially impact:
- Clinical pathways (medical therapy vs additional testing vs cath)
- Patient experience (unnecessary invasive procedures or missed disease)
- Insurance eligibility (when stenosis category changes)
When reports return broad “range” categories, it becomes difficult for clinicians to make clear, defensible decisions. AI delivers more consistent and precise quantification to support the clinical conversation.
Trust but Verify
Clinicians are trained to demand evidence and transparency. The speakers emphasized that AI should not replace clinicians—it should function as a co-pilot to reduce subjectivity in stenosis estimation, improve reproducibility, and flag cases where a second look is warranted.
Why CT-FFR Is a “Game Changer” for Intermediate Lesions
Both speakers reinforced that anatomy alone isn’t enough. CT-FFR adds functional significance—helping answer the core clinical question: Does this lesion actually reduce blood flow and cause ischemia?
Dr. Ali described a workflow aligned with payer expectations:
- Very low stenosis → medical management
- Very high stenosis → proceed to cath/therapy
- The large “middle” group → CT-FFR can reduce unnecessary invasive procedures and better target intervention.
∆ DVFR– Pressure drop across a lesion to capture focal hemodynamic disturbance
Dr. Rumberger introduced an extension of CT-FFR interpretation: ∆ DVFR, a measure of pressure drop across a focal lesion (“step-down gradient”).
∆ DVFR is strongly associated with HRP features:
- Low-Density Plaque
- Positive remodeling
- Spotty calcium
- Necrotic core.
It reflects high shear and mechanical stress:
- Identifies vulnerable lesions even when CT-FFR>0.80
- Works best in intermediate stenosis (40-70%)
Cardiology-Driven CCTA program at Corazon Imaging
Corazon Imaging described a high-volume, cardiology-driven CCTA program (~800 CCTAs/month) using standard acquisition protocols. AI performance depends on image quality, and experienced teams can optimize outcomes.
Learn more about DEEPVESSEL FFR
We are actively looking for clinical partners in the United States and EMEA.