In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC leads a timely conversation on the future of cardiovascular imaging training with Ron Blankstein, MD, and Lawrence Phillips, MD, MASNC. The conversation unpacks the new ACC-sponsored advanced imaging training statement and why multimodality competency is essential for nuclear cardiologists seeking to remain clinically relevant in a world of disease-centered imaging. 

What if SPECT could bring the promise of myocardial blood flow quantification to every lab on earth?

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo Di Carli, MD, MASNC sits down with Yufan Gu, MD and Lei Wang, MD from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Fuwai Hospital in Beijing, China, and ASNC President Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, MD, MASNC to discuss a novel perfusion radiotracer- 4-BOH- poised to transform SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. The team traces the journey from teboroxime to 4-BOH, explaining how advances in tracer chemistry and CZT detector technology could make quantitative flow imaging with SPECT accurate, affordable, and globally accessible. You can read the article here: Preclinical and first-in-human studies of a novel tracer for single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial blood flow quantification

What’s the real value of a perfect image if no one understands it?

JNC CardioConnect has expanded to include a new episode format that homes in on the most important pearls from each new research article in the latest Journal of Nuclear Cardiology issue.

 In a Heartbeat episodes feature JNC Early Career Editorial Board members and JNC associate editors joining Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, for focused roundtable-style conversation that unpacks the latest science and implications for clinical practice or future investigations. Ideal for busy cardiac imagers, In a Heartbeat episodes keep you current on the questions shaping the future of nuclear cardiology.  

In this inaugural editor’s roundtable discussion, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by early career editorial board members to summarize the August articles:

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by Steven C. Scherping, III, MD, and ASNC President-elect Jamieson M. Bourque, MD, MHS, FASNC, from the University of Virginia to discuss their manuscript 'The prevalence and prognostic impact of additive abnormal stress exercise markers in patients with normal stress myocardial perfusion imaging.' Also joining the conversation is Diana M. López, MD from the Brigham & Women’s Hospital who wrote an accompanying editorial. Think a normal exercise SPECT MPI means you're in the clear? Think again. In this episode, we dive into new evidence showing that exercise-related clues can reveal risk that perfusion imaging alone might miss. This conversation unpacks what these markers mean—and why they matter. You’ll never look at a “negative” test the same way again.

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by Waseem Hijazi, MD and Robert JH Miller, MD, FASNC from the University of Calgary to discuss their manuscript 'Association of medical therapies with survival according to SPECT MPI findings'. The study shows that integrating coronary artery calcium scoring with SPECT MPI improves risk stratification and guides more effective medical therapy in patients with suspected CAD. Their findings suggest that hybrid imaging can meaningfully influence clinical outcomes by identifying patients most likely to benefit from statins and ACE/ARB therapy. The discussion highlights a shift toward using nuclear cardiology not just for diagnosis, but to personalize and optimize care. 

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by Daniel S. Berman, MD, MASNC and Donghee Han, MD, from the Cedars Sinai Medical Center, to discuss their manuscript ‘Independent prognostic significance of myocardial flow reserve over coronary artery calcium, myocardial perfusion, and clinical variables in patients without known coronary artery disease, according to diabetes status’ and explore the intersection of vascular health, cardiometabolic disease, atherosclerosis and advanced cardiovascular imaging. They examine new evidence about the challenges that traditional boundaries between metabolic health and vascular risk pose to our field.

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by leading experts Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, Krishna Patel, MD, MS, FASNC, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, along with Rob S.B. Beanlands, MD, MASNC, from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, to discuss the JNC Compendium on Flurpiridaz PET Myocardial Perfusion Imaging. 

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC is joined by leading experts Jamieson M. Bourque, MD, MHS, FASNC from the University of Virginia and Sarah AM. Cuddy, MD, FASNC from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital along with Associate Editor, Nishant Shah, MD, FASNC, from the Brown University Alpert Medical School to discuss the evolving role of imaging in diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis.

The conversation focuses on a recent JNC paper analyzing survey data from ASNC on the adoption of radionuclide imaging for ATTR cardiac amyloidosis. The conversation highlights key findings, including shifts in imaging protocols, the growing role of nuclear medicine specialists, and the need for continuous education to ensure high-quality diagnostic standards.

They also discuss the future of the field, including the transition to SPECT/CT, potential PET applications, and the importance of national registries to track clinical outcomes. Read the article.

In the third episode of JNC CardioConnect, Journal of Nuclear Cardiology (JNC) Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, speaks with Chaitanya Rojulpote, MD and Paco E. Bravo, MD from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, along with Associate Editor, Sanjay Divakaran, MD, FASNC, from the Brigham and Women's Hospital about the article, Assessing the effect of repeat positron emission tomography imaging on treatment response and cardiovascular outcomes among a homogenously treated cohort of patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis, published recently in the JNC.