Thiruvananthapuram: Cardiac imaging has evolved from a diagnostic support tool into the backbone of modern cardiology, experts said at the annual conference of the Indian Academy of Echocardiography (IAE), Kerala chapter, held in Thiruvananthapuram.Inaugurating the conference, Dr Sunitha Viswanathan, president of IAE Kerala Chapter, said advances in echocardiography and multimodality imaging significantly improved both diagnosis and interventional procedures. Techniques such as strain imaging, 3D echocardiography, CT-based procedural planning and AI-assisted image analysis enhanced precision and safety, she said.
According to her, artificial intelligence and automation improved visualisation, accuracy and reproducibility, enabling earlier detection of heart muscle dysfunction and safer execution of complex procedures. She added that these technologies supplement clinical judgment and help in planning structural interventions, device closures and valve repairs with greater safety. Delivering the keynote address, Dr Shantanu Sengupta, national president of IAE, spoke on recent updates in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF), a condition in which the heart pumps normally but becomes stiff and fails to relax properly. He said the increasing prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity contributed to HFpEF emerging as a major health concern among middle-aged and elderly populations. Dr A George Koshy, organising chairman of the conference, said cardiac imaging transitioned into a “therapeutic compass” guiding treatment decisions. Imaging now determines the timing, strategy and safety of treatment in conditions such as HFpEF, congenital heart disease, prosthetic valve dysfunction and structural heart interventions, he said. He added that this year’s focus is on integrating advanced echocardiography techniques with CT, MRI and catheter-based procedures.
