WVU Heart and Vascular Institute first in state to offer new AI-powered cardiovascular screening

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute is the first in West Virginia to offer a new, AI-powered cardiovascular screening algorithm to improve cardiovascular care for its patients.

Using an advanced algorithm to determine a total coronary artery calcium (CAC) Agatston score, the tool, provided by Bunkerhill Health, helps to improve the early detection and management of heart disease. CAC represents hardening of the heart blood vessels and is an indicator of future risk of coronary artery disease.

Previously, this type of screening required a special order from a physician. With this tool, the automated algorithm runs in the background of chest CT scans, like those used in lung cancer screening. Patients automatically receive a CAC score during any non-contrast chest CT scan.

When a patient with elevated CAC is identified, their primary care provider or cardiologist is promptly notified. The notification includes the patient’s CAC score and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) risk percentile, allowing for timely and personalized follow-up care.

Depending upon how early the elevated CAC is discovered, treatment can include simple lifestyle adjustments, such as dietary or exercise recommendations, medication, or further cardiac testing.

“Coronary artery calcium is a powerful predictor of future risk of coronary heart disease. Its early detection through this AI algorithm can help identify high-risk patients that would benefit from preventive measures to improve their outcomes,” Irfan Zeb, M.D., WVU Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist, said.

For more information on the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Heart.