One of the biggest advances in heart care today is the ability to detect heart disease earlier—before a heart attack occurs. At The Queen’s Health Systems (Queen’s), cardiologists are using Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) with CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR), and now Quantitative Plaque Analysis (QPA), a cutting-edge tool that uses artificial intelligence to help physicians detect problems earlier and treat patients with greater precision. Queen’s is currently the only program in Hawai‘i offering this advanced level of coronary CT analysis.
The test starts with CCTA, a non-invasive scan that uses CT imaging and contrast dye to visualize the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. CCTA is used with CT-FFR, a non-invasive scan that enables clinicians to identify which coronary blockages are limiting blood flow. What makes this technology unique is the addition of QPA powered by artificial intelligence.
Instead of simply identifying whether plaque is present, QPA now enables clinicians to quantify overall plaque burden, characterize plaque composition, and detect high-risk and vulnerable plaque associated with future heart attacks.
“This is a game-changer for early detection and prevention of heart disease and represents a major advancement, allowing us to provide a new level of precision care that can meaningfully improve patient outcomes,” said Dr. Mahdi Veillet-Chowdhury, an advanced imaging cardiologist at Queen’s. “We can identify who truly needs invasive procedures and who can be treated with medical therapy. Quantitative plaque analysis helps us tailor how aggressive that preventive treatment should be for each patient.”
According to recent studies, CCTA combined with CT-FFR and QPA can detect obstructive blockages in the coronary arteries with accuracy, helping reduce potentially unnecessary or invasive testing, and is a reimbursable standard of care.
Recognizing the need of continuing to provide high quality care, Queen’s remains committed to investing in cutting-edge technologies like CCTA enhanced by Quantitative Plaque Analysis, providing state-of-the-art comprehensive cardiovascular care to improve the well-being of Native Hawaiians and all the people of Hawaiʻi, while continuing the legacy and mission of its founders, Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV.
To learn more about the cardiovascular services at Queen’s, visit www.queens.org/services/cardiology/.
