Cedars Sinai Advances in Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiac CT and Cardiac MRI 38th Annual Case Review with the Experts 2026

Friday, January 23, 2026, 7:30 AM – Sunday, January 25, 2026, 2:55 PM PT, Cedars-Sinai Harvey Morse Conference Center, Los Angeles, CA
Target Audience
Specialties – Cardiology, Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology
Professions – Nurse, Nurse (Advanced Practice NP CRNA CNM CNS), Physician, Physician Assistant, Radiologic Technologist, Researcher (non-physician), Researcher (physician), Technician

Overview
A major national healthcare imperative for noninvasive imaging is for the tests to provide value. Nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT studies provide powerful tools for diagnosis, risk assessment, and guiding management of selected patients with known or suspected cardiac disease. In the current environment, imaging must address the combined considerations of improving outcomes and containing costs. To this end, advanced cardiac imaging studies must be ordered on the right patients and optimally performed, interpreted, reported, and acted upon by physicians and allied health professionals. Additionally, effective methods to reduce radiation exposure need to be implemented to maximize patient safety. There is a clear need for physicians ordering, performing and interpreting the tests to understand the issues regarding value-based imaging and to optimally implement this understanding. We meet these educational needs through a live activity entitled: Advances in Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiac CT and Cardiac MRI: 38th Annual Case Review with the Experts. The course is designed to meet the current needs of professionals who perform or request nuclear cardiology or cardiac CT. The course covers the use of these modalities across the spectrum of patients routinely seen by cardiologists in typical day-to-day practice and is designed to improve ordering patterns and increase quality in performing, interpreting, reporting and applying the advanced imaging methods. A unique feature of the program is the extensive use case presentations of each subject as a proven effective teaching tool. It also includes multiple sessions with group faculty discussions. There is a focus on incorporating new guidelines in practice and the latest evidence from clinical trials and registry findings
Objectives

Identify up to date evidence regarding the information provided by tests, the appropriate use of testing an how the tests affect outcomes an costs in coronary and noncoronary heart and aortic disease
Recognize the implications of 2019 ESC CTA ACCAHA chest pain guidelines on the use of noninvasive testing
Implement the latest acquisition processing protocols, instrumentation and software for multiple imaging modalities
Explain how new approaches to functional assessmentsuch as coronary flow reserve, noninvasive fractional flow reserve, and plaque measurementsenhance the information obtained from testing.
Improve image interpretation and recognition of image artifacts
Recognize strategies tor educe patient radiation and contrast exposure while conduct high quality studies
Apply optimal protocols for pharmacologic stress testing
Create optimal reports that integrate test findings and provide guidance for patient management
Identify the latest information regarding how test findings should be used to guide patient management decision
Use criteria and evidence based strategies to reduce inappropriate testing
Identify knowledge gaps regarding blueprints for the CBNC and CBCCT Boards

Topics :

AI in Cardiac CTA- Quantification of Coronary Plaque- Prediction of Risk-Prediction, and Ischemia

Amyloid Quantitation- Decreasing Subjectivity in PYP Interpretation

Amyloid Specific PET Tracers

Beyond Perfusion with MPI- AI Analysis of CAC, Chamber Volumes, Epicardial Fat, Body Composition and Beyond

Beyond the Images- The Essential Role of Excercise and Functional Assessment in Cardiac Testing

Cardiac MRI and PET in Microvascular Disease

Cardiac MRI in Sarcoidosis and Other Inflammatory Cardiomyopathies

Case Review- CTA in Valvular Disease

Case-Based Interpretation of Flurpiridaz MPI

Central Role of Cardiac CT in Structural Heart Disease

Changing the Outlook in Cardiac Amyloidosis- Current and Novel Therapies

Choosing Between Flurpiridaz and Rubidium

Class IA Guideline Recommendation for Chest Pain- What Evidence Brought Coronary CTA Here

Clinical Value of Myocardial Blood Flow Measurement

Combining Anatomy and Physiology with SPECT and PET. Crucial Role of CAC Scanning in Patients

Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Scanning- Central Role in Preventive Cardiology

Coronary CT in Mitral Valve and Afib- Watchman and TMVR

Coronary CTA and FFRct for the Interventionalist- Use in Planning and Guiding PCI

Coronary CTA in Asymptomatic Patients

Coronary CTA in Evaluation of Patients with Known CAD (Stents, CABG)

Coronary CTA in Evaluation of Suspected CAD in Daily Practice

Coronary CTA- Special Consideration for Women

Debate- Coronary CTA Will Replace Stress Testing

Evolving Trends in CAD- Shifting Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Mortality Drivers

FDG PET in Sarcoidosis- Practical Considerations

Flurpiridaz- The Ideal PET Perfusion Tracer

Game-Show Jeopardy- Cardiac CT, Nuclear, and CMR

How to Integrate Stress Myocardial Blood Flow and Flow Reserve in Clinical Reporting and Guiding Therapy

How to Start Using Flurpiridaz- Lab Preparation, Protocols, Exercise vs Pharmacologic Stress

Incorporating Artificial Intelligence in Interpreting Reports of SPECT MPI- Case Interpretations

Integrating Visual and Quantitative Analyses of SPECT and PET- Improving Your Scan Interpretation- Case Illustrations

Ischeia Evaluation with Coronary CTA- FFRct

MBF-MFR with Cardiac MRI- Becoming Routine in Stress MRI

MBF-MFR with PET- How to Perform Quality Control, Interpret and Report

MFR with SPECT- Ready for Prime Time-

MRI in Cardiac Amyloidosis- Strengths and Limitations

My Best Teaching Cases

Myocardial Bridging and Coronary Anomalies on Coronary CTA- When is Further Assessement Needed and What Should It Be

Myocardial Viability- CMR and FDG PET

Nuclear Cardiology in 2026 and Beyond

Perfusion and Blood Flow Quantitation- Transmural and Subendocardial

PET or SPECT- Right Test for the Right Patient

Pharmacologic Stress- Combined with Exercise or Alone- What You Need to Know

Plaque Imaging in Guiding Patient Management

Problems fo Coronary CTA- Small Stents, CAC, Breathing

Putting it All Together- Value-Based Use of Cardiac Imaging

Quantitation in Sarcoidosis Interpretation

Quantitative Plaque Analysis in Tracking Progression of Disease

Stress First SPECT Protocols- Improved Defect Detection, Stress Only Procedures

Tc-99m Pyrophosphate (PYP) Imaging- Acquisition, Processing, Interpretation PET-based Radiotracers

The Disease, the Suspicion-Diagnostic Pathways, and Treatments

The Future of Cardiac CT- Photon Counting CT and More