The HCI Spotlight

Volume XVII | Issue 5 | May 2025

THE HCI SPOTLIGHT

HCI's Monthly Review of the Healthcare Industry

Robert J. Stilley

President, CEO

HeartCare Imaging, Inc.

A Message from the CEO

Dear Colleagues –

HCI has been fortunate to be in business for 28 years, with a strong track record of steady growth. Aside from a few slower periods during the recession and COVID, our trajectory has remained positive. But this year, we’ve shifted from a steady pace to something much faster—and we’re ready for it.

This summer, we’re welcoming a significant number of new partner-clients, with site installations happening in close succession. We deeply value every relationship we have, so it’s a top priority to continue providing excellent service to our existing clients while carefully managing the many details involved in launching new programs.

Starting a new site means hiring personnel, selecting equipment, obtaining licenses, writing site-specific policies and procedures, delivering physician education—and the list goes on. It takes thoughtful coordination and strong communication, both internally and with our external partners. Next week kicks off the first of four installations, with the last scheduled to wrap up by Labor Day. While we expect a few curveballs along the way (there always are!), our preparation and decades of experience position us to succeed.

Now, if you’ve worked with me, you know I like to stay on top of everything—calls, Zooms, emails, checklists. So when my Microsoft Assistant popped up the other day with a message titled Tone Detection asking if I wanted help softening my writing, I had to laugh. I call it being direct… but do I need to lighten up?

I hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter!

Best Regards,

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Nuclear Medicine

PET imaging reveals long-term heart and lung damage from COVID-19

New PET imaging data highlight the long-lasting impact of COVID-19, revealing changes to the heart and lungs that are not detectable by standard medical assessments.

Whole-body PET shows how naloxone blocks opioids

A team at the University of Pennsylvania has shown for the first time how the opioid overdose treatment naloxone blocks mu-opioid receptors throughout the whole body.

Beta-amyloid testing results have limited emotional impact for patients

Receiving results from amyloid beta testing as a possible precursor of Alzheimer’s disease did not have a significant negative emotional impact on patients, regardless of whether the results were positive or negative, findings from a new study show.

FAPI-SPECT/CT shows promise diagnosing gastrointestinal cancer

Fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) SPECT/CT is comparable to FDG-PET/CT in detecting primary lesions and lymph node metastases in patients with gastrointestinal tumors, researchers have reported.

New Combination Therapy Safe and Feasible for Neuroendocrine Tumor Patients

A new combination therapy that pairs a radiopharmaceutical (177Lu-DOTATATE) with a DNA-repair blocker (olaparib) has been deemed feasible and tolerable for neuroendocrine cancer patients. The combined therapy works by preventing cancer cells from repairing themselves after targeted treatment and has the potential to help patients achieve longer-lasting disease control. This research was published in the May issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Tariffs and the Radiopharmaceutical Supply Chain

For the field of nuclear medicine, the horizon is filled with new diagnostic and therapeutic agents that will enable a personalized approach to treating cancer, neurological disease, and cardiovascular disease, among others.

Cardiology

The average wait time to see a cardiologist is now more than a month

The average wait time in the United States to see a cardiologist is nearly 33 days, according to new survey data published by AMN Healthcare. This is significantly longer than it took even three years ago.

Silent myocardial ischemia common in diabetes

More than 30% of people with diabetes have silent myocardial ischemia, which often goes undiagnosed, researchers reported in Cureus. The study identified predictors of silent myocardial ischemia, including smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia and poor glycemic control.

Tobacco, cannabis expected to increase heart-related deaths

Research presented at a meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions found that tobacco and marijuana use could increase heart disease-related deaths by 50% within five years. One study projected a 40% rise in coronary heart disease deaths due to tobacco use, while the other found a 50% higher risk of serious cardiac events in people with cannabis use disorder.

CAD and Inflammation: What’s the Connection?

The failure of colchicine to reduce cardiovascular events post–myocardial infarction in a recent trial led some cardiologists to question the role of inflammation in coronary artery disease (CAD) — or, at least, whether treating it with an anti-inflammatory drug would make a difference.

Timely initiation of statin therapy for diabetes shown to dramatically reduce risk of heart attack and stroke

Taking a statin medication is an effective, safe, and low-cost way to lower cholesterol and reduce risk of cardiovascular events. Despite clinicians recommending that many patients with diabetes take statins, nearly one-fifth of them opt to delay treatment. In a new study, researchers found that patients who started statin therapy right away reduced the rate of heart attack and stroke by one third compared to those who chose to delay taking the medication.

The risk of death or complications from broken heart syndrome was high from 2016 to 2020

The risk of death or complications from the stress-related heart condition associated with stressful events, such as the death of a loved one -- called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome -- was high and unchanged from 2016 to 2020, according to data from a national study that included nearly 200,000 U.S. adults.

New study finds that tea and chocolate may help lower blood pressure

We might have another reason to enjoy our daily cup of tea or small piece of dark chocolate, as a new study has found that naturally occurring compounds called flavan-3-ols -- found in cocoa, tea, apples and grapes -- may improve blood pressure and the health of our blood vessels.

Boston Scientific pulls plug on TAVR devices after failing to gain FDA approval

Boston Scientific is officially discontinuing worldwide sales of its Acurate neo2 and Acurate Prime transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) systems and no longer seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other regulatory agencies.

Mobile Health Tech May Enhance Heart Failure Care

Compared with usual care, the use of a mobile health technology that integrates telemonitoring and teleintervention during the vulnerable post-discharge period led to a reduction in the risk for new fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events in patients recently hospitalised for heart failure (HF) decompensation.

Mortality, Cardiovascular Risk Elevated in Adult-Onset T1D

Individuals who developed type 1 diabetes (T1D) in adulthood faced a higher risk for all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) than individuals from the general population without diabetes. Factors such as smoking, poor glycemic control, and overweight or obesity contributed to poor prognosis in these patients.

Health

Should more imaging be included in physicals?

As healthcare continues to embrace technology-driven innovation, some experts argue it is time to expand the role of medical imaging in annual physical exams—particularly for high-risk and executive patients.

Revolutionizing stroke care in rural Alaska with AI and CT imaging

In the vast, rugged expanse of Alaska, where small villages dot a landscape, getting critical stroke care can be a race against time, terrain and long distances. But thanks to cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and strategic use of CT imaging, stroke care in the state has undergone a dramatic transformation.

Weight loss linked to nerve cells in the brain

A specific group of nerve cells in the brain stem appears to control how semaglutide affects appetite and weight -- without causing nausea.

Experimental drug may benefit some patients with rare form of ALS

Some patients with a rare form of ALS benefited from an experimental therapy, with biomarker evidence of reduced injury to neurons and even limited functional recovery.

A New Variant of COVID-19 May Be Driving up Cases in Some Parts of the World, WHO Says

A new variant of COVID-19 is circulating in parts of the world and may be driving an increase in cases in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions

Should Everyone Be Taking Ozempic? Doctors Say More People Could Benefit

Anti-obesity drugs are showing promise for ever-expanding list of diseases.

Yes, You Should Stand Up Straight—for All Sorts of Reasons

Slouching is bad for both your physical and emotional health. It’s never too late to start paying attention.

Infant with rare, incurable disease is first to successfully receive personalized gene therapy treatment

A research team has developed and safely delivered a personalized gene editing therapy to treat an infant with a life-threatening, incurable genetic disease.

Health Care Industry News

10 states where residents spend the most, least on healthcare

Mississippi residents spend the highest share of their earnings on healthcare while Maryland residents spend the lowest, according to a May 29 analysis from WalletHub.

Trump administration updates price transparency guidance for hospitals and payers

The Trump administration is seeking public feedback on how to improve price transparency around prescription drugs and boost hospital compliance and enforcement.

House passes reconciliation bill with massive Medicaid cuts

Speaker Mike Johnson negotiated a number of last minute changes to the megabill to get it across the finish line, including moving up the start date for Medicaid work requirements.

Hacking, ransomware driving more healthcare data breaches: study

Hacking and IT incidents accounted for 88% of patient records exposed from 2010 to 2024, while ransomware made up nearly 40%, according to the research published in JAMA Network Open.

Nonprofit providers’ operating margins fall as more challenges loom

Nonprofits have struggled to recover since the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, providers are grappling once more with turbulent macroeconomic conditions.

Neuroscience

Brain Neurons Act Like Traffic Lights to Control Every Move

New research reveals that neurons in the basal ganglia not only initiate movement but also suppress it with remarkable precision, challenging the traditional view that they merely act as a brake. Scientists studying mice found that individual neurons in the Substantia Nigra pars reticulata (SNr) switch dynamically between activation and inhibition based on the phase of a movement.

Early Autism Traits Show No Sex Differences in Toddlers

A large-scale study of over 2,500 toddlers found no significant clinical differences in autistic traits between males and females at the time of early diagnosis. Conducted over two decades, the study used comprehensive assessments across language, motor skills, cognitive traits, and social behaviors.

How Early Life Shapes the Adolescent Anxiety Surge

Adolescent anxiety is on the rise globally, and a new Perspective argues that its roots may begin long before birth. Researchers highlight how maternal stress, caregiving quality, and early environmental cues influence the development of brain systems that regulate emotion and executive function.

Mother's warmth in childhood influences teen health by shaping perceptions of social safety

Parental warmth and affection in early childhood can have life-long physical and mental health benefits for children, and new research points to an important underlying process: children's sense of social safety.

Daylight Boosts Immune Defense

Researchers have discovered that daylight enhances the infection-fighting power of neutrophils, the most abundant white blood cells in the body. Using transparent zebrafish, scientists observed that these immune cells contain internal circadian clocks that are activated by light, boosting their bacterial-killing ability during the day.

Chronic Stress Quietly Raises Your Stroke Risk

Chronic stress is increasingly recognized as a contributor to stroke risk by intensifying conditions like high blood pressure, inflammation, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. While stress isn’t as easily measured as cholesterol or blood pressure, long-term exposure to it can set the stage for vascular damage and increase both ischemic and, less commonly, hemorrhagic stroke risk.

HeartCare Imaging, Inc. | Phone: 561-746-6125 | Fax: 561-741-2036 | info@heartcareimaging.com

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