Banner Health is revolutionizing the treatment of complex coronary disease through an innovative strategic partnership with Heartflow, a cutting-edge technology company specializing in cardiovascular disease.
This groundbreaking collaboration combines advanced CT scan technology with state-of-the-art interventional tools to transform outcomes for patients with significant calcium buildup and plaque in their coronary arteries.
“The comprehensive approach addresses one of cardiology’s most challenging scenarios: heavily calcified vessels where plaque has become bone-like and difficult to treat with traditional methods,” said Paul Sorajja, MD, director of interventional cardiology and structural heart at Banner – University Medicine. “By integrating multiple advanced imaging technologies in the near future, Banner Health will be able to offer patients treatment options that were previously unavailable.”
Before any stenting procedure, in addition to a diagnostic angiogram, patients may undergo a CT scan. An AI-driven technology analyzes the CT scan data, creating patient-specific 3D models detailing anatomy, plaque composition, and lesion-specific physiology. This allows interventional cardiologists to plan procedures with all relevant information in one intuitive view before patients enter the cardiac catheterization lab. catheter lab.
During the procedure, physicians use the Heartflow PCI Navigator, which displays detailed real-time images of all calcium deposits and plaque, with imaging aligned to optimize potential stent placement.
“We now have both the technology to see the problem clearly and the tools to fix it effectively,” said Michael Morris, MD, a diagnostic radiologist with Banner – University Medicine and associate professor of radiology and medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. “This transforms outcomes for our most challenging cases and provides hope for patients who previously had few options.”
To address heavily calcified vessels, Banner Health has incorporated an intravascular lithotripsy device. This specialized balloon delivers controlled shockwaves directly into blood vessel walls, effectively breaking down calcium deposits before stenting placement. The technology uses sound waves to break up hardened calcium, like how kidney stones are treated, making previously untreatable vessels accessible for intervention.
“This care approach brings together our radiology and cardiology teams in a truly collaborative way,” said David Rizik, MD, an interventional cardiologist with Banner – University Medicine Cardiology Scottsdale. “By combining advanced imaging with cutting-edge treatment tools, we can now successfully help patients with complex coronary disease who previously had limited treatment options.”
