Pioneering Advances in Interventional Cardiology Spread Through Global Collaboration
Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) is a complete or nearly complete blockage of one or more coronary arteries. The blockage is caused by a build-up of plaque within a coronary artery that compromises blood flow to the heart. CTO is common in patients with coronary artery disease. Around 20-25% of patients with coronary artery disease also have a chronically blocked artery. Successful treatment requires intricate procedures. However, interventional cardiologists are able to achieve better and better success rates in treating CTOs thanks to advances in technology, as well as international collaboration that accelerates the exchange of knowledge on innovations and techniques. In addition to bringing new innovative solutions to interventional cardiologists, Canon Medical Systems supports academic forums that enhance learning and progression.
"The average success rate of CTO treatment in India has reached almost 90% in the last few years,” said Dr. V. Surya Prakasa Rao, Chairman of the Indo Japanese CTO Club (IJCTO) 2024 and Director of Interventional Cardiology at Care Hospital Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India. “This is similar to achievements in Japan. Cooperation between India and Japan has been made possible through platforms like the IJCTO and advancements in hardware, angiosystems, and procedural improvements. In particular, workshops like IJCTO help practitioners achieve perfect CTO PCI. These efforts have contributed to the 90% success rate of Indian CTO treatment in recent years."
A prestigious academic partner
IJCTO was founded in 2012 in collaboration with the Japanese CTO Club.
It has become a prestigious academic partner in interventional cardiology, especially for CTO.
This year's IJCTO 2024, was held from June 7-9 in Hyderabad, India. The conference attracted approximately 800 interventional cardiologists who specialize in CTO treatments from across India and Southeast Asian countries. This year, a new Women's Cardiology forum was included in the IJCTO program.
“As of 2012, Japan was more advanced in CTO treatment, but recently, India's CTO treatment techniques have become comparable to those in Japan,” said Dr. Kenya Nasu, Vice President of Mie Heart Center, Mie, Japan, and Chairperson of CTO Club NAGOYA @ IJCTO 2024. “I felt that the technology and knowledge regarding CTO have improved significantly compared to before."
"So far, the conference has been built up over the past 10 years on the relationship between only Indian and Japanese practitioners,” remarked Dr. Rao. “However, in the near future, we would like to expand this academic interaction to other regions, including countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. I would like to see advances in technology and hardware spread to many continents, and India is now working at the same level as other countries."
It has become a prestigious academic partner in interventional cardiology, especially for CTO.
This year's IJCTO 2024, was held from June 7-9 in Hyderabad, India. The conference attracted approximately 800 interventional cardiologists who specialize in CTO treatments from across India and Southeast Asian countries. This year, a new Women's Cardiology forum was included in the IJCTO program.
“As of 2012, Japan was more advanced in CTO treatment, but recently, India's CTO treatment techniques have become comparable to those in Japan,” said Dr. Kenya Nasu, Vice President of Mie Heart Center, Mie, Japan, and Chairperson of CTO Club NAGOYA @ IJCTO 2024. “I felt that the technology and knowledge regarding CTO have improved significantly compared to before."
"So far, the conference has been built up over the past 10 years on the relationship between only Indian and Japanese practitioners,” remarked Dr. Rao. “However, in the near future, we would like to expand this academic interaction to other regions, including countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. I would like to see advances in technology and hardware spread to many continents, and India is now working at the same level as other countries."
Opening new windows of opportunity for interventional cardiologists
IJCTO 2024 featured a joint seminar co-hosted by Indian and Japanese doctors, and supported by Canon Medical Systems Corporation entitled: “CTO CLUB NAGOYA@IJCTO 2024". During the seminar, Dr. Shunsuke Matsuno, Director of the Interventional Cardiology Department at The Cardiovascular Institute, Tokyo, Japan, gave a presentation on Canon Medical Systems’ αEvolve Imaging.
αEvolve Imaging is a new image-processing realized with denoising powered by Deep Learning technology and multi-frequency processing.
It reduces noise in fluoroscopic images in real-time, while increasing the contrast and visibility of devices such as guidewires, coronary stents, and contrast-enhanced vessels.
αEvolve Imaging is a new image-processing realized with denoising powered by Deep Learning technology and multi-frequency processing.
It reduces noise in fluoroscopic images in real-time, while increasing the contrast and visibility of devices such as guidewires, coronary stents, and contrast-enhanced vessels.
This is incorporated in Canon Medical Systems' Alphenix / Evolve Edition Angiography system, which was introduced in August 2023 and has opened new windows of opportunity for interventional cardiologists.
Utilizing artificial intelligence in real-time, Alphenix / Evolve Edition is designed to enhance imaging while enabling reduced time and radiation dose during routine and complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and structural heart disease (SHD) procedures, improving safety for clinicians and patients.
In his presentation at IJCTO, Dr. Matsuno highlighted that αEvolve Imaging allows physicians to reduce the radiation dose without compromising image quality. Furthermore, enables physicians to minimize the frequency of cine acquisition during PCI procedures, by replacing them to αEvolve Imaging fluoroscopy images.
Utilizing artificial intelligence in real-time, Alphenix / Evolve Edition is designed to enhance imaging while enabling reduced time and radiation dose during routine and complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and structural heart disease (SHD) procedures, improving safety for clinicians and patients.
In his presentation at IJCTO, Dr. Matsuno highlighted that αEvolve Imaging allows physicians to reduce the radiation dose without compromising image quality. Furthermore, enables physicians to minimize the frequency of cine acquisition during PCI procedures, by replacing them to αEvolve Imaging fluoroscopy images.
Continual collaboration
The future of CTO treatment looks promising with continued international collaboration and innovation at events such as IJCTO. The advancements in technology and the spirit of academic exchange push the boundaries of interventional cardiology towards creating a brighter and healthier future for patients worldwide.
"CTO Intervention in India has been quite successful over the last decade because of the fruitful collaboration between Japanese and Indian doctors,” said Dr. Sharath Reddy Annam, Director of Interventional Cardiology at Medicover Hospital Hyderabad, India, and Course Co-Director of IJCTO 2024. “Moving forward, this collaboration should continue. That's crucial because most innovations happen in Japan."
"CTO Intervention in India has been quite successful over the last decade because of the fruitful collaboration between Japanese and Indian doctors,” said Dr. Sharath Reddy Annam, Director of Interventional Cardiology at Medicover Hospital Hyderabad, India, and Course Co-Director of IJCTO 2024. “Moving forward, this collaboration should continue. That's crucial because most innovations happen in Japan."
Dr. V. Surya Prakasa Rao - Chairman of IJCTO 2024 (Second person from the right)
He also pointed out the need for better training programs: "What is lacking in India now is proper fellowship training for fellows,” he added. “We strongly hope that Japanese institutions will collaborate with us to welcome the next generation of Indian CTO interventionists for fellowship programs and inspire them."
"Rather than going to India to teach something, we are shifting towards sharing our extensive experience with Indian doctors. It is true that the technical level of expert Indian doctors is improving, but India is a large country with a wide range of treatment needs, so there are many more potential Indian doctors who need educational opportunities,” explained Dr. Nasu “Currently, the educational environment, including CTO treatment, is entering a phase where the educational programs are being created by Indian doctors. Collaborating with Indian doctors in educational positions and providing indirect support will be our contribution from Japan."
With India's growing expertise and sustained support from Japan, the world can expect groundbreaking developments in CTO treatments and beyond. The future is bright for CTO intervention, with innovations and collaborations paving the way for even greater achievements in the field.
"Rather than going to India to teach something, we are shifting towards sharing our extensive experience with Indian doctors. It is true that the technical level of expert Indian doctors is improving, but India is a large country with a wide range of treatment needs, so there are many more potential Indian doctors who need educational opportunities,” explained Dr. Nasu “Currently, the educational environment, including CTO treatment, is entering a phase where the educational programs are being created by Indian doctors. Collaborating with Indian doctors in educational positions and providing indirect support will be our contribution from Japan."
With India's growing expertise and sustained support from Japan, the world can expect groundbreaking developments in CTO treatments and beyond. The future is bright for CTO intervention, with innovations and collaborations paving the way for even greater achievements in the field.
Find out more about IJCTO 2024 here:
https://www.ijcto2024.com
Find out more about Canon’s Alphenix / Evolve Edition Angiography system for interventional cardiology here:
https://global.medical.canon/products/angiography/alphenix-evolve-edition
https://www.ijcto2024.com
Find out more about Canon’s Alphenix / Evolve Edition Angiography system for interventional cardiology here:
https://global.medical.canon/products/angiography/alphenix-evolve-edition
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