The study, available to clinically eligible Biograph Black tier members, combined Biograph’s advanced diagnostics – including high-resolution coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) imaging and cardiometabolic profiling – with Caristo’s CaRi-Heart and CaRi-Plaque® technologies*. This collaborative methodology enabled researchers to assess the prevalence of coronary inflammation using the AI-enabled CaRi-Heart technology to determine cardiovascular risk in individuals who may otherwise appear low risk through traditional screening.
The study found that coronary inflammation is common (42.9%) in asymptomatic, low-risk adults and frequently occurs without any plaque buildup or blockage. Specifically, 42.9% of participants exhibited elevated inflammation with 17.9% of participants exhibiting very high inflammation in at least one major heart artery. The results also suggest a potential limitation in standard assessment: About 47% of participants with no detectable coronary plaque exhibited elevated coronary perivascular inflammation. By evaluating coronary inflammation alongside traditional imaging assessment of plaque burden and stenosis, we get a more complete picture of cardiovascular risk..
