The heart stops without blood. The blood vessels that carry blood to the heart muscle are called coronary arteries.

To see the state of the coronary arteries, it used to be necessary to undergo an inpatient examination called catheterization. Unless it's very urgent, you usually won't be able to get this test without a bed reservation for hospitalization.

In recent years, due to advances in technology and tools, it has become quite easy to carry out as a method that can be performed on an outpatient basis by the “approach from the radial artery” that does not require long periods of rest after the examination. However, it is still an invasive test.

 

Then coronary artery examination by cardiac CT and coronary artery MRA by cardiac MRI have appeared. It is a non-invasive test that puts little burden on the body and can be performed on an outpatient basis while receiving an intravenous drip. Examination time is about 10 minutes for cardiac CT and about 30 minutes for coronary MRI. However, it is a fact that it requires more time and effort than image examination of other parts. An environment in which cardiac CT and MRI examinations can be used freely and can be ordered at any time is one of the ideal environments for a cardiologist. CVIC is taking on the challenge of creating that environment.

As a result, urgent findings can be found, and the patient can be sent out in the flow of “examination at CVIC” → “direct emergency visit to the hospital by taxi” → “hospitalization as it is, catheter treatment on the same day or the next day”. I experience it often.

The condition of the coronary arteries cannot be known without examination. In fact, patients themselves are often most surprised by the results of diagnostic imaging.

After experiencing these cases, I realized and re-recognised that

 

“Non-invasive cardiovascular imaging is still in short supply.”

 

This feeling is the starting point of wanting to start CVIC in Japan, and I reaffirm this feeling every day when I practice in Iidabashi. Sometimes, I feel that I have to do my best while receiving calls from patients who want to say thank you. I hope that the challenge at CVIC will contribute to saving as many patients as possible.