The first cardiovascular imaging school in Romania, held in Timisoara between April 15 and 18, brings together 25 lecturers from Romania and abroad - experienced specialists in the field - and offers a complex educational format with a strong practical component dedicated to both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Dr. Smarandita Lacau, primary radiologist and organizer of the event, told AGERPRES on Wednesday that the program includes eight hours of activities per day, divided equally between theory and practice, with each participant working at an individual station.

She noted that AI currently plays a limited role in imaging, as human expertise remains essential for proper investigations and final interpretations.

'The cardiovascular imaging segment is less impacted by AI. First of all, it is crucial to perform the investigations correctly. Doing them properly is our personal contribution. That is why we also include a practical training component here - if the images are not acquired correctly, you cannot deliver a good result. The major task for both doctors and nurses, because we work as a team, is to carry out high-quality investigations. Artificial intelligence can help us in the end with very good reconstructions and with structuring the final report so that it can be compared with subsequent examinations,' Dr. Lacau explained.

Cardiovascular imaging has advanced significantly because heart and vascular conditions can now be assessed without invasive procedures involving catheter-based probes.

'We can see the amount of atherothrombotic plaque and whether it contains calcium or not. Through tomography and magnetic resonance, we can determine how much plaque is present in the body and estimate the risk. Patients at higher risk receive appropriate treatment, and major international studies show that, when monitored with these methods and treated accordingly, the risk of major cardiovascular events - heart attack, stroke, conditions that greatly affect quality of life - can be reduced,' she added.

Prof. Dr. Viorel Jinga, Rector of the 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, told AGERPRES that cardiovascular imaging has developed rapidly thanks to equipment now available in public hospitals, not only private clinics, making it essential to train specialists in this field, given that cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of mortality in Romania.

'Of course, different subspecialties are emerging in radiology and imaging, such as cardiovascular imaging, which is completely different from imaging for other organs. You need proper cardiology training to combine cardiology with imaging and, especially recently, with MRI, which has gained new importance in establishing diagnoses. Properly performed tomography can replace a coronary angiography or at least provide essential details indicating whether a coronary angiography - which is much more invasive - is necessary. There is also scintigraphy in nuclear medicine, such as myocardial scintigraphy, but that is for nuclear medicine specialists. I am a urological surgeon: when I see a CT scan of a kidney, it tells me whether I need to operate on a renal tumour. Cardiologists must also learn at least the basics of cardiac imaging. The imaging specialist provides details that can greatly improve diagnostic accuracy and, consequently, treatment. Imaging is used not only in surgery but also in cardiology and in the medical management of cardiac diseases,' Prof. Jinga said.

In current medical practice, multimodal cardiovascular imaging plays a central role in the precise diagnosis of cardiac and vascular pathology, in the full characterization of anatomical and tissue structures, in risk stratification and in guiding therapeutic decisions.

Guests from Bulgaria, Greece and Slovenia have joined Romanian specialists at the event.

The event, organized by the Cardiovascular Imaging Group, is held under the patronage of the 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy and the Ministry of Health, is accredited by the Romanian College of Physicians and is recognized by the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR). AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Otilia Halunga; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)