SGPGI gets AI-enabled cardiac imaging technology for precision angioplasty

Time of India

09-05-2025

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Lucknow: People in the city will now be able to avail the advantage of
precision angioplasty
as the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (
SGPGIMS
) has equipped its cardiology department with an AI-powered intravascular
optical coherence tomography
(OCT) system.This medical device allows interventional cardiologists to understand the internal structure of the plaques formed inside arteries, like the back of their hand, which eventually cause cardiac troubles.The exact understanding helps tailor their procedure to the specific needs of the patient, which is known as precision angioplasty.
"This is the first of its kind paraphernalia in the capital. We commissioned it on May 5. So far, we have used it successfully on 15 patients," said Prof Aditya Kapoor, head of cardiology department, adding that his colleagues Prof Satyendra Tiwari, Prof Rupali Khanna, Prof Naveen Garg, and Dr Ankit Sahu have acquired the skills to use the setup."Till now, plaque morphology was studied manually. For this, a catheter containing a micro camera was inserted into the artery to gather the required information. However, the pictures generation were of low resolution. But now, AI-OCT provides live and high-quality images of the plaque structure at the click of a button within a fraction of a second," Prof Kapoor said.Prof Tewari, who is also a senior functionary of the Cardiological Society of India, said that the technology was a game changer in several ways. "The plaque is a build-up of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin (coagulant). The exact details will help in understanding acute myocardial infarction better and allow us to choose the best-suited stent for patients. It will also help us see if the stent inserted was deployed perfectly or not, which is advantageous for the patients," he said.The two experts pointed out that the medical marvel would help doctors acquire a better understanding of the problem of coronary artery disease, which hits Indians at a much younger age and with higher intensity. "It was observed that Indians have a higher percentage of fat in their plaque buildup, which causes greater damage in case of an attack. Precise imaging will help in high-quality treatment and outcomes," said Prof Kapoor.Talking about the technology, they said that the system integrated fractional and relative flow reserve (assessment of coronary flow) with 3D angio-co-registration (a technique providing simultaneous angiographic views)."By utilising AI algorithms instead of manual analysis, the technology can more accurately evaluate plaque structure, calcification, vessel size, stent positioning, and integrate this information with angiography data," they said.The machine also offers high-resolution real-time 3D reconstruction, 3D volumetric imaging, and simultaneous angio-OCT display, significantly enhancing procedural accuracy and patient treatment outcomes.Director, Prof RK Dhiman, hailed the inclusion of the technology and was amazed by its rapid and precise decision-making capabilities, extending full support to the team.