JNC CardioConnect has expanded to include a new episode format that homes in on the most important pearls from each new research article in the latest Journal of Nuclear Cardiology issue. In a Heartbeat episodes feature JNC Early Career Editorial Board members and JNC associate editors joining Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, for focused roundtable-style conversation that unpacks the latest science and implications for clinical practice or future investigations. Ideal for busy cardiac imagers, In a Heartbeat episodes keep you current on the questions shaping the future of nuclear cardiology.   In this inaugural editor’s roundtable discussion, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by early career editorial board members to summarize the August articles: -Daniel M. Huck, MD, MPH, commenting on: The prevalence and prognostic impact of additive abnormal stress exercise markers in patients with normal stress myocardial perfusion imaging, by Steven C. Scherping, III, MD, and colleagues. -Cesia Gallegos-Kattán, MD, MHS, FASNC, commenting on: Diagnostic performance of 18F-flurpiridaz PET myocardial perfusion imaging with total perfusion deficit quantification, by Jennifer M. Renaud, MSc, and colleagues. -Olivier F. Clerc, MD, MPH, commenting on: Technical evaluation of immediate back-to-back rest-stress positron emission tomography scanning with 18F-flurpiridaz, by Dan J. Kadrmas, PhD, and colleagues. -Bruno Bezerra Lima, MD, PhD, commenting on: Serial 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography to assess the efficacy of infliximab in steroid refractory cardiac sarcoidosis, by Louise E. Crowley, MRCP, PhD, and colleagues. -Attila Feher, MD, PhD, commenting on: 82Rb positron emission tomography myocardial blood flow quantification: Influence of arterial input curve quality on diagnostic accuracy, by Hidesato Fujito, MD, PhD, and colleagues.

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by Steven C. Scherping, III, MD, and ASNC President-elect Jamieson M. Bourque, MD, MHS, FASNC, from the University of Virginia to discuss their manuscript ’The prevalence and prognostic impact of additive abnormal stress exercise markers in patients with normal stress myocardial perfusion imaging.’ Also joining the conversation is Diana M. López, MD from the Brigham & Women’s Hospital who wrote an accompanying editorial. Think a normal exercise SPECT MPI means you’re in the clear? Think again. In this episode, we dive into new evidence showing that exercise-related clues can reveal risk that perfusion imaging alone might miss. This conversation unpacks what these markers mean—and why they matter. You’ll never look at a “negative” test the same way again.

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by Waseem Hijazi, MD and Robert JH Miller, MD, FASNC from the University of Calgary to discuss their manuscript 'Association of medical therapies with survival according to SPECT MPI findings'. The study shows that integrating coronary artery calcium scoring with SPECT MPI improves risk stratification and guides more effective medical therapy in patients with suspected CAD. Their findings suggest that hybrid imaging can meaningfully influence clinical outcomes by identifying patients most likely to benefit from statins and ACE/ARB therapy. The discussion highlights a shift toward using nuclear cardiology not just for diagnosis, but to personalize and optimize care. 

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by Daniel S. Berman, MD, MASNC and Donghee Han, MD, from the Cedars Sinai Medical Center, to discuss their manuscript ‘Independent prognostic significance of myocardial flow reserve over coronary artery calcium, myocardial perfusion, and clinical variables in patients without known coronary artery disease, according to diabetes status’ and explore the intersection of vascular health, cardiometabolic disease, atherosclerosis and advanced cardiovascular imaging. They examine new evidence about the challenges that traditional boundaries between metabolic health and vascular risk pose to our field.

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, is joined by leading experts Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, Krishna Patel, MD, MS, FASNC, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, along with Rob S.B. Beanlands, MD, MASNC, from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, to discuss the JNC Compendium on Flurpiridaz PET Myocardial Perfusion Imaging. This episode dives deep into the transformative changes in radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging and the potential role of flurpiridaz PET in this evolution. Discover the potential benefits of flurpiridaz for improving access to cardiac PET and expanding its clinical use. Our expert guests share insights on the many opportunities and offer their thoughts on how to tackle potential challenges. Do not miss it! Read the Compendium

In this episode, Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC is joined by leading experts Jamieson M. Bourque, MD, MHS, FASNC from the University of Virginia and Sarah AM. Cuddy, MD, FASNC from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital along with Associate Editor, Nishant Shah, MD, FASNC, from the Brown University Alpert Medical School to discuss the evolving role of imaging in diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis. The conversation focuses on a recent JNC paper analyzing survey data from ASNC on the adoption of radionuclide imaging for ATTR cardiac amyloidosis. The conversation highlights key findings, including shifts in imaging protocols, the growing role of nuclear medicine specialists, and the need for continuous education to ensure high-quality diagnostic standards. They also discuss the future of the field, including the transition to SPECT/CT, potential PET applications, and the importance of national registries to track clinical outcomes. Read the article.

In the third episode of JNC CardioConnect, Journal of Nuclear Cardiology (JNC) Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, speaks with Chaitanya Rojulpote, MD and Paco E. Bravo, MD from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, along with Associate Editor, Sanjay Divakaran, MD, FASNC, from the Brigham and Women's Hospital about the article, Assessing the effect of repeat positron emission tomography imaging on treatment response and cardiovascular outcomes among a homogenously treated cohort of patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis, published recently in the JNC.

Radionuclide perfusion imaging remains the dominant force in coronary artery disease assessment, with SPECT leading the charge and PET on a steady rise. In this episode of JNC CardioConnect, Journal of Nuclear Cardiology (JNC) Editor-in-Chief Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, MASNC, speaks with physicians at Houston Methodist Hospital to discuss their recent article and break down the latest Medicare data, highlighting usage trends in cardiac imaging, underutilized opportunities with PET/CT and myocardial blood flow, and what it all means for the future of cardiac imaging.

In the first episode of JNC CardioConnect, Journal of Nuclear Cardiology (JNC) Editor-in-Chief Marcelo Di Carli, MD, MASNC, speaks with Sharmila Dorbala, MD, MASNC, Director of Nuclear Cardiology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor of Radiology and Medicine at Harvard Medical School, about the article, Quantitative 99mTc-pyrophosphate myocardial uptake: Changes on transthyretin stabilization therapy, published recently in the JNC, and her extensive research in cardiac amyloidosis.