Cardiovascular CT, MRI, and PET/CT in 2021: Review of Key Articles
Georgios Tzimas, MD, David T Ryan, MD, Dermot J Murphy, MD · Review
BlueRipple Assessment
A year-in-review of 2021’s key cardiac imaging papers across CT, MRI, and PET/CT — a companion to the other annual imaging roundups in this library.
The themes the authors highlight track the field’s direction: CT angiography cemented as the first-line test for stable chest pain, PET/CT gaining ground for niche problems like cardiac sarcoidosis and prosthetic-valve infection, and artificial intelligence beginning to enhance image analysis across modalities.
The practical takeaway is orientation — staying current with where non-invasive cardiac imaging and its guidelines are heading. The resistance is the usual: clinicians attached to older modalities or wary of AI.
We rate the evidence low: by design a narrative summary of others’ work rather than primary research, though conflict-free and from recognized experts. Its clinical significance is modest — useful for keeping current, but it informs awareness rather than directly changing practice. (One of a few annual imaging digests in this library; their value is currency, not novelty.)
The original source
Tzimas G, Ryan DT, Murphy DJ, et al. Cardiovascular CT, MRI, and PET/CT in 2021: Review of Key Articles. Radiology. 2022 Dec;305(3):538-554.