Feb 12 2010
InfraReDx, Inc., an innovative medical device company focused on developing novel diagnostic imaging technologies to accurately identify and characterize diseased tissues, today announced that its commercially available LipiScan™ Coronary Imaging System will be featured at the Scottsdale Interventional Forum, an international conference for Interventional Cardiologists and other healthcare professionals.
The Forum is being held February 11-13 at the Scottsdale Westin Kierland Resort in conjunction with the Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center. David G. Rizik, M.D., Scottsdale Healthcare Medical Director of Invasive Cardiology, will perform "live case" demonstrations of the LipiScan system, to be broadcast at the Forum on Thursday and Friday, February 11th and 12th at 9:30 a.m. local time.
InfraReDx's LipiScan system – the only FDA cleared product to detect lipid core plaque - utilizes catheter-based near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to identify and assess the composition of intracoronary plaques within artery walls that cannot be detected by commonly used diagnostic tests such as treadmill exams and coronary angiograms.
"The ability to detect vulnerable coronary and fatty plaques using the LipiScan technology is of great interest to the Interventional Cardiology community and it represents an important advance in patient care," said Dr. Rizik. "With the information provided by LipiScan on the chemical makeup of coronary artery plaques, which I look forward to demonstrating via the "live case" broadcasts, our practice is better equipped to identify the coronary plaques of particular concern - those with lipid cores. As a result of this improved imaging and robust diagnostic capability, we are better prepared to characterize patients' plaques, reduce stenting complications, and ultimately determine the most appropriate treatment for patients with coronary artery disease."
Lipid core-containing plaque is believed to be "vulnerable plaque", or fatty plaque that can rupture and form dangerous blood clots. Vulnerable coronary artery plaque is widely considered to be the primary cause of acute coronary events (sudden cardiac deaths, strokes, non-fatal heart attacks), the leading cause of death in the developed world. The LipiScan system has been used in more than 800 patients at approximately 20 cardiovascular healthcare centers nationwide.
"We are very pleased that Dr. Rizik and Scottsdale Healthcare are successfully utilizing our near infrared LipiScan system, and demonstrating its unique capabilities at this key educational Forum," stated James E. Muller, M.D., founder and Chief Executive Officer of InfraReDx. "We are proud of this technology and the benefits it currently offers the Interventional Cardiology community."