February 1, 2008 - NightHawk Radiology will be a radiology provider for the High-Risk Plaque Initiative (HRP Initiative), a joint research effort to advance the understanding and management of high-risk plaque, which is believed to be the primary underlying cause of heart attacks and strokes.
As part of the research effort, NightHawk's U.S. Board Certified radiologists will interpret Chest CT scans for approximately 6,000 study participants. Additionally, NightHawk Radiology Services expects its affiliated radiologists will read approximately 1,000 Cardiac CTA scans performed on a subset of participants believed to be at higher risk for a cardiac event. Cardiac CTA is a heart-imaging test that is rapidly gaining acceptance for its ability to non-invasively determine whether fatty or calcium deposits (i.e., plaque) have built up in the coronary arteries. The purpose of the interpretation of the CT Chest scans by NightHawk's affiliated radiologists is to identify clinically significant cardiac and non-cardiac findings where the participant might benefit from its detection and follow-up.
Since there are currently no non-invasive methods of screening, diagnosis, or treatment for high-risk plaque, the HRP Initiative's goal is to provide a roadmap for the development of screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions for high-risk plaque, and promote proper use to patients, providers and payors.
NightHawk Radiology Services has deployed an independent imaging network solution explicitly for the HRP Initiative and it expects to begin evaluating reads in the first quarter of 2008.
For more information: www.nighthawkrad.net