Biograph, a top clinic that focuses on advanced preventive health and diagnostic services, has teamed up with Caristo Diagnostics to run the first U.S. study looking at a new AI tool designed to prevent heart disease in people who don’t yet have symptoms. This study uses cardiac CT scans to spot coronary artery inflammation, a new method that isn’t commonly used in the U.S. Only Biograph’s Black Tier members who meet certain medical criteria can take part. Those who join will get access to Caristo’s special technologies, CaRi-Heart and CaRi-Plaque, which look at both inflammation and plaque in the coronary arteries to spot early signs of heart disease before symptoms appear.
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Dr. Michael Doney, Biograph’s Executive Medical Director, stressed how important it is to detect inflammation early. He explained that inflammation often happens before plaque forms, giving a chance to stop heart disease from developing. He added that working with Caristo allows Biograph to give its members access to some of the best cardiac diagnostic tools, putting them at the cutting edge of early heart disease detection.
Traditional methods usually miss people at risk because they focus on visible plaque and not inflammation, which might be there without being noticed. Research shows that people without clear plaque can have twice as many heart problems as those with plaque. According to a 2024 Lancet study, CaRi-Heart can find this hidden inflammation up to ten years before any signs show. Unlike typical methods, CaRi-Heart measures this invisible inflammation directly from cardiac CT images. Even though it’s already approved for use in Europe, this study will be the first research trial in the U.S., focusing on people without symptoms who are usually considered low risk.
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Professor Keith Channon, Chief Medical Officer of Caristo Diagnostics and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Oxford, said Biograph was picked for this partnership because of its focus on prevention, data-driven care, and advanced imaging technology. He also mentioned that Biograph’s active patient community makes it a perfect partner to show how CaRi-Heart can change early detection and help people maintain long-term heart health.
The study will start enrolling 100 Black Tier members in October. Before imaging, participants will have a health check and consultation to make sure they fit the criteria. The results are expected to back up Caristo’s prior research with CaRi-Heart, helping to bring early detection technology to more people around the world. This partnership fits with Biograph’s goal to change healthcare by using prevention and innovative diagnostics. The aim is to catch diseases earlier and reduce risks before symptoms even start.
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