OCT heart imaging helps doctors diagnose complex artery blockages faster, improving precision and patient outcomes across cardiac procedures.
DUBAI: OCT heart imaging is transforming cardiovascular care after Aster Hospital Mankhool became the first hospital in the Gulf to use the next-generation Cornaris P80/P80-E Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) platform during a complex coronary intervention.
The advanced system, developed by Vivolight, provides doctors with high-resolution, real-time images from inside heart arteries using near-infrared light. Unlike conventional angiography, which mainly outlines blood vessels through X-rays, the technology acts like an “inside-the-artery camera”, allowing specialists to assess the location, composition and severity of artery blockages, calcium deposits and blood flow within a single procedure.
“This technology allows us to see the heart artery in a completely new way. Instead of relying only on traditional images, we can now understand the structure and composition of the blockage, assess the surrounding artery environment in greater detail, and perform functional assessment of the treated vessel. This enables greater precision during complex procedures and helps us make more informed clinical decisions to achieve better patient outcomes,” said Dr. Naveed Ahmed, Head of Cardiac Services, Aster Hospitals & Clinics, UAE.
The first patient to benefit from the technology was a 52-year-old Dubai resident diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome after experiencing worsening chest pain. Using OCT heart imaging, doctors accurately guided the placement of a drug-eluting stent, treated an additional blocked artery and successfully restored normal blood flow. The patient was discharged the following day and has remained symptom-free since the procedure.
The platform offers three imaging modes, enabling artery scans of up to 80mm in only two seconds while maintaining exceptional image quality. It is used during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), a minimally invasive procedure that treats blocked arteries without open-heart surgery.
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death across the UAE and GCC. Published clinical studies have shown that OCT-guided coronary interventions can reduce cardiac mortality by up to 46% and lower stent-related complications by as much as 64% compared with conventional angiography-guided procedures.
The milestone strengthens Aster Hospital Mankhool’s commitment to bringing globally recognised medical innovations to the UAE. As OCT heart imaging becomes more widely adopted, it is expected to improve diagnostic precision, procedural safety and long-term outcomes for patients with complex coronary artery disease.
