Kingston doctor is happy to have AI heart imaging tool

Heartflow is being used at Kingston Health Sciences Centre, the first of its kind in Canada.

One physician at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) is thrilled to have the new Heartflow program in town.

Dr. Omar Islam is a neuro radiologist, he is the head of the department of diagnostic radiology at KHSC and an associate professor at Queen's University.

KHSC announced on Aug. 8 that Kingston will be the first hospital in Canada to have Heartflow which uses artificial intelligence technology that allows radiologists and cardiologists to measure how the blood flows through a patient’s coronary arteries, using only a non-invasive CT scan.

Islam says it is an honour to be the first in Canada to use this AI-based program and hopes it will expand to other hospitals across the country.

Heartflow is expected to be fully implemented by the end of August.

Islam says they are already using the program on heart patients but it is too soon to tell what the results are.

But he says it is expected to be used a lot.

The program got off the ground with a large donation from resident Stephen Sorensen.

Islam says it would have been tough for KHSC to get the program in Kingston without the funding.

Heartflow is currently being used in hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Story by Ken Hashizume