Elucid Announces American Medical Association (AMA) Instates CPT Code for Lipid-Rich Necrotic Core Quantification to Assess Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability

Plaque composition, specifically lipid-rich necrotic core, has been identified as a major contributor to heart attacks and strokes. A new multicenter study published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery this month by Brajesh Lal, MD, et al utilizing Elucid’s software concluded “a composite of plaque geometry, plaque tissue composition, patient demographics, and clinical information predicted for major adverse neurologic events better than did the traditionally used degree of stenosis alone for those with carotid atherosclerosis.” The ElucidVivo software demonstrated a 40% improvement in predictive accuracy for these events, primarily stroke.

There is now an abundance of published literature on atherosclerosis which has long defined lipid-rich necrotic core as the major culprit for cardiovascular disease progression that leads to myocardial ischemia and acute events. “Obtaining reimbursement for providers to identify key biomarkers of arterial narrowing and plaque stability will advance the field of cardiovascular medicine and enable clinicians to intercept the disease earlier,” said Blake Richards, Elucid CEO, “Elucid’s mission is to measure flow limitation in the arteries that leads to chest pain and identify plaques that are vulnerable to rupture. Characterizing unstable plaque specifically is the key to reducing heart attacks, personalizing treatment, and restoring better quality of life.”

CPT Category III codes are a set of temporary codes that allow data collection for emerging technologies, services, procedures, and service paradigms. These codes are intended to be used for data collection to substantiate widespread usage or to provide documentation for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process. Providers who utilize CTA can use this new code to track usage, which is the first step in achieving reimbursement for this important assessment.

About Elucid

Elucid is a Boston-based medical technology company using uniquely interpretable and validated AI to provide physicians with a cost-effective means to optimize treatment decisions for patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. Advanced clinical insights from ElucidVivo equip physicians with critical information designed to enable precision medicine. ElucidVivo is the first FDA-Cleared and CE-marked non-invasive software to quantify atherosclerotic plaque characteristics compared to histopathology, including Lipid Rich Necrotic Core. The company has published studies for its derivation of fractional flow reserve (FFRct) based on the vasodilative capacity of the vessel wall and estimation of coding and non-coding RNA transcripts (“Virtual Transcriptomics”). This unique information informs better treatment decisions by physicians leading to better patient outcomes, improved quality of care, and reduced healthcare costs. The ElucidVivo software is available for commercial use in the U.S. and Europe. To learn more visit https://www.elucidvivo.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn.