DSA-OCT Integration Marks Breakthrough in Interventional Cardiology—New Multi-Modal Platform Transforms Cath Lab Workflows

The Challenge: Why Cardiology Needed This Innovation

Cardiovascular disease remains one of the world’s most pressing health challenges. With the global population aging rapidly, projections indicate that by 2030, over 16% of the world’s population will exceed 65 years old, and coronary heart disease patients may surpass 250 million. This demographic shift has dramatically increased demand for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures, yet traditional diagnostic approaches struggle to provide the precision modern cardiology demands. The field required a fundamental rethinking of how interventional cardiologists access and interpret vascular information during treatment.

The Solution: Combining Two Diagnostic “Eyes”

Siemens Healthineers and Vivolight Medical have addressed this gap by developing the ARTIS icono floor, an integrated platform that combines DSA (Digital Subtraction Angiography) and OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) technologies. This innovative fusion represents a paradigm shift in dsa medical imaging capabilities. Rather than relying on a single diagnostic modality, cardiologists now access both anatomical and functional vascular assessments from one integrated system. The DSA-OCT platform delivers comprehensive diagnostic data throughout coronary procedures, enabling interventional specialists to execute more targeted treatment strategies with substantially enhanced clinical outcomes—improvements exceeding 40% in procedural efficiency and safety metrics.

Real-World Impact: Installation at Leading Academic Medical Center

The platform’s clinical validation began immediately upon deployment. In November 2024, the ARTIS icono floor made its global debut at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Within weeks, it was installed at Zhongshan Hospital, the prestigious cardiovascular center affiliated with Fudan University. This institution, established in 1937, ranks among China’s premier tertiary hospitals and serves as the National Clinical Research Center for Radiology and Therapy. Zhongshan’s cardiology department—designated a national key clinical specialty—consistently places within the top three nationally for cardiovascular disease rankings and performs over 21,000 interventional procedures annually.

Upon initial clinical use, the integrated platform received immediate endorsement from leading cardiologists. “Interventional cardiology has evolved substantially over four decades,” noted Academician Ge Junbo, Director of Cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “We’ve pursued the integration of traditional coronary angiography with advanced functional and structural assessment technologies. This DSA medical technology integration from Siemens Healthineers and Vivolight Medical delivers precisely what our field needed—patients receive treatment grounded in multi-dimensional vascular analysis.”

Why This Matters: Redefining Workflow Efficiency

The clinical advantage extends beyond enhanced imaging. By consolidating DSA and OCT technologies into a single workflow, the integrated platform dramatically reduces procedural complexity. Cardiologists obtain multi-dimensional vascular information more conveniently while simultaneously reducing catheter-related costs. The system incorporates OCT-FFR functional assessment and advanced plaque diagnostics, enabling more comprehensive clinical decision-making during interventional procedures.

The Vision Forward: Artificial Intelligence Integration

Vivolight Medical, the Shenzhen-based medical device innovator behind the OCT system integration, has outlined an ambitious roadmap. The company plans to incorporate artificial intelligence capabilities leveraging intravascular imaging data. Through machine learning algorithms applied to large datasets, the platform will provide evidence-based procedural guidance, accelerating adoption of advanced interventional techniques and establishing what the company terms “intelligent Cath Labs”—facilities where diagnostic support and treatment planning are fundamentally enhanced through data-driven methodology.

This collaboration represents more than a technical achievement; it signals the emergence of a new standard in precision cardiovascular intervention, where integrated imaging platforms and intelligent decision support systems reshape how interventional cardiologists approach complex coronary disease.