Myocardial Solutions Sponsors Featured MyoStrain® Satellite Symposium at 2020 Virtual Cardio-Oncology Summit (V-COS)

MORRISVILLE, N.C., October 8, 2020 – Myocardial Solutions (MSI) featured MyoStrain® in a satellite symposium at the first ever International Cardio-Oncology Summit 2020, a joint CardioTox and Global Cardio-Oncology Society (GCOS) initiative attracting oncologists, cardiologists, radiologists and pharmacists from around the world to learn about new advances in cardio-oncology technology and research. The event was held as a virtual meeting–or Virtual Cardio-Oncology Summit (V-COS)–to accommodate for safety restrictions concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and was co-hosted by Spanish Society of Cardiology’s Cardio-Oncology working group and the International Cardio-Oncology Society.

As part of an educational grant by MSI, the symposium aimed at answering the most frequent questions coming from the medical community on the clinical utility of MyoStrain in cardio-oncology, providing practical, case-based examples to demonstrate the potential of MyoStrain to significantly improve and transform cardio-oncology care. Leading cardio-oncology experts discussed the use of MyoStrain to help stratify cardiotoxicity risk, optimize cardiovascular therapy, prevent and manage cardiotoxicity, and guide long-term survivors’ follow-up.[1] In total, MyoStrain was featured in six webcast seminars.

Of the seminars presented during the main program, three were presented by the Summit’s co-chairs; Dr. Teresa López-Fernández, Director of Cardiac Imaging and Cardio-Oncology at La Paz University Hospital; Dr. Susan Dent, Oncologist and Cardio-Oncology Co-Director at Duke Cancer Institute; and Dr. Daniel J. Lenihan, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardio-Oncology Center Excellence Director at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Dr. López-Fernández introduced the MyoHealth™ Score, highlighting its potential use as a unique clinical tool to help overcome the limitations of traditional CMR, stating: “With MyoHealth, we are able to minimize the scan time and minimize the analysis time…this new cardiac MRI technique allows us to better implement cardiac MRI in our daily practice,” (V-COS, 2020, 4:25-4:54).[2] She continued: “This is the aim of this webinar: to give [physicians] a better understanding on how we can use strain-based MRI (MyoStrain) to improve cardio-oncology monitoring,” (V-COS, 2020, 4:54-5:10).[2]

In his presentation titled, “Cardiac MRI in Cardio-Oncology: Strain at its best fidelity,” Dr. Daniel Lenihan opened by referencing the top ten priorities to advancing the standard of care in cardio-oncology, as published in JACC during the GCOS 2019 Summit in Sao Paolo, Brazil.[3] He cited two key focuses in defining robust predictors of cardiotoxicity and clarifying the role of cardio-protection,[3] where having also been reinforced most recently in the detailed and comprehensive consensus recommendations brought forth by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO),[4] highlight a growing interest in myocardial strain as a unique measurement to address these key clinical needs in cardio-oncology.[3]

These recommendations from ESMO described myocardial strain as a sensitive diagnostic marker enabling the quantification of cardiotoxicity in patients otherwise regarded as asymptomatic according to traditional cardiac metrics.[4] Using case examples where MyoStrain was used to effectively detect and manage patient heart health throughout the course of cancer treatment, Dr. Lenihan demonstrates how early prediction of cardiotoxicity consequently enables cardio-protection, as specified in the JACC publication. He stated: “These examples of general principles to refine clinical decisions with MyoStrain results indicates that early identification of worsening segment abnormalities can identify ways to enhance cardio-protective therapies. In addition, [physicians] would be able to advise oncology about developing toxicities…[and] enhance patient education and symptom awareness,” (V-COS, 2020, 19:30-20:00).[2]

Dr. Susan Dent shared the oncologist’s perspective on the challenges to cancer treatment that may adversely affect patient heart health. Using patient case examples, Dr. Dent demonstrated how MyoStrain and the MyoHealth Score may be used to help physicians overcome these challenges by enabling cardio-protection to prevent the progression of cardiotoxicity. She concluded: “The cases I have shown you today, I think, clearly show that MyoStrain certainly may help oncologists in clinical decision making…hopefully, as further information comes into practice, we will be able to use this technology to help us make decisions around the delivery of cancer care safely to our patients,” (V-COS, 2020, 32:16-32:40).[2]

Concluding the main program, Dr. Alexander Lyon, Clinical Lead in Cardio-Oncology, President of the British Cardio-Oncology Society, and European Society of Cardiology Cardio-Oncology Council Chair-elect, from Royal Brompton Hospital and Imperial College London, shared key takeaways on MyoStrain’s potential long-term impact as part of the cancer continuum of care. Dr. Lyon emphasizes the clinical window of opportunity to prevent cardiac dysfunction using novel, sensitive technologies such as MyoStrain to detect early cardiotoxicity and inform clinical decision-making. Dr. Lyon stated: “…this novel parameter called MyoStrain, which is a highly sensitive way of measuring the function of the heart in different segments and is, therefore, a reflection of myocardial health,” (V-COS, 2020, 36:03-36:17).[2]

Following the main program, Dr. Juan Lopéz-Mattei, Associate Professor of the Departments of Cardiology and Thoracic Imaging and Co-Director of Cardiac Radiology Services at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center walked virtual attendees through the basics of the fast-SENC (MyoStrain) technology. In addition, Dr. Nael Osman, Founder & Chief Science Officer at MSI, provided an in-depth explanation on how the technology is able to acquire segmental intra-myocardial strain and how this gives physicians a distinct advantage to proactively detect and manage patients at risk of developing cardiac dysfunction.[1]

Reflecting on the event’s conclusion, Rafael Rivero, MD and Global Head of Medical Affairs at MSI, commented: “V-COS 2020 was a tremendous success, bringing together members from diverse clinical backgrounds and organizations around the world. The event provided an important educational opportunity which has allowed us to demonstrate MyoStrain’s potential clinical impact on cardio-oncology care. In closing, and on behalf of Myocardial Solutions, I want to give a very special thank you to the International Society of Cardiology, Spanish Society of Cardiology, and all of those who participated in organizing this event for their continued support and commitment to advancing the standard of care in cardiology and oncology.”

The full satellite symposium from the V-COS 2020 is available for free and on-demand here.

[1] Virtual Cardio-Oncology Summit 2020. Satellite Symposium of Myocardial Solutions, Inc. What is the Role of Cardiac Imaging in Cardio-Oncology?. 2020.

[2] V-COS. (2020, October 1). What is the Role of CardiacImaging in Cardio-Oncology?. Myocardial Solutions, Inc. Satellite Symposium from the Virtual Cardio-Oncology Summit 2020. [Video file]. Original content from https://www.vcos2020.org/vcos2020/SATELLITE-SYMPOSIUM/MyoStrain.

[3] Lenihan D J, et al. Proceedings From the Global Cardio-Oncology Summit. J Am Coll Cardiol Cardio Onc. 2019 Dec, 1 (2) 256-272.

[4] Curigliano G, et al. Management of Cardiac Disease in Cancer Patients Throughout Oncological Treatment: ESMO Consensus Recommendations. Ann Oncol (2020); 31(2): 171-190.