What exactly is incidental coronary artery calcification, and what does it mean when artificial intelligence identifies these calcifications? Incidental coronary artery calcification refers to calcium deposits in the coronary arteries that are detected on imaging studies performed for unrelated reasons. AI now enables clinicians to repurpose routine clinical images to efficiently and scalably assess an individual’s risk of atherosclerotic coronary disease. How best to translate these AI‑driven insights into meaningful changes in patient care, however, remains an important area for continued research and clinical guidance.

In this interview, C. Noel Bairey Merz MD, MACC and Ramzi Dudum MD, FACC discuss the NOTIFY-PICTURE Trial: Effects of Real-Time Notification of AI-Detected Incidental Coronary Artery Calcium on Statin Prescription.

Related References:

1. Dudum R, Jain SS, Mastrodicasa D, et al. Effects of Real-Time Notification of AI-Detected Incidental Coronary Artery Calcium on Statin Prescription: the NOTIFY-PICTURE Trial. Circulation. Published online November 10, 2025. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.078155
2. Peng AW, Dudum R, Jain SS, et al. Association of Coronary Artery Calcium Detected by Routine Ungated CT Imaging With Cardiovascular Outcomes. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023;82(12):1192-1202. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2023.06.040
3. Peng AW, Skye M, Jain SS, et al. Sociodemographic Differences Among Patients Receiving Coronary Artery Calcium Imaging vs Nongated Chest Computed Tomography Imaging. JACC Adv. 2024;3(7):100963. Published 2024 May 15. doi:10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.100963