PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

It is with profound gratitude that I assume the presidency of the Indian Association of Cardiac Imaging. I am honoured by your trust and inspired by the collective dedication of our members who have built IACI into a vibrant organisation, driving excellence in cardiac imaging.
I extend my appreciation to our previous office bearers whose exemplary leadership has positioned IACI as a critical bridge between Indian cardiac imagers and the global imaging community.

Our Strategic Focus
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in India, yet access to advanced cardiac imaging remains concentrated in urban centres. This disparity represents a fundamental inequity in healthcare delivery that we must address urgently.
My presidential tenure will focus on three interconnected pillars: expanding training capacity, standardising certification for Indian contexts, and developing India-specific guidelines.

Pillar One: Building Cardiac Imaging Capacity
The availability of trained cardiac imagers in India remains critically limited, particularly outside major metropolitan areas. We must train more cardiac imagers through expanded Level 1 and advanced certification programs in cardiac CT and MRI.
We will leverage virtual learning platforms and hybrid training models to overcome geographical barriers, ensuring that location does not determine access to world-class education. 

Pillar Two: India-Centric Certification Standards
International certification standards are excellent but designed for high-resource settings. India needs frameworks addressing our unique epidemiological landscape—high rheumatic heart disease burden, younger coronary disease presentation, tuberculosis-related cardiac complications, and resource constraints.
IACI will develop tiered certifications aligned with SCMR, SCCT, and EACVI standards but adapted to Indian contexts. These will define clear competency milestones, establish relevant case volume requirements, and integrate with existing postgraduate medical education frameworks.

Pillar Three: India-Specific Guidelines and Statements
IACI will develop consensus statements addressing key clinical scenarios in Indian practice: appropriate use criteria for cardiac CT and MRI, standardised imaging protocols, structured reporting templates, and decision algorithms for cost-effective imaging.

Embracing Technology and Innovation
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising cardiac imaging analysis, reducing cardiac MRI analysis time from 45 minutes to seconds. IACI will engage with technology partners, ensuring AI innovations are validated on diverse Indian populations, accessible to smaller centres, designed to augment clinical expertise, and transparent in methodology.

Global Partnerships and Advocacy
We will strengthen collaborations with SCMR, ASCI, NASCI, EACVI, and the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association through joint educational programs, faculty exchange, and collaborative research. 

Call to Action
To our members: participate in certification programs, contribute to guideline development, present research, and mentor the next generation. To technology partners: collaborate on solutions addressing Indian healthcare realities. To international societies: deepen partnerships advancing cardiac imaging globally while addressing India-specific needs. To clinical colleagues: collaborate to develop integrated care pathways that leverage cardiac imaging for optimal outcomes.

Commitment
Let us move forward united in purpose, driven by excellence, and committed to the highest standards of patient care.

Dr. Vimal Raj
President, Indian Association of Cardiac Imaging (2025-2028)