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FirstHealth earns Cleerly Certified Image Quality Award for cardiac imaging

By Staff Report, posted Sep 30, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

Photo provided by: FirstHealth

FirstHealth of the Carolinas has earned the 2026 Cleerly Certified Image Quality Award, recognizing the health system’s commitment to high-quality coronary imaging and advanced cardiovascular care.

The award is presented to organizations that have newly implemented Cleerly technology that achieve image quality standards established by Cleerly and the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT). Cleerly’s artificial intelligence-driven cardiac imaging technology provides physicians with additional insight into coronary artery disease.

“This recognition reflects the tremendous work of our cardiovascular and imaging teams to bring advanced technology to our patients while maintaining the highest standards for image quality,” said Danny Thomas, assistant director of CT imaging at FirstHealth Moore Regional in a press relase. “High-

quality imaging is essential to giving our physicians the information they need to evaluate heart disease and make informed decisions about a patient’s care.”

FirstHealth introduced Cleerly’s technology to enhance the evaluation of coronary CT angiography (CCTA), a noninvasive imaging test used to assess coronary arteries. Cleerly uses artificial intelligence to analyze CCTA images and provide detailed information about plaque buildup within the arteries, helping physicians better understand a patient’s risk and guide individualized treatment.

“Image quality is fundamental to cardiac CT because it directly impacts the information we’re able to gather from each study,” said Sivakumar Ardhanari, M.D., medical director of FirstHealth’s cardiac imaging program in a press release. “Meeting these standards helps ensure we can make the most of advanced tools like Cleerly and use meaningful information to provide the highest quality patient care.” 

This recognition is part of FirstHealth’s ongoing efforts to expand access to advanced heart services for patients throughout the region.

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