CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 33, No 2, March/April 2022 92 AFRICA the interactive nature of the sessions. The first session was on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE), presented by Prof Justiaan Swanevelder. He took the audience through the introductory basics of TEE, discussed various imaging views, went through case discussions of intra-operative TEE, and highlighted the major consensus guidelines and safety principles. Drs Andre du Plessis and IslamShawky presented illuminating talks on an introduction to cardiac computed tomography (CCT) and CCT angiography (CCTA), modalities that provide key benefit in assessing cardiac disease based on high negative predictive values, particularly for coronary artery disease (CAD) assessment. This session on CCT provided scientific and clinical updates on the indications and uses of CCT for the investigation of CAD and other CCT applications in various CVDs, including heart failure, valvular heart disease, diseases of the aorta and pre-procedural/pre-surgical imaging assessment. The session concluded with highlighted CCT imaging challenges that gave the audience and presenters an opportunity to provide real-time feedback and engagement around routine and nuanced clinical imaging scenarios. The cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) session was presented by Prof Ntobeko Ntusi, whose key message was on the principles of cMRI physics. His talk discussed methods of parametric analysis of myocardial and pericardial pathology, the different sequences used to highlight various pathologies and confirm diagnoses, some of which may be missed on TTE. He also demonstrated imaging findings of HIV-related CVD, which is a wide spectrum of disease, not only limited to vasculitis. These exemplary sessions of the various cardiac imaging modalities served to reinforce how diverse, complementary and necessary cardiac imaging is, in concert with clinical diagnosis and evaluation, and how underutilised cardiac imaging is in Africa. During each talk, the session participants and faculty discussed ways to build capacity around cardiac imaging and mitigate the challenges related to imaging-device procurement, workforce training and healthcare costs in the implementation of cardiac imaging resources on the continent. Highlights from the scientific sessions The scientific programme comprised more than 25 sessions, with more than 90 local and internationally based faculty speakers at the helm, providing scientific instruction in a wide range of CVD topics pertinent to the global and African context. Keynote sessions included: the Africa heart rhythm session on cardiac arrhythmias and device management in Africa, where the challenges of access to arrhythmia care, the intersection of heart failure and rhythm disorders on the continent, and indications for device selection and implantation were discussed with case-based, practical applications; and the COVID-19 and the heart session, chaired by Prof Fausto Pinto and Dr Bernard Samia, highlighted data from the WHF COVID and CVD study, recommendations for thrombosis management in the COVID era, and robust discussions on ways to reinforce healthcare system resiliency, among several others, as listed previously. In addition to the robust and comprehensive scientific programme, hundreds of scientific and clinical abstracts were submitted for presentation at the PASCAR congress. Abstract presenters represented members from all five PASCAR regions (north, east, west, central and southern Africa) and were an excellent demonstration of the ongoing research and clinical capacity-building initiatives being spearheaded by PASCAR members and affiliates across the continent. Notably, the top abstract presentation award was won by Carol Mutai who made a presentation on training of healthcare workers in select county hospitals on STEMI diagnosis and management. The abstract was recognised because of the impact PASCAR governing council members, task force chairpersons and congress delegates.
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