Advancing Cardiac Prevention: James Min’s Vision
Advancing Cardiac Prevention: James Min’s Vision
February 20, 2025
Dr. James Min, a board-certified cardiologist and radiologist, has been a pioneering figure in cardiovascular imaging. He played a key role in establishing coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) as a diagnostic tool. He founded Cleerly, aiming to revolutionize preventive cardiology through AI-powered plaque analysis. In a recent American Heart Association (AHA) interview, Min discussed his vision, ongoing research, and the impact of CCTA on patient care.
Min’s research at Weill Cornell showed that soft plaque analysis via CCTA could improve coronary disease detection. However, manual analysis was labor-intensive. To make it widely accessible, he developed AI-driven automation, allowing CCTA to be used for early disease detection, similar to mammograms or colonoscopies.
The TRANSFORM Trial: A Large-Scale Validation
In 2024, Min’s team launched the TRANSFORM trial, a randomized study with 7,500 patients across 100 sites, led by Dr. Deepak Bhatt. By November 2024, 1,000 patients had been enrolled. The goal is to prove that personalized CCTA-based evaluation leads to better outcomes than traditional risk assessment.
Scaling Innovation Through AI and Policy
Cleerly’s technology is reshaping cardiology. The American Medical Association (AMA) recently approved a Category 1 CPT code for advanced plaque analysis, expanding insurance coverage. Additionally, Cleerly introduced Cleerly Ischemia, an AI tool for blood flow assessment, further enhancing risk stratification.
A New Era of Personalized Cardiac Care
Min believes CCTA could transform preventive cardiology by tracking plaque progression a nd identifying high-risk patients. He emphasized in his AHA interview:
“Our goal is to prove that personalized cardiovascular evaluation and treatment surpass traditional population-based approaches.”
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