This year the Callen lecture was presented by Dr. Arthur Agatston, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.  He is a preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet, The South Beach Diet Supercharged, The South Beach Heart Health Revolution, and other books.

Dr. Agatston presented a lecture on integrating imaging and advanced blood testing. The use of CT angiography, calcium scoring, carotid imaging, digital thermal monitoring, LDL and HDL gradient gel electrophoresis, and KIF6 gene analysis were discussed in relation to making practical clinical decisions.  Dr. Agatston reviewed case histories demonstrating the integrated use of these tests.  Patients showing discordance between imaged pre-clinical disease and conventional risk factors were also reviewed.  The specific example of identifying patients who are at high risk for cardiovascular events despite markedly elevated HDLs and low risk Framingham scores was also examined.

We thank Dr. Agatston for participating in this year's Irwin Callen Memorial Lectureship.