About

Catherine Rogers is an Associate Director of the CUIMC Division of Narrative Medicine and a lecturer in the M.S. program at Columbia University. She has facilitated Narrative Medicine seminars at Mt. Sinai, Brooklyn Lutheran, and Columbia Presbyterian hospitals, as well as at Aristotle University Thessaloniki Schools of English and Medicine. Rogers is a writer and performer, with her plays having been seen at Dixon Place, Manhattan Theatre Source, Salvage Vanguard, and Cleveland Public Theatre. She was a Fulbright Specialist and Senior Scholar in Greece in 2013 and 2009, and she serves as a Fulbright peer reviewer. Her work has been published in the Gettysburg Review, Voices Made Flesh: Performing Women’s Autobiography, and Our Changing Journey to the End: Reshaping Death. She previously taught creative and expository writing as an Assistant Professor in Humanities at NYU. Rogers holds an M.F.A. from the University of Texas, where she was a James A. Michener Fellow, and an M.S. in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Cardiology
• Internal medicine
• Radiology
• Surgery

Selected publications

• The association of risk factors on coronary computed tomography angiography derived atherosclerotic plaque volume - Lessons from the ADVANCE registry

  Atherosclerosis · 2026-01-13

  articleOpen access

  <h2>Abstract</h2><h3>Background</h3> Diabetes mellitus, smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia are well-studied cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, their combined and individual influence on atherosclerotic total plaque volume (TPV) and plaque subtypes as assessed by coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has not been well evaluated. <h3>Purpose</h3> To evaluate the association between CVRF on TPV and plaque subtypes and to develop quantitative plaque nomograms stratified by sex, age, and CVRF using CCTA findings. <h3>Methods</h3> This analysis included participants from the ADVANCE (Assessing Diagnostic Value of Noninvasive CT-FFR in Coronary Care) registry. Quantitative assessment of TPV and plaque subtypes was performed using an Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Quantitative Coronary Plaque Analysis tool. <h3>Results</h3> A total of 4430 patients were included in the analysis, with a median age of 67.0 [59.0–73.0] years, and 1512 (34.1 %) were women. The median TPV was 390 mm³ (IQR: 163–760 mm³) and it was significantly higher in male participants (460 mm³; IQR 197–855 mm³) compared to female participants (280.5 mm³; IQR: 118–583 mm³) (P < 0.0001). Independent of sex, participants with CVRF had higher median TPVs (404.5 mm³; IQR: 175–788.5 mm³) than those without CVRF (187 mm³; IQR: 74–431 mm³) (P < 0.0001). On ROC analysis, age emerged as the strongest predictor of TPV >250 mm³ (AUC 0.62; CI: 0.60–0.64), with only modest improvements in the model after adding male sex (0.67; CI: 0.65–0.69) and CVRF (0.69; CI: 0.68–0.71). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Our data indicate that TPV is significantly higher in participants with CVRF compared to those without. Age demonstrated the strongest association with plaque volume, while the addition of CVRF only modestly increased the AUC. Altogether, age and CVRF were only modestly associated with plaque volume, highlighting the need for further research to fully understand the potential and limitations of plaque imaging assessing the extent and severity of CAD, in patients with and without CVRF.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Guiding Preventive Care Strategies for Patients With Atherosclerotic Plaque on Coronary CTA

  JACC. Cardiovascular imaging · 2026-03-01 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Artificial intelligence-enabled coronary plaque quantification for personalized risk assessment and lipid-lowering therapy: Insights from the FISH&amp;CHIPS study✰

  American Journal of Preventive Cardiology · 2026-02-19 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background: Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is a guideline-endorsed tool to evaluate coronary artery disease (CAD) in symptomatic patients. Artificial intelligence enabled quantitative coronary plaque analysis on CCTA (AI-CPA) is a promising strategy for tailored management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Population-level data are needed on how CCTA-derived plaque analyses can inform lipid-lowering strategies for ASCVD risk reduction. Objectives: To model the utility and efficiency of a total plaque volume (TPV)-based risk staging system in guiding lipid-lowering therapy in patients undergoing clinically-indicated CCTAs for evaluation of stable suspected or known CAD. Methods: for DECIDE stages 1-4, respectively. The primary outcome was the estimated reduction in cardiovascular death or non-fatal MI, and the number needed to treat (NNT) based on AI-CPA, over 10 years. We modeled lipid-lowering therapy utilizing treat-to-target LDL-C goals of <100, <70, <55, and <40 mg/dL for DECIDE stages 1-4, respectively, to estimate risk reduction and NNT over 10 years. Results: The study population included 7899 total symptomatic participants undergoing CCTA and AI-CPA. Of these, 6054 patients had any plaque and were included in the final cohort; the mean age was 59.4 ± 11.7 years and 42.7% were women. Among the full cohort, the 10-year modeled relative risk reduction using a TPV treat-to-target LDL-C was 19.1% with NNT of 61. The 10-year relative risk reduction and NNT by DECIDE stages 1-4 was 1.5% (NNT = 1686), 18.2% (NNT = 59), 24.2% (NNT = 27), and 33.8% (NNT = 11), respectively. Conclusions: Quantitative TPV measured by AI-CPA identifies symptomatic patients at elevated long-term cardiovascular risk and may efficiently inform implementation of personalized lipid-lowering strategies to reduce cardiovascular events.

  PublisherDOI

• Coronary Atherosclerosis in Former NFL Players

  JACC Case Reports · 2026-03-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Former professional athletes may be at paradoxically high cardiovascular risk. Retired National Football League players in particular are known to carry a high burden of atherosclerosis risk factors and to be at elevated risk of acute cardiovascular events. We present 3 cases of asymptomatic former National Football League players, each unaware of the presence of coronary artery disease despite prior noninvasive evaluation, who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography coupled with advanced artificial intelligence-enabled analysis as part of an ongoing clinical registry. All 3 former players were found to have previously undiagnosed coronary artery plaque, prompting guideline-directed medical therapy. One patient had early-stage disease burden and 2 had extensive disease, including 1 patient with multiple severe stenoses accompanied by significant physiological impairment and fractional flow reserve reduction who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. Early patient-specific characterization of coronary artery disease via coronary computed tomography angiography and artificial intelligence-enabled analyses may enable more prompt preventive management and result in clinical risk reduction in this population.

  PublisherDOI

• American-Style Football Players

  JACC Case Reports · 2026-03-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) alone vs. CTCA with selective FFRCT in patients presenting with stable chest pain: a FORECAST trial substudy

  European Heart Journal - Imaging Methods and Practice · 2025-08-30 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Aims The original FORECAST trial was designed to compare a strategy of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) and selective FFRCT to standard care in patients attending Rapid Access Chest Pain clinics in UK centres. This is a prespecified analysis of the FORECAST trial to compare outcomes between the patients in the experimental arm (CTCA + selective FFRCT) and patients in the reference arm who underwent CTCA alone as their initial test of choice. Methods and results The FORECAST trial recruited 1400 patients randomized between two strategies: (i) initial test of choice at the discretion of the healthcare provider (standard care arm) or (ii) CTCA ± FFRCT. Prior to randomization, clinicians stated their preference for choice of the first test if the patient were to be randomized to standard care. A total of 459 patients (66%) in the standard care pathway were selected for CTCA as the first test of choice. Similarly, 453 (65%) of the patients who were subsequently randomized into the experimental arm were selected for CTCA as initial test prior to that randomization. This comparison is an intention-to-test (ITT) analysis comparing the post-randomization outcomes of the population of patients who were selected for CTCA as the test of first choice prior to randomization (labelled as the CTCA stratum). The following comparisons were made: (i) primary trial outcomes at 9 months including (a) total cardiac costs, (b) use of other tests, (c) clinical events, and (d) time to final management plan; (ii) a comparison between the CTCA stratum groups and the remainder of the standard care arm (i.e. patients randomized to standard care who were selected for an initial test other than CTCA). Of the CTCA stratum patients, there was no significant difference between randomized groups in the median total cardiac costs at 9 months [£594 (IQR 570–1127) in the experimental arm vs. £594 (574–966) in the usual care arm (P = 0.325)]. The number of additional non-invasive tests was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the standard care CTCA patients [43 patients (8.9%) vs. 72 (16%), P = 0.005]. Time to final management plan was also significantly lower in the experimental arm [median 64 days (IQR 48–110) vs. 75 days (55–126), P &amp;lt; 0.001]. There was no significant difference in the rate of adverse cardiac events. Patients randomized to standard care who were not in the CTCA stratum had significantly higher median total cardiac costs when compared with either of the CTCA stratum groups, with median total cardiac costs of £908 (IQR 592–1161) vs. £594 (570–1123) vs. £594 (570–966), respectively (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Conclusion In this prespecified FORECAST substudy of patients whose clinicians preferred CTCA as the first test prior to randomization, the CTCA ± FFRCT strategy, when compared with CTCA alone, was cost-neutral in the UK and associated with significantly fewer additional non-invasive tests. Time to final management plan was also significantly lower in the experimental arm [median 64 days (IQR 48–110) vs. 75 days (55–126) in the standard care CTCA arm (P &amp;lt; 0.001)].

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Quality of Life Outcomes With a Risk-Based Precision Testing Strategy Versus Usual Testing in Stable Patients With Suspected Coronary Disease: Results From the PRECISE Randomized Trial

  Circulation Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes · 2025-02-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: The PRECISE (Prospective Randomized Trial of the Optimal Evaluation of Cardiac Symptoms and Revascularization) trial compared an investigational precision diagnostic testing strategy (n=1057) with usual testing (n=1046) in patients with stable chest pain and suspected coronary artery disease. Quality of life (QOL) outcomes were a prespecified secondary end point. METHODS: We assessed QOL by structured interviews in all trial participants at baseline and 45 days, 6 months, and 12 months postrandomization. QOL assessments included angina-related QOL (19-item Seattle Angina Questionnaire [SAQ-19]), generic health status (EQ-5D), and a 4-item care satisfaction survey (at 45 days only). The prespecified primary comparison was the 6-month SAQ Summary score outcomes (scale, 0 to 100; higher scores indicate greater health status). QOL data collection rates were high, with 99% complete baseline SAQ scores and 86.5% complete at the 6-month primary comparison follow-up. All comparisons were made as randomized. RESULTS: At baseline, mean SAQ Summary scores were 70.9 in the Precision Strategy group (n=1050) and 70.4 in the Usual Testing group (n=1042). By 6 months, mean SAQ Summary scores had improved to 89.9 in the Precision Strategy group and 89.2 in the Usual Testing group, with a mean adjusted difference of 0.8 (95% CI, -0.3 to 2.0). The SAQ component scores showed similar improvement from baseline in both groups and no statistically significant or clinically meaningful differences between the 2 groups at any follow-up time point. By 6 months, 66% of patients in both groups were chest pain-free. EQ-5D visual analog scores also improved from baseline and showed no difference between groups during follow-up. Care satisfaction scores were high and similar at 45 days. CONCLUSIONS: In stable patients with symptoms suggesting coronary artery disease, angina-related and overall QOL improved substantially over the initial 6 months independent of the testing strategy assigned. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03702244.

  PublisherDOI

• Implementation of a national AI technology program on cardiovascular outcomes and the health system

  Nature Medicine · 2025-04-04 · 28 citations

  articleOpen access

  Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of ill health and death worldwide. Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is the first-line investigation to detect CAD in symptomatic patients. This diagnostic approach risks greater second-line heart tests and treatments at a cost to the patient and health system. The National Health Service funded use of an artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic tool, computed tomography (CT)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR-CT), in patients with chest pain to improve physician decision-making and reduce downstream tests. This observational cohort study assessed the impact of FFR-CT on cardiovascular outcomes by including all patients investigated with CCTA during the national AI implementation program at 27 hospitals (CCTA n = 90,553 and FFR-CT n = 7,863). FFR-CT was safe, with no difference in all-cause (n = 1,134 (3.2%) versus 1,612 (2.9%), adjusted-hazard ratio (aHR) 1.00 (0.93-1.08), P = 0.97) or cardiovascular mortality (n = 465 (1.3%) versus 617 (1.1%), aHR 0.96 (0.85-1.08), P = 0.48), while reducing invasive coronary angiograms (n = 5,720 (16%) versus 8,183 (14.9%), aHR 0.93 (0.90-0.97), P < 0.001) and noninvasive cardiac tests (189/1,000 patients versus 167/1,000), P < 0.001). Implementation of an AI-diagnostic tool as part of a health intervention program was safe and beneficial to the patient pathway and health system with fewer cardiac tests at 2 years.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• CORONARY PLAQUE PATTERNS AMONG SYMPTOMATIC AND ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS: AN ADVANCE SUBSTUDY

  Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2025-03-29

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• TCT-417 Coronary CT angiography and AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis to inform PCI and lesion preparation: The PLAN CALCIUM Study

  Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2025-10-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant K08HL003104

  NIH · $446k · 2001

Frequent coauthors

• Elazer R. Edelman

  588 shared

• Jeffrey J. Popma

  Medtronic (United States)

  359 shared

• Peter J. Fitzgerald

  Stanford University

  332 shared

• John A. Ormiston

  260 shared

• Nathalie Macours

  260 shared

• Christian Spaulding

  260 shared

• Alexandre Abizaid

  Universidade Brasil

  260 shared

• Joachim Schöfer

  Asklepios Klinik St. Georg

  233 shared

Awards & honors

• Fulbright Specialist and Senior Scholar in Greece (2013, 200…
• Fulbright peer reviewer