AI-Powered CCTA Imaging for European Heathcare Networks
Proposed for submission under the DIGITAL Europe Programme 2026
The Problem & Policy
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the EU. Bulgaria and Romania report among the highest cardiovascular mortality rates in the Union (61% and 56% vs 33% EU average), alongside acute shortages of specialist cardiac imaging capacity.
In December 2025, the European Commission launched the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan (“Safe Hearts”), naming the integration of AI into cardiovascular care as one of its flagship initiatives.
The project is designed to deliver exactly that – extending clinician-supervised diagnostic capacity into settings where dedicated cardiac imaging specialists are scarce, without replacing physician judgement at any stage.
Institutional Trust
The project has received institutional backing from the Bulgarian Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation. Prof. Dr. Ivo Petrov, internationally recognised endovascular specialist and former President of the Bulgarian Society of Cardiology, has joined the project’s Advisory Board.
Accelerated Project Timeline
Project Initiation Note:
To accelerate deployment, preparatory technical integration activities (Jan–May 2027) will be carried out at the coordinator’s local Bulgarian hub hospital using the coordinator’s own independent funding and at its own financial risk. Activities involving consortium partner hospitals will begin only after the Grant Agreement enters into force, ensuring no financial risk for participating institutions.
Why Join the Consortium?
Early clinical deployment
Scientific leadership
Help define European deployment models
Consortium
The consortium is currently being formed, bringing together European cardiovascular imaging institutions, clinical AI developers, and hospital networks across multiple EU member states.
We are inviting participation from:
- Hub hospitals with cardiac CT capability, interested in participating in large-scale clinical validation and deployment
- Algorithm and technology partners with CE-marked or complementary cardiovascular imaging AI capability
- Academic and research partners with clinical validation or health-economic evaluation capacity
Coordinating Team
The project is coordinated by a Bulgarian technology company with established experience in healthcare hardware and software deployment across Central and Eastern Europe.