Cardiac Diagnostics in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Alphons Vincent introduces the session’s agenda and learning objectives, with focus on how ICM sensitivity and specificity affect clinical outcomes, particularly in stroke and syncope patients, as well as highlighting that not all ICMs perform equally, with sensitivity driving accurate detection and specificity improving workflow by minimising false alerts.
In this on-demand version of the educational webinar, Dr Luca Santini (Rome, IT) and Prof Klaus Witte (Leeds, UK) join Alphons Vincent (Medtronic) and Grant Neitzell (architect of the Reveal LINQ system, Medtronic), to explore the critical importance of sensitivity and specificity in Insertable Cardiac Monitors (ICMs). The faculty consider how reducing false positives impacts sensitivity, why balancing these factors is essential, and what real-world data reveals about achieving clinical accuracy. The programme also highlights opportunities to streamline clinical workflows and minimise patient follow-ups.
Prof Witte discusses the impact on stroke patients, supported by findings from his recent poster presented at EHRA 2025, while Dr Santini presents real-life case studies, illustrating broader implications for various patient populations.
Learning Objectives
- The value of sensitivity in improved patient outcome
- The value of specificity in improved clinical workflow
- The impact of sensitivity on stroke and syncope patients
- How not all ICMs are the same and how specificity and sensitivity, are differentiating the ICM market
This programme has particular educational value for:
- Electrophysiologists
- Cardiac physiologists
- General cardiologists
- Rhythmologists
- Neurologists
- All other healthcare professionals involved in arrhythmia management
More from this programme
Part 1
Welcome and Introduction
Alphons Vincent introduces the session’s agenda and learning objectives, with focus on how ICM sensitivity and specificity affect clinical outcomes, particularly in stroke and syncope patients, as well as highlighting that not all ICMs perform equally, with sensitivity driving accurate detection and specificity improving workflow by minimising false alerts.
| 1 session | |
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Part 2
AI-driven Innovation in ICMs
Grant Neitzell provides a comprehensive review of innovation in ICMs, culminating in the LINQ™ series featuring AI-driven enhancements via AccuRhythm™, highlighting the diagnostic accuracy achieved.
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Part 3
How ICM Sensitivity and Specificity Impact Clinical Decision Making – Klaus Witte
Prof Klaus Witte explores ICMs’ role for diagnosing unexplained syncope and cryptogenic stroke, offering superior diagnostic yield compared to conventional monitoring. He asserts that advances such as AccuRhythm™ AI improve specificity by reducing false positives – particularly for AF and pause events – while maintaining high sensitivity, which is critical for capturing clinically relevant arrhythmias.
Part 4
How ICM Sensitivity and Specificity Impact Clinical Decision Making – Luca Santini
Dr Luca Santini notes that ICMs are guideline-recommended for evaluating unexplained syncope and bradyarrhythmias, offering superior diagnostic yield in low-frequency or high-risk cases. He concludes that the current application of AI for loop recorders supports reducing false alerts, while maintaining high sensitivity and ensure patients’ safety.
Part 5
Panel Discussion and Summary
Alphons Vincent leads a panel discussion and audience Q&A, covering themes including clinical interpretation of AI-optimized ICM data, particularly around alert burden, AF thresholds, and false positives; diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity trade-offs, including concerns about missed or over-detected events; and practical integration into workflows, such as decision-making in unexplained syncope or silent AF cases.
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Faculty Biographies
Alphons Vincent
Alphons Vincent is Medical Director for the Cardiac Rhythm Management division of Medtronic in Western Europe. During his 33-year tenure at Medtronic, he has held various roles across marketing, business, clinicals, education, and medical affairs. His extensive experience spans work with Vitatron, a pacemaker company within the Medtronic corporation, as well as Cardiac Surgery (heart valves), Subcutaneous Diagnostics and Monitoring (Reveal), and Cardiac Rhythm Management.
Dr Vincent holds a medical degree from the Medical School at the University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, complemented by bachelor’s degrees in Management Information Systems and Economics from the University of Tilburg, The Netherlands.
In his current role, he is responsible for physician advisory boards, scientific and educational symposia, clinical evidence strategy, the Office of Medical Affairs, and professional relations with medical societies and associations. He also plays a key coordinating…
Grant Neitzell
Grant Neitzell is a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience at Medtronic within the Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) and Cardiovascular Diagnostics (CDS) organisations. He currently serves as an Engineering Program Director. As the architect of the Reveal LINQ system, he has played a pivotal role in the evolution of insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs), drawing on his expertise in research and development, technical consulting, commercial strategy, and marketing.
Currently serving as the R&D Director of New Concepts for the Cardiovascular Diagnostics business, Grant continues to drive innovation in the ICM field. His contributions are reflected in over a dozen patents, four Medtronic Star of Excellence awards, and recognition as Medtronic’s Technical Contributor of the Year.
He holds a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
Klaus Witte
Klaus Witte is a Cardiologist at the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Medicine, Leeds, UK, where his research group focuses on patient-orientated questions with a commitment to enhancing efficacy through the personalised application of new and existing therapies in chronic heart failure (CHF).
Challenging conventional teaching around heart rate and exercise capacity in CHF, Dr Witte’s group has developed a reliable method to map the force-frequency relationship in CHF. Through this approach, they have demonstrated improvements in exercise capacity in patients with CHF and pacemakers (JACC-HF 2018, Circulation 2020). His earlier work also questioned established doctrines in this field (JACC 2016).
Looking ahead, Dr Witte is keen to address pressing challenges, including the escalating issue of health economics across Europe, the adaptation of care pathways, and the need to convey the increasingly complex molecular basis of clinical syndromes to…
Luca Santini
Luca Santini is the EP Lab Coordinator at GB Grassi Hospital, Rome, Italy, a position he has held since 2015. His clinical and research interests focus on Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) and remote heart failure diagnostics for device patients.
Previously, he served as an Adjunct Professor of Cardiology at the University of Tor Vergata, Rome, from 2009 to 2015, and as a Consultant Cardiologist at University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, during the same period. He completed his training in cardiac pacing at San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, between 2001 and 2003.
Dr Santini was awarded his PhD from the University of Tor Vergata, Rome, in 2009, following his specialisation in Cardiology at the same institution in 2003. He graduated with his medical degree from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Medical School, Rome, in 1999.
An accomplished author, Dr Santini has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers as well as several scientific treatises and books…