Cardiac imaging for athlete health and performance
High-intensity endurance exercise offers many cardiovascular benefits, but it can potentially harm the heart in some cases1, and may also lead to changes such as fibrosis or arrhythmias2, 3. Distinguishing between normal athletic adaptations and potential warning signs of heart disease is critical for ensuring athlete safety and long-term health.
Day 3 (heart health) of the Sports Med Days will explore how cardiac imaging in athletes, including advanced MRI and ultrasound, supports accurate assessment of the athlete’s heart. Using insights from landmark studies such as Master@Heart4 and Pro@Heart, the experts will discuss key markers of normal athletic adaptation and signs of heart disease, supporting accurate evaluation and care of active individuals.
Join the Sports Med Days series on Day 3 for a deep dive into cardiac imaging in athletes, and learn how this helps clinicians evaluate cardiac health, identify red flags, and develop safe return-to-play guidelines for endurance athletes.
Day 3 (heart health) of the Sports Med Days will explore how cardiac imaging in athletes, including advanced MRI and ultrasound, supports accurate assessment of the athlete’s heart. Using insights from landmark studies such as Master@Heart4 and Pro@Heart, the experts will discuss key markers of normal athletic adaptation and signs of heart disease, supporting accurate evaluation and care of active individuals.
Join the Sports Med Days series on Day 3 for a deep dive into cardiac imaging in athletes, and learn how this helps clinicians evaluate cardiac health, identify red flags, and develop safe return-to-play guidelines for endurance athletes.
Day 3 | Heart Health
Ultrasound / MRI / CT
June 3, 7 pm (CEST) / 1 pm (EDT)
On June 3, Prof. Aaron Baggish, Prof. Olivier Ghekiere, and Prof. Guido Claessen will present case-based examples and evidence from major studies, helping clinicians understand how to assess cardiovascular adaptations in endurance athletes and distinguish them from pathological findings.
Register now for this webinar, made possible by the Canon Medical Academy, to get practical guidance on cardiac imaging interpretation.
Program
June 3, 7 pm (CEST) / 1 pm (EDT)
On June 3, Prof. Aaron Baggish, Prof. Olivier Ghekiere, and Prof. Guido Claessen will present case-based examples and evidence from major studies, helping clinicians understand how to assess cardiovascular adaptations in endurance athletes and distinguish them from pathological findings.
Register now for this webinar, made possible by the Canon Medical Academy, to get practical guidance on cardiac imaging interpretation.
Program
- On the Edge: Immediate Cardiac Effects of Pushing Beyond Limits | Prof. Olivier Ghekiere
- Too Much of a Good Thing? The Long-Term Impact of Endurance Exercise on the Heart | Prof. Guido Claessen
- Live Q&A moderated by Prof. Aaron Baggish
- Enhance your evaluation skills in sport cardiology for highly trained endurance athletes
- Learn how to recognize red flags during cardiovascular assessment in athletes
- Gain practical, case-based insights from leading experts in the field
- Participate in the live Q&A to find answers to your questions
Speakers and Presentations
Moderator: Prof. Aaron Baggish, MD, F.A.C.C., F.A.C.S.M. Professor of Medicine and Sports Science
University of Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland
University of Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland
Speaker: Prof. Olivier Ghekiere, MD, PhDRadiologist – Cardiovascular Imaging
Jessa Hospital
Hasselt, Belgium
Presentation: On the Edge: Immediate Cardiac Effects of Pushing Beyond Limits
Non-ischemic midmyocardial and epicardial left ventricular (LV) fibrosis, often presenting in a characteristic “stria pattern,” has been associated with ventricular arrhythmias and impaired systolic function in endurance athletes. The underlying cause of this so-called “non-hinge point” fibrosis remains uncertain.
While prior myocarditis is a likely contributor, emerging evidence raises the question of whether extreme endurance exercise itself triggers acute myocardial inflammation.
Recent data from a study involving recreational cyclists demonstrated that participation in a single intense 175 km cycling event led to acute elevations in cardiac troponin, as well as functional and structural myocardial alterations detectable by cardiac MRI.
The clinical significance of these findings – whether they reflect benign, transient adaptations or the early stages of maladaptive remodelling – remains unresolved.
This presentation will explore current insights into exercise-induced myocardial changes, their potential implications for long-term cardiac health, and the need for prospective data to better understand the cardiovascular limits of endurance exercise.
Jessa Hospital
Hasselt, Belgium
Presentation: On the Edge: Immediate Cardiac Effects of Pushing Beyond Limits
Non-ischemic midmyocardial and epicardial left ventricular (LV) fibrosis, often presenting in a characteristic “stria pattern,” has been associated with ventricular arrhythmias and impaired systolic function in endurance athletes. The underlying cause of this so-called “non-hinge point” fibrosis remains uncertain.
While prior myocarditis is a likely contributor, emerging evidence raises the question of whether extreme endurance exercise itself triggers acute myocardial inflammation.
Recent data from a study involving recreational cyclists demonstrated that participation in a single intense 175 km cycling event led to acute elevations in cardiac troponin, as well as functional and structural myocardial alterations detectable by cardiac MRI.
The clinical significance of these findings – whether they reflect benign, transient adaptations or the early stages of maladaptive remodelling – remains unresolved.
This presentation will explore current insights into exercise-induced myocardial changes, their potential implications for long-term cardiac health, and the need for prospective data to better understand the cardiovascular limits of endurance exercise.
Speaker: Prof. Guido Claessen, MD, PhD Cardiologist and Tenured Track Professor at Faculty of Medicine, Hasselt University
Hasselt University, Jessa Hospital
Hasselt, Belgium
Presentation: Too Much of a Good Thing? The Long-Term Impact of Endurance Exercise on the Heart
This session will explore key findings from the Master@Heart and Pro@Heart studies – two landmark investigations into the cardiovascular effects of high-volume endurance exercise. These prospective, imaging-based studies provide novel insights into how long-term endurance training impacts myocardial structure, function, and coronary health.
During the presentation, evidence linking lifelong endurance exercise to subclinical myocardial fibrosis, reduced ejection fraction, and coronary atherosclerosis will be discussed, as well as the genetic overlap with cardiomyopathies.
The session will highlight the clinical relevance of these findings and their implications for risk stratification, screening, and cardiovascular prevention in athletes and highly active individuals.
Hasselt University, Jessa Hospital
Hasselt, Belgium
Presentation: Too Much of a Good Thing? The Long-Term Impact of Endurance Exercise on the Heart
This session will explore key findings from the Master@Heart and Pro@Heart studies – two landmark investigations into the cardiovascular effects of high-volume endurance exercise. These prospective, imaging-based studies provide novel insights into how long-term endurance training impacts myocardial structure, function, and coronary health.
During the presentation, evidence linking lifelong endurance exercise to subclinical myocardial fibrosis, reduced ejection fraction, and coronary atherosclerosis will be discussed, as well as the genetic overlap with cardiomyopathies.
The session will highlight the clinical relevance of these findings and their implications for risk stratification, screening, and cardiovascular prevention in athletes and highly active individuals.
Discover More About the Speaker
Discover More About the Moderator and Speakers
Prof. Aaron Baggish, MD, F.A.C.C., F.A.C.S.M.Prof. Aaron L. Baggish is the founder of the Cardiovascular Performance Program (CPP) at Harvard Medical School and is now a professor of medicine and sports science at the University of Lausanne.
He has served as medical director for the Boston Marathon and cardiology/team physician consultant for numerous organizations, including the IOC, FIFA, World Rowing, Trek-Lidl Cycling, NFL & MLS Players Association, UOSPC, US Soccer, and US Rowing.
He has published more than 350 original peer-reviewed research articles and serves on the editorial boards of multiple journals, including Circulation and Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.
Prof. Olivier Ghekiere, MD, PhDProf. Olivier Ghekiere is a radiology staff member at Jessa Hospital Hasselt, with a subspecialty in cardiovascular imaging. Since 2015, he has played a leading role in the department’s cardiovascular imaging program. In 2017, he obtained a PhD from Hasselt University with a thesis entitled "Contribution of Cross-Sectional Imaging in the Work-Up of Intermediate Coronary Artery Disease."
He has been appointed as a guest professor at Hasselt University since 2021. His research focuses on advanced cardiovascular imaging, with particular interest in sports cardiology and coronary artery disease.
Prof. Olivier Ghekiere has been a member of the medical commission of Belgian Cycling since 2020 and has been an external advisory radiologist for the Lotto and Baloise Glowi Lions professional cycling teams since 2012. In this role, he has coordinated and interpreted cardiac screening programs in close collaboration with sports cardiologists.
He has also been an active member of the executive board of the Belgian Society of Radiology since 2015.
Prof. Guido Claessen, MD, PhD Prof. Guido Claessen is a cardiologist at Hartcentrum Hasselt and a researcher at Hasselt University. His clinical and research focus lies in sports cardiology, cardiac imaging, and the long-term effects of endurance exercise on the heart.
He is a principal investigator of the landmark Pro@Heart and Master@Heart studies – conducted in collaboration with Prof. André La Gerche – which have revealed important links between lifelong endurance training, myocardial remodeling, and coronary atherosclerosis.
Prof. Claessen is a Nucleus Member of the ESC Section of Sports Cardiology, President of the Belgian Working Group on Preventive Cardiology, and Chair of the Medical Commission of Belgian Cycling. He also contributes to international expert panels, including the 2025 Bethesda Document on Sports Participation and the ESC/ACC consensus statements on cardiovascular abnormalities in Masters athletes, currently under review.
He actively mentors PhD students and helps shape clinical and preventive strategies for athlete heart health.
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References
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