EACVI Certification in Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT)

Exam

Eligibility

The EACVI CCT written examination is open to healthcare professionals involved in cardiac CT who provide an independent clinical service, but it is open to all healthcare professionals. A medical qualification is not mandatory although it is anticipated that most successful candidates will be so qualified. 

The EACVI CCT Certification is not a compulsory or regulatory certificate of competence or excellence. Individuals' rights to report and sign clinical studies in individual countries remain to be defined by national laws and regulations.

Exam format

The EACVI CCT examination is a multiple-choice written examination in English.

The examination consists of 100 questions, administered over three hours, with no break.  

Questions are designed to assess the candidate's knowledge:

• Based on a clinical scenario
• Five options with only one single best answer
• No negative marking

Questions are drawn from the entire spectrum of cardiac CT reflecting the EACVI Cardiac CT Core Syllabus. 

Appeal

ESC/EACVI aims to deliver examinations of the highest quality and provide the best level of service for all candidates. To ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly, there is a procedure to allow candidates to appeal against their exam results.

Please find more information here.

Policies for online proctoring examinations

For more information, please refer to the ESC online proctoring examination Terms & Conditions. 

Logbook

Once candidates have passed the exam, they can then apply for the logbook part of the programme to prove their practical experience in the CCT field. No late submissions will be accepted and, if the deadline is not respected, the candidate will have to repeat the exam in order to apply for certification.

Eligibility

The EACVI CCT logbook part of the programme is accessible to all successful candidates to the exam. 

Access to the logbook platform is granted to candidates only after having successfully passed the written exam.

Requirements

Candidates are required to provide evidence of their clinical experience. According to the level of certification the candidate would like to achieve, there are different routes of certification that are detailed below. 

Candidates must provide the following documents:

• A signed checklist
• Evidence of being a qualified physician with current registration 
• A logbook of cases
• A cover letter
• A supervisor letter
• A confirmation letter to attest that all cases included in the logbook have been performed by the candidate alone
• CME Credits

Level 2 requirements

Level 2 candidates must have interpreted a total of 150 contrast-enhanced CCT cases and 30 non-contrast enhanced CCT cases (which can be performed on the same patients who underwent contrast-enhanced CCT). Listed below are the minimum number of required contrast-enhanced cardiac cases in each category:

1. The candidate must have been actively involved in the preparation and live scanning acquisition of 50 cases.
2. The candidate must have been involved in the interactive manipulation of reconstructed datasets using a three-dimensional imaging workstation and in reporting and clinical interpreting of 150 cases (at least 30 case assessments of structural and/or congenital heart disease, 10 cases of revascularised patients, and 25 cases compared with invasive angiography and/or myocardial perfusion imaging and/or CT-FFR).

Level 3 requirements

Level 3 candidates must have interpreted a total of 300 contrast-enhanced CCT cases and 50 non-contrast enhanced CCT cases (which can be performed on the same patients who underwent contrast-enhanced CCT). Listed below are the minimum number of required contrast cardiac cases in each category:

1. The candidate must have been actively involved in the preparation and live scanning acquisition of 150 cases.
2. The candidate must have been involved in the interactive manipulation of reconstructed datasets using a three-dimensional imaging workstation and in reporting and clinical interpreting of 300 cases (at least 60 case assessments of structural and/or congenital heart disease, 20 cases of revascularised patients, and 50 cases compared with invasive angiography and/or myocardial perfusion imaging and/or CT-FFR).

Level 3 via level 2 requirements

Any applicant for Level 3 certification in CCT via this route is expected to fulfil the following requirements:

1. To be a qualified physician with current registration.
2. To hold current EACVI CCT Level 2 certification, having passed the EACVI CCT exam and having met all requirements for Level 2 certification.
3. To submit a Level 3 logbook with a total of 300 contrast-enhanced CCT cases and 50 non-contrast enhanced CCT cases (which can be performed on the same patients who underwent contrast-enhanced CCT). Listed below are the minimum number of required contrast cardiac cases in each category:

• The candidate must have been actively involved in the preparation and live scanning acquisition of 150 cases.
• The candidate must have been involved in the interactive manipulation of reconstructed datasets using a three-dimensional imaging workstation and in reporting and clinical interpreting of 300 cases (at least 60 case assessments of structural and/or congenital heart disease, 20 cases of revascularised patients, and 50 cases compared with invasive angiography and/or myocardial perfusion imaging and/or CT-FFR).

The cases must be taken from a 24-month window immediately prior to the application for Level 3.

4. To have completed 50 hours of CME specifically in CCT (please see details regarding acceptable CME/CPD). A maximum of 25 CME can be accepted for self-study for level 3.

CME Credits must have been collected in the two years before the submission. 

•  Upgrade fee

Non-members and EACVI Associates: €200 (excluding VAT)

EACVI Silver Members: €75 (excluding VAT)

• How to apply ? 

Candidates must hold current EACVI CCT Level 2 certification, having passed the EACVI CCT exam and having met all requirements for Level 2 certification.

Once the upgrade fee is paid, candidates must contact the ESC to obtain the link to the platform for uploading the necessary documents.

If all requirements are met, a certificate will be issued which will be valid for a further 5-year period.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) training points

CME Credits can be obtained from courses endorsed by the EACVI. 

Any course declared by applicants that is not endorsed by EACVI will only be accepted at the discretion of the reviewers. In such cases, a copy of the final programme should be enclosed. It is important to note that the primary focus of any course submitted as part of a candidate's CME portfolio should be CCT, or it is unlikely that the course will be considered appropriate for the purposes of certification in CCT. 

EACVI 2023 - Full recognition of all CME Credits will be given. This meeting will not be divided by the number of imaging specialties involved.

Please note that a maximum 50% (Level 2, 15 credits and Level 3, 25 credits) of CME Credits can be self-directed. Examples of self-directed learning may include but are not restricted to Reviewer activity for CT related journals/articles, teaching in CT department and self-directed study from CCT texts. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the candidate to submit appropriate evidence of these activities. The decision as to whether such activities can be counted towards a candidate's CME portfolio rests solely with the reviewers whose decision in such matters will be final.

CME Credits must have been collected in the two years before the submission. 

Logbook regulations

Not complying with the below regulations will result in the logbook being returned to the candidate for modification and as such, delay the grading process.

• The application must be submitted in English. Any document in local language must be accompanied by an English translation. 
• The application must not include any patient data, in order to comply with GDPR regulations. 
• Cases included in the logbook must have been collected from two years before to two years after the written exam and must cover only 24 consecutive months.
• The application must be submitted no later than two years after having received the exam results. 
• Each patient may be present only once in the logbook. It is not allowed to add multiple studies of the same patient.
• Cases submitted from courses are allowed but must not exceed 50% of the total required cases. Any cases included from courses must have included a full review of the case submitted by the candidate. Cases from the same course cannot be counted more than once.

Candidates are not asked to submit the full reports, although they may be requested by the EACVI CCT graders and EACVI CCT Certification Committee. Thus, candidates are asked to keep this information available. 

The EACVI CCT Certification Committee reserves the right to perform random checks to cross-reference the above information with the Level 3 supervisors and training centres.

Both the supervisor and the candidate are fully responsible for providing the correct information. 

Supervisor

The supervisor must be a current practitioner in CCT.  It is recommended that the supervisor holds active EACVI Level 3 CCT or an equivalent certification.  
The supervisor is required to lead a facility performing more than 400 cardiac CT in the last year with a multislice CT scanner of at least 64 slices or higher.  

The following stipulations apply: 

1. The supervisor must ensure that the logbook submission is accurate.
2. The supervisor must ensure that the applicant is of the appropriate standard for Level 2 or Level 3 certification in CCT. 

Logbook results

As soon as the logbook is compliant with the requirements, the application is sent for grading to members of the EACVI CCT Certification Committee. Graders may require additional information from the candidate to provide their grading. 

Results are sent by email within 3 months of submitting the e-Logbook. Please note that some delay in the grading can occur due to the high volume of applications received throughout the year. 

Appealing the logbook

Candidates who fail the logbook part of the programme may raise an appeal.

Please find more information here.

Extension requests

There is a two-year window to complete the logbook part of the programme. In exceptional circumstances, candidates may request an extension to submit their application.

To ensure the process remains fair and robust, extensions will generally only be given in the following circumstances: parental leave, less than full-time work or illness of the candidate.

Extension requests must be accompanied by a signed letter from your supervisor briefly explaining the situation and stating the duration of the extension required. Requests cannot be considered without this letter. The request must be submitted before the deadline.

Please note that extension requests are not guaranteed and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Certification Committee.    

Use the Contact Us form to submit such requests and further information.

Recertification

Candidates will be granted certification in CCT once they have completed the two parts of the programme (exam and logbook). The certification is valid for five years after which the candidate must apply for recertification to keep the certification valid. 

Requirements

Candidates must provide the following documents in order to recertify:

• A copy of their current EACVI CCT certificate
• A completed recertification checklist
• A formal self-declaration letter* attesting to the number of studies** performed per year (over the 5-year period of certification)
• Evidence of CME/CPD*** (25 for Level 2; 50 for Level 3) collected over the 5-year period of certification

* Please provide this letter on your institution's official letterhead

** Number of studies requested for recertification:

• Level 2 – 100 contrast studies per year
• Level 3 – 200 contrast studies per year

*** CME/CPD credits requested for recertification:

• Level 2 - 25 specifically on CT – a maximum of 10 CME for self-study
• Level 3 - 50 specifically on CT – a maximum of 20 CME for self-study

When CME certificates are not available, candidates must provide certificates of attendance / proof of participation and copies of final scientific programmes.

Self-study can include (list non-exhaustive): Publications, Reading articles, Teaching activities

Recertification fee

• Non-members and EACVI Associates: €200 (excluding VAT)
• EACVI Silver Members: €75 (excluding VAT)

How to apply?

Candidates must apply for recertification from six months before to six months after the current certification expiration date.

During this time, candidates who are eligible for recertification will receive automatic reminders to apply. These reminders are sent to their My ESC email address.

All candidates will be reminded as the deadline approaches, but it is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that the recertification is submitted in a timely manner. No late submissions will be accepted and, if the deadline is not respected, the candidate will have to repeat the certification process (exam + logbook) in order to recertify.

Once the recertification fee is paid, candidates must contact the ESC to obtain the link to the platform for uploading the necessary documents.

If all requirements of recertification are met, a certificate will be issued which will be valid for a further 5-year period.

Extension requests

There is a one-year window to apply for recertification (from six months before to six months after the current certification expiration date). In exceptional circumstances, candidates may request an extension to submit their application.

To ensure the process remains fair and robust, extensions will generally only be given in the following circumstances: parental leave, less than full-time work or illness of the candidate.

Extension requests must be accompanied by a signed letter from the candidate's supervisor briefly explaining the situation and stating the duration of the extension required. Requests cannot be considered without this letter. The request must be submitted before the deadline.

Please note that extension requests are not guaranteed and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Certification Committee.    

Use the Contact Us form to submit such requests and further information.

Certification result and list of certified candidates

Candidates will be granted certification in CCT once they have completed the two parts of the programme (exam and logbook). The certification is valid for 5 years after which the candidate must apply for recertification to keep the certification valid. 

EACVI is pleased to list all their CCT certified candidates (Level 2 or Level 3).