For cardiologists interpreting cardiac MRI scans, the process is often time-intensive, repetitive, and vulnerable to workflow bottlenecks that contribute to physician burnout. Heartvue.AI is working to change that.
Founded by Vanderbilt cardiologist and imaging specialist Dr. Jeffrey Dendy, Heartvue.AI is developing artificial intelligence tools that automate cardiac MRI analysis, streamline reporting, and optimize billing workflows for healthcare systems. The company’s mission is to help clinicians spend less time on manual post-processing and more time delivering patient care.
Dr. Dendy, assistant professor of medicine in the division of cardiovascular medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, specializes in non-invasive cardiovascular imaging with a focus on MRI. His research and clinical work have centered on improving the accuracy and efficiency of cardiovascular imaging technologies. Dr. Dendy founded Heartvue.AI to bring that experience full circle.
Recognizing an opportunity to improve both efficiency and consistency, Dr. Dendy set out to build a solution that leverages AI to automate these workflows and enhance clinical decision-making. Heartvue was founded by a team of cardiologists, imaging specialists, and AI engineers who saw firsthand how manual workflows were limiting the potential of cardiovascular imaging programs.
"Every cardiologist and radiologist I trained with went into imaging for the same reason: to take care of patients. What excites me is that the technology has finally caught up to that mission. Heartvue lets clinicians hand off the repetitive post-processing and reporting so they can spend their time and expertise where it matters most, on the read and on the patient. We're not replacing the cardiologist or the radiologist. We're amplifying what made them great in the first place," says Dendy.
The company licensed its technology through Vanderbilt’s Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (CTTC) and has worked closely with the Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation. Through the Vanderbilt ecosystem and partners, the startup has received mentorship, commercialization guidance, and introductions to investors and potential customers.
Heartvue has already reached a major milestone in its growth journey with the submission of its FDA 510(k) application—a critical regulatory step toward commercialization and broader clinical adoption. This milestone signals meaningful progress in validating the technology and advancing it toward real-world clinical use.
Dr. Dendy’s work has also been recognized at the institutional level. He was awarded the Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation 2024 Innovator of the Year Award for his work with Heartvue.AI, recognizing the technology from concept through commercialization.
“Dr. Jeff Dendy is the classic entrepreneur who identified and is now devoting his life to solving the leading problems in his area of professional expertise,” says Ken Holroyd, director of the Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation. “The Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation is proud to support Dr. Dendy and Heartvue.ai through providing strategic guidance, entrepreneurial resources, and a collaborative ecosystem to help translate innovation from concept to impact.”
Heartvue’s work reflects a broader shift occurring across healthcare, as AI technologies increasingly support clinicians in reducing administrative burden and improving operational efficiency. Rather than replacing physician expertise, Heartvue’s tools are designed to augment it—helping imaging specialists work faster, maintain reporting consistency, and improve financial performance for healthcare institutions.
As the company continues to advance toward market clearance, Heartvue.AI represents another powerful example of Vanderbilt innovation moving from academic research into real-world clinical impact.