Dr. Shone Almeida, MD, FACC
A Prevention-First Cardiologist
Dr Shone O. Almeida blends advanced cardiac imaging with aggressive risk-factor management to stop heart disease before it starts.
Training & Credentials
M.D. — UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
- Internal Medicine Residency — Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
- Cardiology Fellowship — UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Institute
- Advanced Cardiac Imaging Fellowship — Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Board Certifications:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Internal Medicine
- Nuclear Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Computed Tomography
Leadership Roles
- Director, Cardiac CT Program — Tampa General Heart & Vascular Institute
- Medical Director, Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention Program
- Assistant Professor of Cardiology — USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
- Co-Founder & Program Chair — SWFLCIS
Philosophy of Care
“Every heartbeat counts, and every breakthrough brings us closer to healthier hearts.”
View Dr. Shone Almeida latest publications for the following journals:
Clinical Services
The program combines advanced noninvasive imaging with prevention-focused clinical care. Below are the primary services offered.
Coronary CT Angiography (CTA)
High-definition, contrast-enhanced coronary CTA that visualizes coronary anatomy, luminal stenosis, and plaque morphology. CTA is used for symptomatic evaluation, risk reclassification of asymptomatic patients, and procedural planning.
FFR-CT & Plaque Quantification
Noninvasive physiologic assessment (FFR-CT) and AI-enabled plaque analytics convert CT datasets into functional and anatomic maps — identifying lesions that are flow-limiting and quantifying plaque burden, composition, and high-risk features.
Complex PCI & CTO Planning
CT-derived 3D roadmaps help interventional teams plan complex percutaneous coronary interventions and chronic total occlusion procedures — shortening lab time, reducing contrast use, and improving outcomes.
Cardiac MRI & Advanced Imaging
State-of-the-art cardiac MRI for tissue characterization (viability, myocarditis, infiltrative disease) and complementary imaging when CT or echo are inconclusive.
Cardiometabolic Disease Prevention
A multidisciplinary prevention program that pairs imaging-guided risk assessment (calcium scoring, plaque analysis) with lifestyle medicine, precision lipid management, and individualized follow-up to reduce heart attack risk.
How We Work With Referrers
- Fast turn-around reports and structured templates for referring clinicians
- Secure DICOM upload and coordinated image review
- Actionable recommendations: escalation to invasive angiography, medical therapy intensification, or imaging follow-up
Media & News
- Tampa General press release on AI 512-slice CT — tgh.org
- Practical Patient Care coverage — practical-patient-care.com
- Ask-an-Expert video & interviews — links on the media page.
Speaking & Teaching
Dr. Almeida is a regular lecturer, moderator, and workshop leader at both national and regional cardiology and imaging meetings. He shares his expertise in cardiac CT, cardiac MRI, and preventive cardiology with physicians, fellows, and healthcare professionals across the United States.
His speaking engagements have included hands-on workshops, plenary sessions, and panel discussions designed to educate, inspire, and advance clinical practice in cardiovascular imaging. He is recognized for delivering highly practical, evidence-based presentations tailored to real-world practice.
Selected Recent Engagements
- Moderator — “Imaging for Ischemia” — ACC Florida Chapter, 2025
- Panelist — Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) Annual Scientific Meeting, 2025
- Program Chair — Southwest Florida Cardiovascular Imaging Symposium (SWFLCIS), November 14–16, 2025
- Workshop Instructor — Advanced Cardiac CT Techniques, 2024
- Invited Speaker — Preventive Cardiology Updates, American College of Cardiology, 2024
- Faculty — Cardiac Imaging Bootcamp for Fellows, 2023
If you would like to invite Dr. Almeida to speak at your conference, workshop, or educational program, please click the button below to get in touch.
Research & Publications
Research efforts focus on preventive cardiology, CT-derived plaque metrics, pericoronary fat attenuation, and integrating AI into imaging workflows. The program participates in clinical trials, observational studies, and imaging analytics validation.
Featured Papers
- Expanding Appropriate Use of Cardiac CT in Chronic CAD — J Cardiovasc CT (2023). (PubMed)
- Epicardial Fat Regression With VIA-2291 — J Cardiovasc CT (2020). (study of anti-inflammatory therapy and epicardial fat changes)
- Effect of Contrast on Pericoronary Fat Attenuation — J Cardiovasc CT (2020).
- The RUCkus Around Plaque: Valuing Coronary CT Data — J Cardiovasc CT (2025 editorial).
- Effect of Statins on Atherosclerotic Plaque — Trends Cardiovasc Med (2019).
Ongoing & Recent Studies
- AI plaque analytics validation versus invasive IVUS.
- Prospective trials of FFR-CT–guided preventive therapy to refine which patients benefit most from invasive vs medical management.
- Imaging substudies of anti-inflammatory therapies assessing epicardial fat and plaque progression/regression.
- Digital-health integrations (smartphone ECG integration and remote monitoring into the EHR) with outcomes research.
Full publication list and links are available on PubMed — search the author index for “Almeida SO” or visit the program’s research page for PDFs and ongoing trial descriptions. (PubMed author page)
SWFLCIS — Southwest Florida Cardiovascular Imaging Symposium
Three days. 30+ world-class faculty. CT, MRI & AI on the Florida coast.
SWFLCIS is an educational symposium focused on practical, hands-on training and case-based learning in cardiac CT, cardiac MRI, and imaging-driven clinical decision-making. The meeting emphasizes new technologies such as AI-driven plaque analytics and networked (“hub-and-spoke”) imaging programs to expand access.
Next event
November 14–16, 2025 · St Pete Beach, FL
Program highlights
- Hands-on labs: FFR-CT, advanced CT post-processing, and cardiac MRI technique workshops.
- Case-based sunrise debates and clinical problem-solving sessions.
- Plenary sessions on AI in imaging, plaque biology, and prevention-focused CT applications.
- Networking events and industry exhibits (practical demos of post-processing and AI tools).
- AMA/ASRT continuing education credits available (details on registration site).
Registration and full agenda: swflcis.com. For sponsorship inquiries: Sponsor SWFLCIS.
Resources — Patients & Referring Physicians
For Patients
- Coronary CT 101 — Plain-language guide explaining what a coronary CTA is, how the scan works, preparation, and what results mean.
- Heart-Healthy Toolkit — Downloadable PDF with evidence-based diet, exercise, sleep, and medication adherence advice to lower cardiovascular risk.
- My Risk Score — An interactive questionnaire to estimate 10-year cardiovascular risk and steps for next actions (clinic offers personalized follow-up if indicated).
- Patient FAQs — Answers on radiation dose, contrast safety, and what to expect during and after advanced imaging.
For Referring Physicians
- CT protocol & reporting templates — Standardized protocols and structured report templates to streamline ordering and interpretation.
- Secure DICOM upload portal — Instructions and contact for secure image transfer (HIPAA-compliant) for outside-site referrals.
- Referral guidelines — One-page checklists: when to order coronary CTA, indications for FFR-CT, and post-imaging management suggestions.
- Rapid advice pathway — Quick clinician-to-clinician phone/email consults for urgent cases and imaging triage.
- Educational materials — Links to workshops, bootcamps, and CME/AMA credit opportunities for local trainees and staff.
To request any of these resources (PDFs, protocols, or secure upload credentials), contact the clinic via email: soalmeida@usf.edu or use the referral/upload link on the Contact page.
Contact & Referrals
Clinic:
Tampa General Heart & Vascular Institute
509 S. Armenia Ave, Suite 200
Tampa, FL 33609
Phone: (813) 821-8001 |
Fax: (813) 821-8002
Email: soalmeida@usf.edu
Refer a patient
If you are a referring physician, email referrals to
soalmeida@usf.edu,
or request access to the secure DICOM portal (contact the clinic for details).