In the paper, the author discusses the results of his research on the opportunities for using selected artificial intelligence methods to semantically analyse medical images. In particular, he will present attempts at using linguistic methods of structural image analysis to develop systems for the cognitive analysis and understanding of selected medical images, and this will be illustrated by the recognition of pathological changes in coronary arteries of the heart. The problem undertaken is important because the identification and location of significant stenoses in coronary vessels is a widespread practical task. The obtained results confirm the importance of the proposed methods in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease.