Echocardiography

Cardiac ultrasound uses reflected sound waves (echos) to create images of anatomy inside the body. Echocardiograms are the primary cardiac imaging modality used to assess the heart and diagnose or track cardiac issues. Echo is the gold standard imaging modality to assess the heart, particularly with calculating left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), which is a measure of cardiac output. In addition to noninvasive standard transthoracic echo (TTE), invasive transesophgeal echo (TEE) is also used when clearer, more detailed imaging of the heart is needed. Both 3D and 4D echo echo systems are rapidly gaining wider adoption and enable new types of assessments, especially in the structural heart space and in transcatheter procedural guidance. Find news on general ultrasound imaging.

Cardiologists and surgeons perform world’s first robot-assisted TEER
A 62-year-old women presented with severe MR and recurrent heart failure episodes. Initial data suggest the procedure was a success.
GE Healthcare launching new AI software for handheld ultrasound system
The company's new AI offering, a product of its 2023 acquisition of Caption Health, will make its debut at ACC.24 in Atlanta.
Cardiology, radiology groups urge insurance provider to rethink imaging policy
SCAI and four other major healthcare organizations signed a joint letter in support of intravascular ultrasound.
Moderate prosthesis-patient mismatch after SAVR linked to worse long-term outcomes
The long-term impact of moderate PPM remains unclear. To learn more, researchers explored dozens of different studies from over the years, sharing their work in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Intravascular imaging-guided PCI linked to improved survival, fewer adverse events in large new analysis
The study’s authors tracked data from nearly 16,000 patients who underwent PCI from 2010 to 2023. This is believed this to be the largest comparison of intravascular imaging-guided PCI and angiography-guided PCI to date.

Cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists in China have completed the very first-in-man robot-assisted transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER). It was guided entirely with echo and completed in less than 40 minutes in China. (A)Three-compartment of robotic transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system.

Cardiologists and surgeons perform world’s first robot-assisted TEER

A 62-year-old women presented with severe MR and recurrent heart failure episodes. Initial data suggest the procedure was a success.

May 2, 2024

GE Healthcare has announced the upcoming launch of new artificial intelligence (AI) software compatible with the company’s Vscan Air SL handheld ultrasound system.

GE Healthcare launching new AI software for handheld ultrasound system

The company's new AI offering, a product of its 2023 acquisition of Caption Health, will make its debut at ACC.24 in Atlanta.

April 3, 2024

Cardiology, radiology groups urge insurance provider to rethink imaging policy

SCAI and four other major healthcare organizations signed a joint letter in support of intravascular ultrasound.

April 3, 2024

Newsweek ranked the 50 best heart hospitals in the world

Moderate prosthesis-patient mismatch after SAVR linked to worse long-term outcomes

The long-term impact of moderate PPM remains unclear. To learn more, researchers explored dozens of different studies from over the years, sharing their work in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

April 1, 2024

Intravascular imaging-guided PCI linked to improved survival, fewer adverse events in large new analysis

The study’s authors tracked data from nearly 16,000 patients who underwent PCI from 2010 to 2023. This is believed this to be the largest comparison of intravascular imaging-guided PCI and angiography-guided PCI to date.

February 23, 2024

Luc Mertens, MD, section head of echocardiography at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, explains application of ultrafast ultrasound and blood speckle imaging in echocardiography

Vector flow and blood speckle echocardiography imaging may unveil new clinical insights

Luc Mertens, MD, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, explains research and potential uses for ultrafast echo imaging.

February 20, 2024

Staff at the new Fetal Cardiac Clinic at the Heart Institute at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. From left, Director of the Heart Institute David Romberger, RN, MSN, CCRN; attending physician Shuo Wang, MD; Executive Director of the Heart Institute Jennifer Klunder, MHA; Director of the Fetal Cardiac Clinic Jodie Votava-Smith, MD; Chief of the Division of Cardiology and Co-director of the Heart Institute Paul F. Kantor, MBBCh, MSc, FRCPC; and congenital cardiac surgeon Luke Wiggins, MD.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles unveils new fetal cardiac clinic

Clinic for expectant mothers designed to better diagnose and treat congenital heart defects and heart diseases before birth.

February 20, 2024

AI cardiology heart artificial intelligence deep learning

AI could be a game-changer for TAVR, but cardiologists remain ‘irreplaceable’

The rise of TAVR as a go-to treatment option for many AS patients has been one of the biggest stories in cardiology for several years now. How will advanced AI models impact this trend going forward?

February 12, 2024

Around the web

Health Imaging

New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

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