Videos | Structural Heart | May 10, 2021

VIDEO: VARC-3 Helps Standardize Structural Heart Taxonomy and Research

Philippe Géneréux, M.D., director of the structural heart program at Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center, is the lead author of the new VARC-3 consensus document that defines endpoints and standardizes taxonomy for aortic valve research.[1] This document is important because it acts as a guide so all structural heart research is comparable and using the same terminology. He said this will become more important as long-term outcomes of 5 to 10 years become available and require apples-to-apples comparisons with newer valve technologies.

Key updates in VARC-3 include a new section on hospitalization or re-hospitalization, defining various levels of valve leaflet thrombosis, also known as hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening (HALT), and defining the stages of bio-prosthetic valve deterioration and valve failure. 

The Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC), founded in 2010, was intended to identify appropriate clinical endpoints and standardize definitions of these endpoints for transcatheter and surgical aortic valve clinical trials. Rapid evolution of the field, including the emergence of new complications, expanding clinical indications, and novel therapy strategies have mandated further refinement and expansion of these definitions to ensure clinical relevance. This document provides an update of the most appropriate clinical endpoint definitions to be used in the conduct of transcatheter and surgical aortic valve clinical research.

Reference:

1. VARC-3 WRITING COMMITTEE: PhilippeGénéreux, Nicolo Piazza, Maria C. Aluc, Tamim Nazif, Rebecca T.Hahn, Philippe Pibarot, Jeroen J. Bax, Jonathon A.Leipsic, Philipp Blanke, Eugene H.Blackstone, Matthew T.Finn, Samir Kapadia, Axel Linke, Michael J.Mack, Raj Makkar, Roxana Mehranl, Jeffrey J. Popmam, Martin B.Leon, et al. Valve Academic Research Consortium 3: Updated Endpoint Definitions for Aortic Valve Clinical Research. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Available online 19 April 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.02.038.

 

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Structural Heart | September 20, 2021
VIDEO: Abbott Structural Heart Technology Advances in 2021

Dr. Neil Moat, MBBS, chief medical officer of Abbott's structural heart business, explains the latest advances in Abbott's structural heart device program. He discusses data on the MitraClip G4 device, the Global EXPAND registry study looking at its use in a real-world population, and the large amount of interest in treating heart failure patients with this device following the COAPT Trial, which showed dramatically improve outcomes. Moat also discusses advances using the TriClip G4 system, a tricuspid valve version of the MitraClip tailored for this valve position.  

Moat also discusses some of the other new technologies Abbott is developing in the structural heart space. This includes the Tendyne transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) device, the Portico transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device, and the second generation Navitor TAVR valve. He also mentioned Abbott's Amulet transcatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion device, which gained U.S. FDA clearance this past summer.
 

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MitraClip Reduces Mortality for Heart Failure Patients With Secondary Mitral Regurgitation

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VIDEO: Impact of the COAPT Trial on Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation — Interview with Andreas Brieke, M.D.

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Congenital Heart | September 15, 2021
VIDEO: The Heart Team Approach in Congenital Structural Heart Interventions

Tom Jones, M.D., director, cardiac cath labs, Seattle Children’s Hospital, explains the importance of the heart team approach on congenital heart interventions and explains the development of adult congenital interventional specialists. Jones explains the role of pediatric and adult congenital interventionists and structural heart specialists and the importance of the team approach with complex congenital heart patient cases.

He also explains the history of interventions and congenital heart disease over the last few decades and how these helped shape transcatheter adult structural heart interventions today. 

 

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September 13, 2021
VIDEO: Overview of CT Calcium Scoring Cardiac Risk Assessment for Patients

About 80% of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are preventable. This is why it is important to identify the people at highest risk of CVDs and ensue they receive appropriate treatment to prevent premature deaths. A simple, inexpensive test could be a big help. A computed tomography (CT) calcium score test measures calcium buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. It can help patients and doctors better understand a person’s risk for cardiovascular diseases, and may help guide treatment for those with low to moderate risk of heart disease or help those whose heart disease risk is not clear. This includes the ability to determine if statins will benefit a patient, or if they do not need them.

This video is designed as an information graphical presentation for patients explaining calcium scoring and what it means for them.

We are especially grateful to Anthony C. Pearson, M.D., FACC from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. His clinical expertise helped guide us in making a movie we hope will become a conversation starter for people everywhere. Tremendousness created the video. The design firm believes in the power of visual storytelling to inspire change. It works with a variety of corporate and non-profit clients, helping to make complex ideas understandable and engaging by using visual storytelling, information design and co-creation to empower people and organizations to humanize transformation and change, accelerate innovation, and power sales, marketing, and thought leadership. Learn more about the company http://tremendo.us.

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Cardiovascular Information Systems (CVIS) | August 31, 2021
VIDEO: Example of Epsilon Strain Imaging Deep Integration With Siemens CVIS

One of the trends in cardiovascular information system (CVIS) and radiology PACS at the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2021 conference was the deeper integration of third-party image analysis software and artificial intelligence (AI) into these systems. This eliminates software sitting on top of the CVIS or PACS, separate logins or needing to us a different screen or manually transferring information from the third-party app in into the final report.

A good example of this was Siemens Healthineers, which demonstrated a deep integration with Epsilon Imaging’s echocardiography strain imaging analysis software. The integration eliminates the need for a separate login to the software, and automated quantification and images are carried over directly into the syngo echo report.

Strain can be used to assess cardiac function more precisely than regular cardiac ultrasound exams. It has grown in its use for cardio-oncology programs, assessing a baseline cardiac function and the. Performing serial exams over the course of a cancer patient’s chemotherapy. Strain has seen growing interest and has been a hot topic the past couple years at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) meeting. Interest also has expanded greatly recently with reimbursement now available in the U.S.

Siemens said there also has been increased interest in strain this past year because it can show early indicators of cardiac issues in COVID-19 patients and can be used to help monitor COVID myocarditis patients.
 

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Information Technology | April 17, 2019
itnTV "Conversations": Creating an Interoperability Strategy

With Intellispace Enterprise Edition as the foundation, Philips Healthcare is connecting facilities and service areas within enterprises, while developing standards-based interoperability that preserves customers' investments and best of breed systems. 

Hemodynamic Support Devices | March 06, 2019
VIDEO: Complex PCI Involving Prior CABG and Comorbidities

Perwaiz Meraj, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, director of interventional cardiology, assistant professor, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System discusses the importance of hemodynamic support to safely perform a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and comorbidities. Learn more at ProtectedPCI.com/DAIC.

In this video, Meraj discuss a complex coronary intervention of a 77-year-old woman with stage 4 CKD, prior CABG, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, who presented with angina and NSTEMI with an ejection fraction of 40 percent. The team at Northwell consulted with cardiac surgeons and the heart team, and determined that this patient was too high risk for another bypass surgery. Read more on this case.

 

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Heart Failure | February 13, 2019
VIDEO: Analysis of Outcomes for 15,259 U.S. Patients with AMICS Supported with the Impella Device

William O'Neill, M.D., highlights best practice protocols based on Impella Quality database and real-world evidence showing improved outcomes in cardiogenic shock. Learn more at ProtectedPCI.com/DAIC

 

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January 10, 2019
VIDEO: Escalation of Support and Algorithms for Cardiogenic Shock

Mark Anderson, M.D., FACS, vice chair of cardiac surgery services and cardiothoracic surgeon at Hackensack University Medical Group, outlines a multi-disciplinary heart team approach in treament decision-making for patients in cardiogenic shock. Learn more at ProtectedPCI.com/DAIC.

Anderson discusses improving outcomes for patients in cardiogenic shock through the early use of mechanical circulatory support and the development of a shock protocol with the heart team. He outlines Hackensack University Medical Center’s multi-disciplinary, heart team approach in treatment decision-making for patients in cardiogenic shock. The team includes cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, heart failure specialists and intensivists. 

 

 

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Cardiovascular Information Systems (CVIS) | August 31, 2021
VIDEO: Example of Epsilon Strain Imaging Deep Integration With Siemens CVIS

One of the trends in cardiovascular information system (CVIS) and radiology PACS at the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2021 conference was the deeper integration of third-party image analysis software and artificial intelligence (AI) into these systems. This eliminates software sitting on top of the CVIS or PACS, separate logins or needing to us a different screen or manually transferring information from the third-party app in into the final report.

A good example of this was Siemens Healthineers, which demonstrated a deep integration with Epsilon Imaging’s echocardiography strain imaging analysis software. The integration eliminates the need for a separate login to the software, and automated quantification and images are carried over directly into the syngo echo report.

Strain can be used to assess cardiac function more precisely than regular cardiac ultrasound exams. It has grown in its use for cardio-oncology programs, assessing a baseline cardiac function and the. Performing serial exams over the course of a cancer patient’s chemotherapy. Strain has seen growing interest and has been a hot topic the past couple years at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) meeting. Interest also has expanded greatly recently with reimbursement now available in the U.S.

Siemens said there also has been increased interest in strain this past year because it can show early indicators of cardiac issues in COVID-19 patients and can be used to help monitor COVID myocarditis patients.
 

Related Strain Echo and HIMSS Content:

VIDEO: An Overview of Echo Strain Imaging — Interview with Marielle Scherrer-Crosbie, M.D.

Global Longitudinal Strain Echo Offers Early Detection of Cardiotoxicity Heart Damage From Chemotherapy

Strain Imaging Improves Cardiac Surveillance of Certain Breast Cancer Patients

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Advances in CVIS and Enterprise iImaging at HIMSS 21

VIDEO: Cardiology AI Aggregates Patient Data and Enables Interactive Risk Assessments

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VIDEO: Coordinating Followup for Radiology Incidental Findings — Interview with David Danhauer, M.D., at HIMSS21

Cardiovascular Information Systems (CVIS) | August 31, 2021
VIDEO: Cardiology AI Aggregates Patient Data and Enables Interactive Risk Assessments

The vendor MediCardia demonstrated smart software to aggregate cardiology patient data from numerous locations into one place at the 2021 Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference. This enables one dashboard view of the patient's relevant cardiac history, prior exams, imaging, ECGs, labs and procedures. It also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to pull key data elements about the patient to automatically create risk assessments based on current guidelines in a graphical format.

The interactive system also allows the cardiologist to adjust parameters in the patient risk score to immediately show the patient any impact on their score. This includes if they stopped smoking, began taking statins, etc. The dynamic graphics of the system are also designed to be more engaging with a patient during consultations, rather than plain white pages of reports.

MediCardia HeartChart is a cardiology-focused virtual care platform that serves as a unified and common interface for EHRs and remote technologies including wearables, consumer home medical devices, and implanted cardiac rhythm devices. 

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Cardiovascular Ultrasound | August 17, 2021
VIDEO: Examples of Dynamic Blood Flow Imaging in Cardiac Ultrasound

A new ultrasound imaging technology that may offer novel ways to diagnose and better understand cardiac diseases using dynamic blood flow imaging. This allows imaging of individual blood cells or contrast bubbles as they travel through the heart and vessels, showing detail in how the blood moves and swirls. These motions, including the formation of vortices, may offer new insight into different disease states and allow earlier diagnosis and a understand better when to intervene.

The examples shown in this short video are from Hitachi and GE Healthcare, both of which have highlighted this technology at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) annual meetings over the past four years.

Ultrasound vendors use different technology approaches, including vector flow imaging, particle imaging velocimetry and blood speckle tracking. All of them show small lines or arrows to indicate the direction the blood cells or bubbles are traveling, and color codes to indicate velocity. Some vendors offer quantification for some new measures of blood flow, but as of yet, there are no guidelines or standardized indexes as to what these numbers mean.

This technology has been discussed in research sessions at the IEEE and the ASE over the past several years. However, more research is needed to show the prognostic value of the technology. Research to date shows it is possible that the swirling of blood can indicate less efficient flow, which may have implications in the development of heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and advancement of valvular disease. In the coronary arteries, research has shown there may be a connection between sheer stresses and disrupted blood flow in the formation of plaques on artery walls.

Companies that have developed echo blood flow dynamics imaging on their ultrasound systems to date include Hitachi, GE Healthcare, Fujifilm, Mindray and BK Medical. 

Read more about this technology from ASE 2021 in the article Development of Echo Blood Flow Dynamics Imaging.
 

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EP Lab | August 02, 2021
VIDEO: EP Trends and New Technology From Biosense Webster at HRS 2021

Jass Brooks, vice president of global strategic marketing, Biosense Webster, explains four over-arching electrophysiology (EP) trends at the 2021 Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) meeting. The vendor is working on developing, or has introduced, new technologies in each of these four areas.  She said the key technology trends include:

   • Pulsed field ablation (also called electroporation) as a new way to ablate cardiac tissue without damaging underlying structures like the esophagus. 

   • The introduction of 3D/4D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) imaging to better guide procedures.

   • High-density electromapping systems that create more accurate maps of the electrical activity in the heart and can do so faster than previous generation mapping systems.

   • The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) into EP systems to speed workflow.

Key among this company's new product introductions at HRS 2021 was the Octaray high-density electro-mapping catheter, which enables faster mapping with a larger number of points. This enables more detailed maps of the heart's electrical activity and may imporve ablation procedure guidance and outcomes. Recent changes to the Carto electro-mapping system now enables integration of this new technology.

Biosense Webster also introduced the Nuvision 4-D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) ultrasound catheter with imaging support from GE Healthcare Vivid Ultra Edition ultrasound systems. This moved ICE beyond 2-D imaging to real-time 3-D and 4-D imaging inside the heart to enable better procedural navigation and visualization of the catheters within in the heart.

Find additional HRS 2021 late breaking trials

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Structural Heart | September 20, 2021
VIDEO: Abbott Structural Heart Technology Advances in 2021

Dr. Neil Moat, MBBS, chief medical officer of Abbott's structural heart business, explains the latest advances in Abbott's structural heart device program. He discusses data on the MitraClip G4 device, the Global EXPAND registry study looking at its use in a real-world population, and the large amount of interest in treating heart failure patients with this device following the COAPT Trial, which showed dramatically improve outcomes. Moat also discusses advances using the TriClip G4 system, a tricuspid valve version of the MitraClip tailored for this valve position.  

Moat also discusses some of the other new technologies Abbott is developing in the structural heart space. This includes the Tendyne transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) device, the Portico transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device, and the second generation Navitor TAVR valve. He also mentioned Abbott's Amulet transcatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion device, which gained U.S. FDA clearance this past summer.
 

Related MitraClip, Triclip, Amulet and Portico Content:

MitraClip Reduces Mortality for Heart Failure Patients With Secondary Mitral Regurgitation

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VIDEO: Echocardiographic Findings in the COAPT Trial — Interview with Federico Asch, M.D.

FDA Approves MitraClip for Use in Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation

 

VIDEO: Impact of the COAPT Trial on Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation — Interview with Andreas Brieke, M.D.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair is Cost-Effective in Heart Failure Patients

TAVR Expected to See Rapid Growth in Next 5 years

FDA Clears Abbott Amplatzer Amulet LAA Occluder to Reduce Stroke in People With Atrial Fibrillation

 

Portico TAVR System Found Safe and Effective for High-Risk Surgical Patients

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Congenital Heart | September 15, 2021
VIDEO: The Heart Team Approach in Congenital Structural Heart Interventions

Tom Jones, M.D., director, cardiac cath labs, Seattle Children’s Hospital, explains the importance of the heart team approach on congenital heart interventions and explains the development of adult congenital interventional specialists. Jones explains the role of pediatric and adult congenital interventionists and structural heart specialists and the importance of the team approach with complex congenital heart patient cases.

He also explains the history of interventions and congenital heart disease over the last few decades and how these helped shape transcatheter adult structural heart interventions today. 

 

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VIDEO: Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Has Good Outcomes at 1 Year — Interview with Tom Jones, M.D.

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Structural Heart | July 14, 2021
VIDEO: Acurate neo2 TAVR Valve Performs Well in Latest Trials

Doctor Andreas Ruck, interventional cardiologist and head of the mitral/tricuspid program, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, explains the latest data on the Boston Scientific Acurate neo2 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system. It demonstrated positive procedural performance, including low rates of paravalvular leak (PVL) and permanent pacemaker implementation, in data presented in late-breaking sessions at the EuroPCR 2021 congress. These areas improved from the trials using the first generation valve. 

The Acurate neo2 valve design enhancements include a 60% larger outer sealing skirt to better conform to challenging anatomies to better minimized PVL.

Boston Scientific said the ACURATE IDE pivotal U.S. trial is currently enrolling patients to evaluate the safety of the ACURATE neo2 Aortic Valve System. In April 2021, the company received FDA approval to modify the trial design to study patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis who are at low risk for open-heart surgery, in addition to those at intermediate, high and extreme risk.

 

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Congenital Heart | May 26, 2021
VIDEO: Advances in Congenital Heart Therapy Technologies

Tom Jones, M.D., director, cardiac catheterization laboratories, Seattle Children’s Hospital, explains some of the new technologies being used to treat congenital heart disease. He discusses the recent trial he served as principle investigator for the new Harmony transcatheter pulmonary valve, the development of a bioresorbable transcatheter septal occluder device, development of large bioresorbable stents for use in pediatric cases, and use of virtual and augmented reality to better understand and guide very complex congenital heart procedures. Jones also explains a patient case where a 3-D printed heart and vessels from the patient helped the heart team understand all the options and how to tackle a valve replacement in a child with a single ventricle.

Jones shared some of these advances in congenital heart intervention sessions at the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2021 meeting. 

 

Recent Technology Advances in Congenital Heart:

FDA Clears First Device to Treat Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Congenital Heart Disease 

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Bioresorbable Pulmonary Valve Replacement May Enable Cardiovascular Regeneration

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Nemours Children's Health System Uses 3-D Printing to Deliver Personalized Care

Children's Hospital Los Angeles Cardiologist Creates Modified Stent for 18-month-old Using Printed 3-D Model

PolyVascular Awarded $2 Million Small Business Innovation Research Grant to Bring the First Polymer-Based Heart Valve for Children to Clinical Trials

 

Bioresorbable ASD Occluder Prepares to Enter U.S. Clinical Trial

FDA Approves Abbott's Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder

Critical Need for Pediatric Electrophysiology Devices is Focus of Medical Device Competition 

Lab-created Heart Valves Can Grow With the Patient

SCAI Issues Position Statement on Adult Congenital Cardiac Interventional Training, Competencies and Organizational Recommendations

 

Abbott Receives European CE Mark for Two Pediatric Heart Devices

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Cardiac Imaging View all 272 items

Cardiovascular Information Systems (CVIS) | August 31, 2021
VIDEO: Example of Epsilon Strain Imaging Deep Integration With Siemens CVIS

One of the trends in cardiovascular information system (CVIS) and radiology PACS at the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2021 conference was the deeper integration of third-party image analysis software and artificial intelligence (AI) into these systems. This eliminates software sitting on top of the CVIS or PACS, separate logins or needing to us a different screen or manually transferring information from the third-party app in into the final report.

A good example of this was Siemens Healthineers, which demonstrated a deep integration with Epsilon Imaging’s echocardiography strain imaging analysis software. The integration eliminates the need for a separate login to the software, and automated quantification and images are carried over directly into the syngo echo report.

Strain can be used to assess cardiac function more precisely than regular cardiac ultrasound exams. It has grown in its use for cardio-oncology programs, assessing a baseline cardiac function and the. Performing serial exams over the course of a cancer patient’s chemotherapy. Strain has seen growing interest and has been a hot topic the past couple years at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) meeting. Interest also has expanded greatly recently with reimbursement now available in the U.S.

Siemens said there also has been increased interest in strain this past year because it can show early indicators of cardiac issues in COVID-19 patients and can be used to help monitor COVID myocarditis patients.
 

Related Strain Echo and HIMSS Content:

VIDEO: An Overview of Echo Strain Imaging — Interview with Marielle Scherrer-Crosbie, M.D.

Global Longitudinal Strain Echo Offers Early Detection of Cardiotoxicity Heart Damage From Chemotherapy

Strain Imaging Improves Cardiac Surveillance of Certain Breast Cancer Patients

VIDEO: Assessing Cardiotoxicity Response With Cardio-Oncology Echo Imaging — Interview with Federico Asch, M.D.

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Advances in CVIS and Enterprise iImaging at HIMSS 21

VIDEO: Cardiology AI Aggregates Patient Data and Enables Interactive Risk Assessments

Photo Gallery of New Technologies at HIMSS 2021

VIDEO: Importance of Body Part Labeling in Enterprise Imaging — Interview with Alex Towbin, M.D., at HIMSS21

VIDEO: Coordinating Followup for Radiology Incidental Findings — Interview with David Danhauer, M.D., at HIMSS21

Cardiovascular Ultrasound | August 17, 2021
VIDEO: Examples of Dynamic Blood Flow Imaging in Cardiac Ultrasound

A new ultrasound imaging technology that may offer novel ways to diagnose and better understand cardiac diseases using dynamic blood flow imaging. This allows imaging of individual blood cells or contrast bubbles as they travel through the heart and vessels, showing detail in how the blood moves and swirls. These motions, including the formation of vortices, may offer new insight into different disease states and allow earlier diagnosis and a understand better when to intervene.

The examples shown in this short video are from Hitachi and GE Healthcare, both of which have highlighted this technology at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) annual meetings over the past four years.

Ultrasound vendors use different technology approaches, including vector flow imaging, particle imaging velocimetry and blood speckle tracking. All of them show small lines or arrows to indicate the direction the blood cells or bubbles are traveling, and color codes to indicate velocity. Some vendors offer quantification for some new measures of blood flow, but as of yet, there are no guidelines or standardized indexes as to what these numbers mean.

This technology has been discussed in research sessions at the IEEE and the ASE over the past several years. However, more research is needed to show the prognostic value of the technology. Research to date shows it is possible that the swirling of blood can indicate less efficient flow, which may have implications in the development of heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and advancement of valvular disease. In the coronary arteries, research has shown there may be a connection between sheer stresses and disrupted blood flow in the formation of plaques on artery walls.

Companies that have developed echo blood flow dynamics imaging on their ultrasound systems to date include Hitachi, GE Healthcare, Fujifilm, Mindray and BK Medical. 

Read more about this technology from ASE 2021 in the article Development of Echo Blood Flow Dynamics Imaging.
 

Related Dynamic Blood Flow Echo Imaging Content:

Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee Adopts Latest Echocardiography Imaging Software

A Glimpse Into the Future of Cardiac Ultrasound

Analogic Introduces New Premium Cardiac Imaging Software for bk3500 Ultrasound System

Improving Stent Designs With Computational Fluid Dynamics

VIDEO: Editor's Choice of Most Innovative New Cardiac Ultrasound Technology at ASE 2017

EP Lab | August 02, 2021
VIDEO: EP Trends and New Technology From Biosense Webster at HRS 2021

Jass Brooks, vice president of global strategic marketing, Biosense Webster, explains four over-arching electrophysiology (EP) trends at the 2021 Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) meeting. The vendor is working on developing, or has introduced, new technologies in each of these four areas.  She said the key technology trends include:

   • Pulsed field ablation (also called electroporation) as a new way to ablate cardiac tissue without damaging underlying structures like the esophagus. 

   • The introduction of 3D/4D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) imaging to better guide procedures.

   • High-density electromapping systems that create more accurate maps of the electrical activity in the heart and can do so faster than previous generation mapping systems.

   • The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) into EP systems to speed workflow.

Key among this company's new product introductions at HRS 2021 was the Octaray high-density electro-mapping catheter, which enables faster mapping with a larger number of points. This enables more detailed maps of the heart's electrical activity and may imporve ablation procedure guidance and outcomes. Recent changes to the Carto electro-mapping system now enables integration of this new technology.

Biosense Webster also introduced the Nuvision 4-D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) ultrasound catheter with imaging support from GE Healthcare Vivid Ultra Edition ultrasound systems. This moved ICE beyond 2-D imaging to real-time 3-D and 4-D imaging inside the heart to enable better procedural navigation and visualization of the catheters within in the heart.

Find additional HRS 2021 late breaking trials

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Artificial Intelligence | July 01, 2021
VIDEO: Artificial Intelligence Identifies High-Risk COVID Patients From Cardiac Ultrasounds

Federico Asch, M.D., FASE, director of cardiovascular core labs, cardiovascular imaging, MedStar Health Research Institute, Washington, D.C., was involved in a study that used artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate echocardiograms to identify COVID-19 patients who were at high risk for complications and mortality. The study also compared human vs. AI variability in reading the stories and found much less variability with the machine reviews. He presented the results from the WASE-COVID Study at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) 2021 meetings. 

Asch also offers insights about AI applications in echocardiography and how the technology will help improve imaging and reduce the variability in how measurements are made, which will decrease the current level of variability in how exams are performed by human operators. He also explains AI is now available to help guide novice ultrasound users to get optimal cardiac ultrasound images.

Find more content on artificial intelligence in cardiology

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Cardiac Diagnostics View all 70 items

Cardiovascular Ultrasound | August 17, 2021
VIDEO: Examples of Dynamic Blood Flow Imaging in Cardiac Ultrasound

A new ultrasound imaging technology that may offer novel ways to diagnose and better understand cardiac diseases using dynamic blood flow imaging. This allows imaging of individual blood cells or contrast bubbles as they travel through the heart and vessels, showing detail in how the blood moves and swirls. These motions, including the formation of vortices, may offer new insight into different disease states and allow earlier diagnosis and a understand better when to intervene.

The examples shown in this short video are from Hitachi and GE Healthcare, both of which have highlighted this technology at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) annual meetings over the past four years.

Ultrasound vendors use different technology approaches, including vector flow imaging, particle imaging velocimetry and blood speckle tracking. All of them show small lines or arrows to indicate the direction the blood cells or bubbles are traveling, and color codes to indicate velocity. Some vendors offer quantification for some new measures of blood flow, but as of yet, there are no guidelines or standardized indexes as to what these numbers mean.

This technology has been discussed in research sessions at the IEEE and the ASE over the past several years. However, more research is needed to show the prognostic value of the technology. Research to date shows it is possible that the swirling of blood can indicate less efficient flow, which may have implications in the development of heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and advancement of valvular disease. In the coronary arteries, research has shown there may be a connection between sheer stresses and disrupted blood flow in the formation of plaques on artery walls.

Companies that have developed echo blood flow dynamics imaging on their ultrasound systems to date include Hitachi, GE Healthcare, Fujifilm, Mindray and BK Medical. 

Read more about this technology from ASE 2021 in the article Development of Echo Blood Flow Dynamics Imaging.
 

Related Dynamic Blood Flow Echo Imaging Content:

Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee Adopts Latest Echocardiography Imaging Software

A Glimpse Into the Future of Cardiac Ultrasound

Analogic Introduces New Premium Cardiac Imaging Software for bk3500 Ultrasound System

Improving Stent Designs With Computational Fluid Dynamics

VIDEO: Editor's Choice of Most Innovative New Cardiac Ultrasound Technology at ASE 2017

Stethoscopes | July 16, 2021
VIDEO: Use of a Digital Stethoscope in Cardiac Care

Nelson B. Schiller, M.D., FACC, professor of medicine and the John J. Sampson and Lucy Stearn Endowed Chair of Cardiology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and founder the Adult Echocardiography Laboratory and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at UCSF, explains the how he uses a digital stethoscope to improve the quality of his care. He said the digital stethoscope can record heart sounds more accurately and filter out ambient noise to improve diagnostics. The system he uses also integrates an ECG so the waveforms can help determine if noises are diastolic or systolic in patients with fast heart rates. 

Schiller explains key features clinicians should consider when buying a stethoscope and gives an overview of his digital HD Steth device.

The HD Steth combines three products into one. This includes a stethoscope, phonocardiograph and electrocardiograph (ECG), enabling clinicians to visualize heart sounds and ECG waveforms on a smart device and help detect multiple cardiac abnormalities while providing the unique ability to capture, record, and replay patient heart sounds for improved readings and analysis.

More Than 50,000 Children Screened for Congenital Heart Defects Using AI-enabled Stethoscopes 

Find more news on digital stethoscope technology
 

EP Device Monitoring Systems | December 22, 2020
VIDEO: Rising Interest in Remote Monitoring of EP Devices in the COVID-19 Era

Robert Kowal, M.D., chief medical officer of the Medtronic cardiac rhythm and heart failure division, said there has been a large increase in interest in remote monitoring and programing capabilities of implantable electrophysiology (EP) devices since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Cardiologists are looking for ways to care for their patients without the need to have them come into the office for close, personal meetings and interrogation of their implanted EP devices. Remote monitoring of these devices has been around for a decade and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) urged use of this technology in a 2015 consensus statemement. However, it has been COVID that has really pushed clinicians and patients to use this technolgy to its fullest as a way to watch patients closely from a distance and not require them to have to come into the office. It also enables EP practices to reprogram devices or alerts remotely where ever the have access to an internet connection. 

Find more EP news and video

Coronavirus (COVID-19) | December 07, 2020
VIDEO: What Are The Long-term Cardiac Impacts of COVID-19 Infection

Todd Hurst, M.D., a cardiologist at Banner University Medicine Heart Institute, and an associate professor at the University of Arizona, explains some of the long-term COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) post-infection cardiovascular impacts. 

After the coronavirus is gone, many COVID-19 patients are finding they have long-term problems with shortness of breath, arrhythmias, fatigue and cognitive issues. Clinicians are now referring to these patients as "long-hauler" COVID patients. COVID is known to cause myocarditis in many seriously ill patients, but post mortal studies of COVID patients also show the virus kills heart cells and the long term impact of this is not yet known.

VIDEO: Lingering Myocardial Involvement After COVID-19 Infection — Interview with Aaron Baggish, M.D.

COVID-19 Changes Properties Blood Cells

COVID-19 Blood Vessel Damage May Cause Brain Fog and Other Long-hauler Symptoms

EP Lab View all 79 items

EP Lab | August 02, 2021
VIDEO: EP Trends and New Technology From Biosense Webster at HRS 2021

Jass Brooks, vice president of global strategic marketing, Biosense Webster, explains four over-arching electrophysiology (EP) trends at the 2021 Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) meeting. The vendor is working on developing, or has introduced, new technologies in each of these four areas.  She said the key technology trends include:

   • Pulsed field ablation (also called electroporation) as a new way to ablate cardiac tissue without damaging underlying structures like the esophagus. 

   • The introduction of 3D/4D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) imaging to better guide procedures.

   • High-density electromapping systems that create more accurate maps of the electrical activity in the heart and can do so faster than previous generation mapping systems.

   • The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) into EP systems to speed workflow.

Key among this company's new product introductions at HRS 2021 was the Octaray high-density electro-mapping catheter, which enables faster mapping with a larger number of points. This enables more detailed maps of the heart's electrical activity and may imporve ablation procedure guidance and outcomes. Recent changes to the Carto electro-mapping system now enables integration of this new technology.

Biosense Webster also introduced the Nuvision 4-D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) ultrasound catheter with imaging support from GE Healthcare Vivid Ultra Edition ultrasound systems. This moved ICE beyond 2-D imaging to real-time 3-D and 4-D imaging inside the heart to enable better procedural navigation and visualization of the catheters within in the heart.

Find additional HRS 2021 late breaking trials

Find more EP device news

Find more HRS 2021 conference news

EP Lab | August 02, 2021
VIDEO: Multi-Site Pacing Effective in Initial Nonresponders to Conventional Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Samir Saba, M.D., co-director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Heart and Vascular Institute, and chief, Division of Cardiology, explains the SMART MSP (Multi-Site Pacing) study. This late-breaking clinical trial was presented at the 2021 Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) meeting. It evaluated the safety and effectiveness of multi-site pacing in initial non-responders to conventional cardiac resynchronization therapy with the goal of increasing response cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

CRT nonresponders make up a sizable minority of patients, about one-third. Saba said this trial, was designed to try and chip away and reduce that number. Multi-site pacing has been debated as alternative to single site pacing for several years and this trial offers additional data in support of MSP.

The trial tested the efficacy and safety of the Boston Scientific Resonate X4 CRT-D system. This device allows multi-site pacing to be turned on or off at any time by the electrophysiologist. In the study, patients who did not respond had the multi-site pacing feature turned on, which resulted in 51% of the nonresponders to respond to therapy. 

Find additional HRS 2021 late breaking trials

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Find more HRS 2021 conference news

 

 

EP Device Monitoring Systems | December 22, 2020
VIDEO: Rising Interest in Remote Monitoring of EP Devices in the COVID-19 Era

Robert Kowal, M.D., chief medical officer of the Medtronic cardiac rhythm and heart failure division, said there has been a large increase in interest in remote monitoring and programing capabilities of implantable electrophysiology (EP) devices since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Cardiologists are looking for ways to care for their patients without the need to have them come into the office for close, personal meetings and interrogation of their implanted EP devices. Remote monitoring of these devices has been around for a decade and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) urged use of this technology in a 2015 consensus statemement. However, it has been COVID that has really pushed clinicians and patients to use this technolgy to its fullest as a way to watch patients closely from a distance and not require them to have to come into the office. It also enables EP practices to reprogram devices or alerts remotely where ever the have access to an internet connection. 

Find more EP news and video

EP Lab | December 04, 2020
VIDEO: Early Ablation Improved Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation Patients

Oussama Wazni, M.D., section head, electrophysiology, Cleveland Clinic, discusses the results of the recent STOP AF First and Early AF trials. Both showed effectiveness in using early catheter ablation rather than drugs in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Both trials used cryo-ballon ablation, but Wazni said it is translatable to use of all cather ablation technologies.

Wazni a principal investigator for the STOP AF First trial and he shares information on the Early AF trial presented as a late-breaking study at the 2020 American Heart Association (AHA).

 

Related EP Ablation Technology Content:

VIDEO: Early Ablation Improved Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation Patients —interview with Oussama Wazni, M.D.

Esophageal Cooling May Help Prevent Injury From Cardiac Ablations

VIDEO: Top New EP Technologies at Heart Rhythm Society 2020 — Interview with Andrew Krahn, M.D.

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Information Technology View all 163 items

Cardiovascular Information Systems (CVIS) | August 31, 2021
VIDEO: Example of Epsilon Strain Imaging Deep Integration With Siemens CVIS

One of the trends in cardiovascular information system (CVIS) and radiology PACS at the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2021 conference was the deeper integration of third-party image analysis software and artificial intelligence (AI) into these systems. This eliminates software sitting on top of the CVIS or PACS, separate logins or needing to us a different screen or manually transferring information from the third-party app in into the final report.

A good example of this was Siemens Healthineers, which demonstrated a deep integration with Epsilon Imaging’s echocardiography strain imaging analysis software. The integration eliminates the need for a separate login to the software, and automated quantification and images are carried over directly into the syngo echo report.

Strain can be used to assess cardiac function more precisely than regular cardiac ultrasound exams. It has grown in its use for cardio-oncology programs, assessing a baseline cardiac function and the. Performing serial exams over the course of a cancer patient’s chemotherapy. Strain has seen growing interest and has been a hot topic the past couple years at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) meeting. Interest also has expanded greatly recently with reimbursement now available in the U.S.

Siemens said there also has been increased interest in strain this past year because it can show early indicators of cardiac issues in COVID-19 patients and can be used to help monitor COVID myocarditis patients.
 

Related Strain Echo and HIMSS Content:

VIDEO: An Overview of Echo Strain Imaging — Interview with Marielle Scherrer-Crosbie, M.D.

Global Longitudinal Strain Echo Offers Early Detection of Cardiotoxicity Heart Damage From Chemotherapy

Strain Imaging Improves Cardiac Surveillance of Certain Breast Cancer Patients

VIDEO: Assessing Cardiotoxicity Response With Cardio-Oncology Echo Imaging — Interview with Federico Asch, M.D.

Assessing Cardiotoxicity Due to Cancer Therapy

 

Advances in CVIS and Enterprise iImaging at HIMSS 21

VIDEO: Cardiology AI Aggregates Patient Data and Enables Interactive Risk Assessments

Photo Gallery of New Technologies at HIMSS 2021

VIDEO: Importance of Body Part Labeling in Enterprise Imaging — Interview with Alex Towbin, M.D., at HIMSS21

VIDEO: Coordinating Followup for Radiology Incidental Findings — Interview with David Danhauer, M.D., at HIMSS21

Cardiovascular Information Systems (CVIS) | August 31, 2021
VIDEO: Cardiology AI Aggregates Patient Data and Enables Interactive Risk Assessments

The vendor MediCardia demonstrated smart software to aggregate cardiology patient data from numerous locations into one place at the 2021 Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference. This enables one dashboard view of the patient's relevant cardiac history, prior exams, imaging, ECGs, labs and procedures. It also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to pull key data elements about the patient to automatically create risk assessments based on current guidelines in a graphical format.

The interactive system also allows the cardiologist to adjust parameters in the patient risk score to immediately show the patient any impact on their score. This includes if they stopped smoking, began taking statins, etc. The dynamic graphics of the system are also designed to be more engaging with a patient during consultations, rather than plain white pages of reports.

MediCardia HeartChart is a cardiology-focused virtual care platform that serves as a unified and common interface for EHRs and remote technologies including wearables, consumer home medical devices, and implanted cardiac rhythm devices. 

Related HIMSS CVIS and PACS Content:

Read about more advances in PACS and enterprise imaging at HIMSS 21.

VIDEO: Example of Epsilon Strain Imaging Deep Integration With Siemens CVIS

Photo Gallery of New Technologies at HIMSS 2021

VIDEO: Importance of Body Part Labeling in Enterprise Imaging — Interview with Alex Towbin, M.D.

VIDEO: Coordinating Followup for Radiology Incidental Findings — Interview with David Danhauer, M.D.

Cardiovascular Ultrasound | August 17, 2021
VIDEO: Examples of Dynamic Blood Flow Imaging in Cardiac Ultrasound

A new ultrasound imaging technology that may offer novel ways to diagnose and better understand cardiac diseases using dynamic blood flow imaging. This allows imaging of individual blood cells or contrast bubbles as they travel through the heart and vessels, showing detail in how the blood moves and swirls. These motions, including the formation of vortices, may offer new insight into different disease states and allow earlier diagnosis and a understand better when to intervene.

The examples shown in this short video are from Hitachi and GE Healthcare, both of which have highlighted this technology at the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) annual meetings over the past four years.

Ultrasound vendors use different technology approaches, including vector flow imaging, particle imaging velocimetry and blood speckle tracking. All of them show small lines or arrows to indicate the direction the blood cells or bubbles are traveling, and color codes to indicate velocity. Some vendors offer quantification for some new measures of blood flow, but as of yet, there are no guidelines or standardized indexes as to what these numbers mean.

This technology has been discussed in research sessions at the IEEE and the ASE over the past several years. However, more research is needed to show the prognostic value of the technology. Research to date shows it is possible that the swirling of blood can indicate less efficient flow, which may have implications in the development of heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and advancement of valvular disease. In the coronary arteries, research has shown there may be a connection between sheer stresses and disrupted blood flow in the formation of plaques on artery walls.

Companies that have developed echo blood flow dynamics imaging on their ultrasound systems to date include Hitachi, GE Healthcare, Fujifilm, Mindray and BK Medical. 

Read more about this technology from ASE 2021 in the article Development of Echo Blood Flow Dynamics Imaging.
 

Related Dynamic Blood Flow Echo Imaging Content:

Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee Adopts Latest Echocardiography Imaging Software

A Glimpse Into the Future of Cardiac Ultrasound

Analogic Introduces New Premium Cardiac Imaging Software for bk3500 Ultrasound System

Improving Stent Designs With Computational Fluid Dynamics

VIDEO: Editor's Choice of Most Innovative New Cardiac Ultrasound Technology at ASE 2017

EP Lab | August 02, 2021
VIDEO: EP Trends and New Technology From Biosense Webster at HRS 2021

Jass Brooks, vice president of global strategic marketing, Biosense Webster, explains four over-arching electrophysiology (EP) trends at the 2021 Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) meeting. The vendor is working on developing, or has introduced, new technologies in each of these four areas.  She said the key technology trends include:

   • Pulsed field ablation (also called electroporation) as a new way to ablate cardiac tissue without damaging underlying structures like the esophagus. 

   • The introduction of 3D/4D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) imaging to better guide procedures.

   • High-density electromapping systems that create more accurate maps of the electrical activity in the heart and can do so faster than previous generation mapping systems.

   • The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) into EP systems to speed workflow.

Key among this company's new product introductions at HRS 2021 was the Octaray high-density electro-mapping catheter, which enables faster mapping with a larger number of points. This enables more detailed maps of the heart's electrical activity and may imporve ablation procedure guidance and outcomes. Recent changes to the Carto electro-mapping system now enables integration of this new technology.

Biosense Webster also introduced the Nuvision 4-D intra-cardiac echo (ICE) ultrasound catheter with imaging support from GE Healthcare Vivid Ultra Edition ultrasound systems. This moved ICE beyond 2-D imaging to real-time 3-D and 4-D imaging inside the heart to enable better procedural navigation and visualization of the catheters within in the heart.

Find additional HRS 2021 late breaking trials

Find more EP device news

Find more HRS 2021 conference news

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