Cardiovascular ultrasound innovations being showcased at ASE 2024 meeting

New technology, from artificial intelligence that can complete study workflow, new 3D/4D intracardiac echo (ICE) catheters, virtual reality simulators, to robot-assisted ultrasound, will be presented on the expo floor of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Scientific Sessions, June 14-16, 2024, at in Portland.

ASE said 50 vendors and organizations will display their latest products and services for cardiac ultrasound on the expo floor at ASE 2024. The expo floor is open Friday, June 14, 3:30-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 16, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

As staffing shortages continue to grow, several hospitals are also attending in hope of recruiting new sonographers. 

Exhibitors in alphabetical order at ASE:

   • Abbott (Booth 431) will showcase its recently U.S.-approved TriClip G4 Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) system. The device is showcased at ASE because echocardiography is key to visualize its implantation in the mitral and tricuspid valves. 

   • Agfa HealthCare (Booth 247) will present its enterprise imaging solution tailored for cardiology and IT support for the entire cardiology department across all its subspecialties. The vendor offers comprehensive web workflows so cardiologists can achieve a “live in flow” access their images and reports anywhere. This solution seamlessly integrates with the hospital's medical record system, allowing for collaboration and enhanced efficiency.

   • AstraZeneca (Booth 550) will drive awareness about Wainua as the silencer in patients with polyneuropathy due to hereditary amyloidosis (hATTR-PN). The booth will feature information on the WAINUA HCP Campaign to Stop Neuropathy Progression and additional informational resources.

    • Bristol Myers Squibb (Booth 855) is focused on the symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patient and how its drug therapy helps patients.

    • EchoNous (Booth 334) offers point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) innovation with its AI-powered Kosmos system. It offers image quality and advanced performance similar to cart-based systems, with the affordability and the portability of a handheld system. Its AI helps flatten the learning curve and makes exam workflows more efficient.

   • Epsilon Imaging (Booth 650) EchoInsight Zero Footprint (ZF) Advanced Echo Analysis is an integrated, vendor neutral, offline platform, enabling clinicians to easily incorporate the valuable benefits of strain imaging and automation of cardiac function measurements into routine clinical practice. It offers LV and RV analysis, full heart analysis and/or clinical research analysis capabilities. 
 
   • Fujifilm Healthcare Americas (Booth 435) is doing its diagnostic ultrasound and enterprise imaging IT systems.

   • HeartLab (Booth 530) will be demoing its cloud-based imaging platform for cardiology. It offers productivity and efficiency gains and the ability to work with remote team members. HeartLab has expanded its off-cart measurement for almost all custom calculations can now be performed in the cloud without having to return to the machine.

   • Heritage Medical Products (Booth 551) is showing its Sonobed, designed to enable better patient comfort and sonographre access during exams.

   • ImageGuideEcho Registry (Booth 654) is an echocardiography data repository for quality improvement owned and operated by ASE. It provides automatically generated QI feedback and analytics. The registry focuses on driving technology applications and assessing specific quality metrics and patient outcomes across medical centers within echocardiography. There will be two information sessions in the booth.

   • Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) (Booth 436) IAC has two new echocardiography offerings to help provide commitment to quality and patient safety in specialized diagnostic imaging. These include the IAC Standards and Guidelines for Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) that provides guidance in training also offers experience and protocol development. Adult Congenital Transthoracic Echocardiography Accreditation recognizes the critical role of facilities providing care to patients with congenital heart disease who transition their care from pediatric cardiology to adult cardiology services.
 
   • Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) (Booth 748) is a nonprofit organization in existence to establish, maintain and promote quality standards for educational programs in diagnostic medical sonography (DMS). It provides a mechanism of committee review to recognize educational programs throughout the United States that instruct students in the disciplines related to DMS through education consistent with standards for entry into practice.

   • Lantheus (Booth 755) will discuss the safety and effectiveness of its Definity echo contrast agent to enhance echos of pediatric patients with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricular chamber and to improve delineation of the left ventricular endocardial border. 

   • Mayo Clinic (Booth 449) Cardiovascular Education department is showcasing their 2024/2025 lineup of live conferences and online digital learning opportunities. 

   • narnar (Booth 651) helps enable the widespread use of contrast echocardiography by developing clinical software tools that make the interpretation of myocardial function and perfusion faster, consistent and more intuitive. 

   • National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) (Booth 750) is launching its new Maintenance of Certification in Echocardiography (MOCE) in July 2024. The booth features a MOCE platform demo, on a mobile device or web browser. This annual longitudinal assessment replaces NBE recertification exams to continuously support physicians in keeping their clinical knowledge, judgment, and skills current throughout their careers.

   • NeuraSignal (Booth 350) is showing the NeuraSignal NovaGuide 2 Intelligent Ultrasound, a robot-assisted transcranial Doppler (TCD) device that automates the detection of right-to-left shunts (RLS) and patent foramen ovale (PFO). The BUBL study demonstrated that this device is significantly superior in sensitivity compared to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), with a 64% RLS detection rate by NovaGuide 2 versus only 20 percent by TTE, highlighting its enhanced accuracy and potential for broader clinical use. 

   • Philips (Booth 441) is introducing new AI tools to its ultrasound systems, like an automated tool for segmental wall motion scoring of the heart, and a fully automated 3D quantification of MR volumes to speed workflows and increase productivity. The vendor is also showing its X11-4t Mini 3D TEE transducer, which provides care to patients as small as 5 kg. Some of these features are pending 510(k) clearance.