Technology Platform Combines Ultrasound with AI for Early Detection of Cardiac Disease

Ultrasound is a safe, highly effective diagnostic tool - but it can be difficult to master, takes years of specialized training to learn, and image quality can vary. Performing the exam involves unnatural hand-eye coordination and unintuitive visuals. Traditional ultrasound software does not provide instruction on how to move the ultrasound transducer to capture an image, or any real-time feedback on the quality of images being captured. Poor quality images lead to missed opportunities, misdiagnosis, repeat studies, and inconsistent interpretation. As a result, the true value and benefits of ultrasound have not been fully realized. Now, AI technology enables healthcare providers to perform high-quality ultrasound exams wherever and whenever patients need them - regardless of their familiarity with ultrasound.

Caption Health’s (San Francisco, CA, USA) AI platform allows any healthcare professional to capture diagnostic-quality ultrasound images, thanks to AI guiding them through every step of the scanning and image-capture process in real time. The software also automatically assesses image quality and calculates ejection fraction, a key measure of heart health. Left ventricular ejection fraction is one of the most widely used cardiac measurements and is a key indicator in the assessment of cardiac function across a spectrum of cardiovascular conditions.

Image: The AI platform scales to a breadth of clinical applications (Photo courtesy of Caption Health)

Caption Health is making earlier cardiac care accessible wherever patients are, utilizing the Caption AI platform to provide a convenient, cost-effective solution for cardiac ultrasound, the primary tool for assessing heart failure. But before the platform became widely available, patients could only be diagnosed after trained sonographers performed an ultrasound in a hospital or specialized setting – typically after the onset of symptoms. Today, it can be used at scale to detect signs of heart failure in at-risk patients in doctors' offices and even at home, helping to prevent avoidable hospitalizations and support improved clinical outcomes. Caption AI has been widely available in the U.S. since it received FDA 510(k) clearance in 2020 and has now received a CE Mark, marking the first step in making the technology platform available outside the US.

"Our technology harnesses the power of ultrasound and allows diagnostic images to be acquired wherever the patient may be. Earlier detection of cardiac issues allows us to impact the course of disease and improve outcomes," said Randolph P. Martin, FACC, FASE, FESC, Chief Medical Officer of Caption Health. "This is a big step forward in improving access and addressing the significant unmet need stemming from the increasing global burden of cardiovascular diseases like heart failure and valvular heart disease."

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