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TomTec Imaging Systems: Study Proves Efficiency of Automated Routine Cardiac MeasurementsFaster and highly reproducible: These are the advantages of automated measurements of ejection fraction (EF) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) of the left ventricle. According to a current study conducted by a research team around Dr. Partho Sengupta (Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC) and Dr. Christian Knackstedt (University of Maastricht), automated measurements correlate well with conventional manual tracings, but are far more consistent. The researchers analyzed data from 255 patients and used software from TomTec Imaging Systems (News - Alert) GmbH for the automated calculation of these important cardiac measurements. The left ventricular EF is a key marker for diagnosing cardiac disorders. It is used routinely in daily clinical practice. Besides this, another diagnostic parameter, the GLS is gaining more and more attention. So far, EF and GLS have been assessed by manual measurement methods and visual estimation based on reading cardiac ultrasound images. This approach might change soon due to some limitations. Automated measurements yield precise results with significant time saving shows a multicenter study conducted by the Universities of Maastricht, Hannover, Padua and New York, published recently in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The researchers used AutoLV*, a software tool from TomTec, which analyzes ultrasound images to calculate the cardiac EF and GLS. It does so independently from the vendor of the ultrasound system which has been used to acquire the images. This software uses image-processing algorithms to detect the left ventricle, trace the ventricular wall and determine the volume, EF and deformation based on ultrasound images within a matter of seconds. Thanks to the automation the values are also entirely free from user-specific fluctuations - a decisive advantage over manual and visual procedures. "The notorious time crunch, high patient throughput and individual interpretations of echocardiography by different doctors, or just the visual assessment of the EF all clearly represent a large area of application for this kind of software," says Dr. Knackstedt. He isconvinced that "software-based applications like AutoLV offer the chance to obtain the data that we need for accurate diagnosis quicker and more easily." The reproducibility of the data alone is a critical advantage for ensuring continuous diagnostic quality. Dr. Sengupta points out that "such a platform for automated analysis also heralds a new direction in cardiac ultrasound research where standardized high-quality feature tracking data generation can be used for big-data analytics, pattern recognition and precision medicine." The reliability of the measurement results is paramount to Rolf Baumann, Chief Technology Officer at TomTec: "For a long time, TomTec has focused on the automation of clinical measurements to meet the increasing demand for efficiency on the one hand, and for providing comparable results that extend beyond the precinct of the hospital on the other. In so doing, we limit the effects of individual factors and are able to contribute to improving the diagnostic quality at the same time." The study is a decisive step towards a better understanding of how software-supported applications can contribute to simplification and improvement of standard measurements in clinics and medical practices. TomTec offers free web seminars and product demonstrations, as well as extensive training to interested clinics and cardiologists through its TomTec Academy. For more information, visit: www.tomtec.de/academy http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=2442716 About TomTec Imaging Systems GmbH TomTec Imaging Systems GmbH is a software provider offering medical and research-orientated ultrasound evaluation and healthcare IT solutions. A total of 80 employees develop, produce and distribute technically complex products in the field of 2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound image processing and capture. The company, founded in 1990, is considered a global market leader in this field. About TomTec AutoLV The AutoLV program is part of the TomTec-Arena™. The TomTec-Arena software package combines a multitude of clinical applications for the review, analysis and quantification of medical imaging data in multiple dimensions (2D and 3D/4D) and for multiple modalities, such as ultrasound, X, MR and NM. TomTec-Arena™ combines the entire portfolio of cardiological and radiological applications developed by TomTec into one product. * AutoLV is a module of TomTec-Arena™ http://www.tomtec.de/end_users/2d_echo/autolvc.html
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