Heart failure is a significant global health challenge, affecting approximately 64 million individuals worldwide. It is associated with high mortality rates and poor quality of life, placing a considerable strain on healthcare systems around the world. Cardiovascular ultrasound, being the most common and least invasive method to examine the heart’s structure and function, is crucial for early diagnosis of cardiac conditions. As the complexity of clinical cases increases and the number of patients rises, physicians are tasked with analyzing hundreds of echocardiography exams each day, each containing thousands of data points. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into echocardiography has enabled the automation of certain diagnostic processes, enhancing clinicians' ability to make decisions and allowing for quicker, more confident, and efficient detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of various cardiac conditions.

Royal Philips (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) has unveiled its latest AI-enabled cardiovascular ultrasound platform designed to speed up the analysis of cardiac ultrasounds. This technology, integrated into Philips’ EPIQ CVx and Affiniti CVx ultrasound systems, has received FDA 510(k) clearance. The AI applications enhance Philips’ capabilities in cardiovascular imaging and diagnostics by automating measurements and streamlining workflows, thus boosting productivity in echocardiography labs. Trained on anonymized patient data collected in real clinical settings, these AI functionalities enhance the accuracy and consistency of cardiac imaging and optimize both individual operator and overall departmental efficiency.

These AI capabilities automate the interpretation of ultrasound images, enabling clinicians of various experience levels to analyze images with increased speed, efficiency, and accuracy in real-time. Philips has also integrated these advanced AI features into its cardiovascular ultrasound systems. Additionally, Philips had introduced a new mini ultrasound transducer, the X11 4t, earlier this year, which is fully compatible with the EPIQ CVx and Affiniti CVx systems. This innovative transducer is designed for interventional cardiologists and expands the scope of care to a broader patient group, including pediatric patients weighing as less as 5kg. Through ongoing innovation and partnerships with technology leaders, Philips continues to rapidly incorporate AI into its cardiovascular ultrasound portfolio, enhancing operational efficiency and productivity, addressing workforce challenges, and ensuring high-quality cardiac care for an expanding patient demographic.

“By harnessing the power of AI into our echocardiography solutions, we empower clinicians with enhanced diagnostic capabilities, to ultimately improve patient care and outcomes in the management of coronary and valvular disease, while enhancing overall efficiency in cardiac practice,” said David Handler, VP and Business Leader for Global Cardiovascular Ultrasound at Philips. “For patients, this means consistent image interpretation which can lead to fewer re-scans, shorter and more effective interventional procedures, and potentially faster recovery times.” 

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