Artificial Intelligence and Medical Technology company Echo IQ Limited (ASX:EIQ) has delivered a significant expansion to EchoSolv’s cardiology decision-support platform. The company will be rolling out six new solutions between November 2023 and January 2024 designed to support cardiologists in accurately diagnosing and assessing:
1. Diastolic Dysfunction
This is a common heart problem, affecting the ability of the heart to relax and strongly related to some forms of heart failure. Getting an accurate diagnosis is important because diastolic dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of death. Diastolic dysfunction is more common in older individuals, and with high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, heart valve diseases and heart failure, and diagnosis requires echocardiography (heart ultrasound). It can be difficult to diagnose and is well suited to automated diagnosis using the EchoSolv to assist doctors make this diagnosis.
2. Heart Failure
Heart Failure is the world’s leading cause of hospitalisation and is estimated to affect more than 64 million people worldwide. Heart failure most commonly presents with breathlessness on exertion, but diagnosis can be difficult with many individuals only receiving the diagnosis late in the disease process. Treatments for heart failure are effective and can save many lives, and starting treatment early is important. The use of echocardiography is essential in the diagnosis of heart failure, and the EchoSolv platform has allowed automation of diagnosis of heart failure to assist clinicians.
3. Hypertension
Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is increased pressure of blood going from the right heart and into the lungs. PH is common in people undergoing echocardiography, and is associated with a high risk of mortality if left untreated. The most common cause of PH is disease of the left side of the heart, and most forms of PH can be treated successfully if the diagnosis is made early in the disease process. A timely diagnosis of PH is therefore of paramount importance and is well suited to automation using the EchoSolv system.
4. Left Atrial Volume
The left atrial volume, usually indexed for body size, is a powerful marker of increased mortality and risk of stroke5,6. Measurement of left atrial volume is routine in echocardiography, but application of clinical practice guidelines is not routinely undertaken. The EchoSolv system allows consistent application of guidelines.
5. Left Ventricular Mass
The left ventricular mass indicates how much muscle is present in the left ventricle. It is an important marker of left heart diseases and is associated with risk of death if abnormally increased. The EchoSolv system automatically presents and categorises the left ventricular mass according to risk groups and assists the clinician in reporting.
6. Mitral Stenosis
Mitral stenosis is the most prevalent heart valve disease in developing nations, and is the most common manifestation of rheumatic heart disease. Although it is less common in developed nations, it is an important diagnosis in all regions and can be treated by valve intervention and/or replacement. The EchoSolv system allows accurate diagnosis of severity to be presented back to the clinical to assist in reporting.
EchoSolv currently gives users decision-support for Aortic Stenosis and Mitral Regurgitation. Commencing November this year, these additional new modules will give users the benefit of easy-to-use, accessible decision-support tools for up to 8 cardiac conditions and indicators (at additional cost). With cardiovascular disease being the world’s leading cause of death, this expanded solutions suite increases Echo IQ’s addressable market in the world’s most important healthcare sector. These solutions incorporate standard diagnostic guidelines and are designed to help doctors male more accurate assessments, more often.
We are firmly committed to harnessing new technologies and applying them to the complex world of echocardiography,” Echo IQ Chief Medical Advisor, Professor David Playford, said.
“These new enhancements to the EchoSolv platform simplify challenging diagnoses, and present them to doctors providing even greater levels of decision-support. Having EchoSolv as the go-to decision support system will improve a doctor’s accuracy of diagnosis and increase confidence to initiate life-saving interventions. It is another important step toward EchoSolv’s whole-of-heart solution.”
