Intracardiac Ultrasound System and Echocardiography Catheter Provides Real-time Image Guidance and Visualization

An ultrasound system is designed for real-time image guidance and visualization of the cardiac anatomy. The system is able to deliver fast, high-fidelity images that help direct diagnosis or therapy during complex electrophysiology procedures. The system is compatible with a new intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter, which offers improved one-handed control, steering angles up to 120°, and enhanced tip stability.

The ViewMate Z ultrasound system, developed by St. Jude Medical, Inc. (St. Paul, MN, USA) is designed to allow clinicians to better visualize a patient's cardiac anatomy and the effects of treatment in real-time. One of the industry's smallest cart-based systems, the ViewMate Z system offers greater portability and optimizes vital lab space while reducing obstructions in a clinician's workflow. The system was designed and developed through St. Jude Medical's development and distribution agreement with Zonare Medical Systems (Mountain View, CA, USA), a provider of high-end ultrasound systems.

"The ViewMate Z System offers clear visualization of patient anatomy and in turn provides the opportunity for a more effective procedure for the patient. It also has a unique ability to quickly produce exceptional images in a compact, cart-based system, improving on the effectiveness and efficiency of current ICE systems,” said Jane J. Song, president of the St. Jude Medical atrial fibrillation division. "This system is just the first of many products we intend to launch focusing on better imaging tools that put more control in the hands of physicians.”

Zonare Medical System's unique Zone Sonography enables the ViewMate Z system to provide a quality image, performance, and features, as well as image processing capabilities without the limitations of current systems. Conventional ultrasound systems acquire and process echo data line-by-line and therefore are limited by the time required for sound propagation in the patient's body. Zone Sonography technology is a new approach to echo data acquisition and image formation. It acquires ultrasound data very quickly in a comparatively small number of large zones, each of which contain a volume of data equivalent to many lines in a conventional system. Zone Sonography technology acquires data up to 10 times faster than traditional systems.

Ultrasound technology allows physicians to produce high-resolution intracardiac images. These images help guide physicians in performing a variety of procedures such as radiofrequency (RF) ablation to treat irregular heart rhythms and in closing defects such as patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small hole or opening in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria). Clear views inside the heart also help reduce the time that it takes physicians to perform such procedures, providing patients an opportunity to recover more quickly and potentially enhancing hospital productivity.

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St. Jude Medical
Zonare Medical Systems