Cardiovascular Business - January/February 2009 - (Page 28)

Plugged In › By Sarah L amBerti Compact Echo Systems Come uP Big In CardIaC Care Smaller units offer improved workflow and productivity for pennies on the dollar compared to their larger cousins ltrasound usage in cardiology has been a market historically dominated by larger, cart-based systems, which offered more power and rapid processing and visualization over earlier generations of smaller, more portable units. Over the last few years, however, the cardiac ultrasound market has started to shift, churning out increasingly compact yet powerful machines, with an inexpensive price differential compared to the more traditional systems. The miniaturization of cardiac ultrasound equipment has evolved from catheter-tipped transducers for transesophageal, intravascular and intracardiac echocardiography to small fullfeatured ultrasound machines to compact devices no bigger than many laptop computers. The evolution continues, as manufacturers seek more ways to improve the technology of compact echoes, making them more accessible, affordable, portable and powerful, holding the promise to improve productivity and efficiency, as well as maintain a healthy bottom line. “We have seen a trend toward miniaturization, but with more sophisticated systems that are penetrating the market quickly,” says Ravindra Sharma, analyst with Millennium Research Group (MRG). For example, the cardiac ultrasound market is set to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1 percent from 2008 to 2012, and the overall sales for the total cardiac ultrasound market are expected to be $450 million in the U.S. Color-flow Doppler image of the left ventricle taken from a Ge healthcare Vivid-i compact ultrasound unit. Source: richard milani, mD, director of noninvasive laboratories at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. U Detail of the papillary muscles, chordal attachments and trabeculations can be seen in this image taken from a Philips healthcare CX50 compact ultrasound unit. Source: Philips healthcare 28 Cardiovascular Business January/February 2009

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cardiovascular Business - January/February 2009

Cardiovascular Business - January/February 2009 Contents First Word Electrophysiology Roundtable Forum: A Candid Conversation about Profits, Procedures and Patients Heart Failure Care Gets Boost from Technology Emerging Technologies in Peripheral Vascular Interventions Stent vs. Graft: Choosing the Best Path for the Diabetic Patient with Multivessel Disease Cardiology Groups and Hospitals Strive to ‘Connect’ Seamlessly CT Beyond 64 Slices Clinical Study Digest: Kidney Disease & PCI; Women and Valve Disease Compact Echo Systems Come Up Big in Cardiac Care News & Views Reader Resources The ACC Corner

Cardiovascular Business - January/February 2009

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