Echocardiography

This study evaluates a new single-beat echocardiographic technique (TE-e', the time difference between the onset of the mitral inflow E wave and the septal e' wave on tissue Doppler imaging) for estimating left atrial pressure (LAP) in critically ill patients, comparing it against the standard two-beat method. The goal is to determine whether the faster, single-beat method gives results as reliable as the conventional method, and whether it can help identify patients with elevated left atrial pressure without an invasive procedure.

To study the effect of a re-ascent after a one-week stay at sea level (after prior descent from 2850m) to high altitude (Quito Ecuador: 2850m) on pulmonary resistance (sPAP/CO) and other hemodynamic outcomes in healthy individuals, who live permanently \>2600m.

To study the effect of a re-ascent after a one-week stay at sea level (after prior descent from 2850m) to high altitude (Quito Ecuador: 2850m) on pulmonary resistance (sPAP/CO) and other hemodynamic outcomes in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension PAH, who live permanently \>2600m.

To study the effect of relocation from high altitude (Quito Ecuador: 2850m) to sea level on pulmonary resistance (sPAP/CO) and other hemodynamic outcomes in healthy individuals, who live permanently \>2600m.

To study the effect of relocation from high altitude (Quito Ecuador: 2850m) to sea level on pulmonary resistance (sPAP/CO) and other hemodynamic outcomes in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension PAH, who live permanently \>2600m.

This prospective observational study aims to investigate the acute cardiovascular effects of ultra-endurance running using comprehensive echocardiographic assessment combined with biological analyses. The main hypothesis is that participation in an ultra-trail race induces acute and transient changes in cardiac function involving both the left and right ventricles, associated with elevations in cardiac biomarkers, with physiological responses varying according to race distance and training level and showing spontaneous recovery within the days following the event. Adult amateur runners participating in ultra-trail races of 80 km or 160 km will undergo standardized clinical evaluation, electrocardiography, and transthoracic echocardiography with myocardial deformation analysis at multiple time points, including baseline, pre-effort, during the race, immediately after exercise, and during early recovery approximately one week after the event. Biological sampling will be performed before the race, immediately after exercise, and at follow-up. The primary objective is to evaluate acute changes in left ventricular systolic function assessed by global longitudinal strain. Secondary objectives include the assessment of biventricular and atrial function, cardiac and non-cardiac biomarkers, recovery patterns after ultra-endurance exercise, and the influence of race distance, training level, performance level, and sex on cardiovascular responses. This exploratory single-center study conducted in France seeks to provide an integrative characterization of cardiac adaptations to extreme endurance exercise and to generate physiological insights that may guide future research and cardiovascular monitoring strategies in endurance athletes.

Transthoracic echocardiography is an essential imaging modality for the diagnosis and follow-up of cardiovascular diseases. Comprehensive echocardiographic assessment requires multiple quantitative measurements of cardiac structure and function, which are time-consuming and highly dependent on operator expertise. US2.AI (Us2.v1) is an artificial intelligence (deep learning)-based software designed to automatically analyze standard two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic DICOM video clips acquired from different ultrasound vendors. The software provides automated measurements of cardiac morphology and function, including chamber dimensions and volumes, left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic function, myocardial strain, and Doppler-derived parameters, generating a comprehensive echocardiographic report based on current international guideline recommendations. In addition, the software may assist in identifying echocardiographic features suggestive of several cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cardiac amyloidosis, valvular heart disease, and ischemic cardiomyopathy.

This observational ambispective cohort study aims to establish reference values for cardiac structure and function, coronary artery dimensions, and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in a healthy pediatric population living in Italy. Healthy children aged 0-18 years undergoing cardiologic evaluation will be enrolled. Echocardiographic and carotid ultrasound parameters will be collected together with anthropometric and demographic data. The study includes both retrospective and prospective cohorts.

Eligible patients will be interviewed by research staff to explain the trial design and rationale. Written informed consent will be obtained from patients who voluntarily agree to participate. Demographics and medical history will be obtained. A 12-lead ECG will be performed; it has not been performed within 6 months. A photo of the 12-lead ECG will be taken by research staff using the DigitHeart-2 smartphone application. Predictions from DigitHeart-2/MERL-ECHO and other machine learning models hosted by the investigator team for each of the target anatomical and mechanical properties will be recorded. The cardiologist in charge of the patient, who is blinded to the prediction results from DigitHeart-2/MERL-ECHO, will perform echocardiography according to American Society of Echocardiography guidelines, which will serve as the gold standard for accuracy evaluation.

COMA.NET (Coronary Microcirculation Analysis Network) is a prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel-group clinical trial designed to determine whether endotype-guided pharmacotherapy is superior to standard care in improving quality of life in patients with ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries. Approximately 180-190 participants with objective ischemia will be randomized to either the control or the intervention group. Pharmacotherapy based on the endotype established during intracoronary assessment will be introduced in the intervention arm of the study. The primary endpoint is the change in the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) score from baseline to 3 months. Secondary endpoints include the diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic echocardiographic coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR), the incidence of adverse events, associations between biomarkers and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), and the identification of risk factors for specific CMD endotypes. Participants will undergo invasive functional evaluation of the coronary microcirculation, measurement of echocardiographic CFVR, and analysis of selected circulating biomarkers. The study cohort will be followed up at three and six months and will include reassessment of quality of life (Seattle Angina Questionnaire, EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Level questionnaire, 12-item Short Form Health Survey), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score), and functional status (6-minute walk test). The study began in October 2025. Primary completion is anticipated in October 2027, and the overall study completion date is expected in March 2028.

The goal of this observational study is to learn whether global longitudinal strain (GLS), measured by echocardiography, can predict difficulty separating from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can preoperative GLS measurement predict difficult separation from CPB? * Are GLS values associated with outcomes such as intensive care unit (ICU) stay, hospital stay, cardiac biomarkers, or 30-day mortality? Participants will: * Undergo standard cardiac surgery requiring CPB * Have echocardiographic assessments (TTE before and after surgery) * Have their recovery and outcomes monitored, including ICU and hospital stay, postoperative labs, and survival within 30 days

Value of speckle tracking echocardiography in early assessment of cardiac function in inflammatory bowel disease .

Subjects who are required to undergo transesophageal echocardiography according to the current clinical practice standards will be eligible for enrollment. Subjects will be screened for enrollment in this study against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After successful screening and enrollment of subjects, the investigators will first use the investigational device to conduct transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), followed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). TEE will be conducted after the subject has been anesthetized. To avoid any delay in diagnosis and treatment, after the scan with the investigational device is completed, the probe will be reserved and the console will be switched to the existing commercial cardiac diagnostic ultrasound device in the study site for intraoperative guidance. In the study, each investigator will evaluate the overall image quality, user interface, workflow, user preferences, product preset, and functions of the system, as well as the device's safety and stability and fill out a user feedback questionnaire provided by the Sponsor.

This project aims to collaborate with multiple medical institutions to verify the accuracy, stability, and clinical application value of AI algorithms in echocardiographic quantitative measurement through multi-center clinical research. Specific objectives include: 1. Compare the automatic measurement results of AI with the manual measurement data from physicians of different levels, and analyze the measurement deviation and consistency of AI in key parameters such as intracardiac diameter, volume, and function. 2. Investigate whether AI-assisted measurement can significantly reduce echocardiogram analysis time and optimize clinical workflows. Through multi-center data validation, establish a standardized reference system for AI ultrasound measurement, promote the promotion and application of AI technology in medical institutions at all levels, and reduce diagnostic differences between different hospitals and physicians. 3. Exploring the application of AI in special cases: Assessing the measurement stability of AI algorithms in complex cases (such as cardiomyopathy, valvular disease, coronary heart disease, etc.), and optimizing AI models to meet broader clinical needs.

Conventional transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) relies on fluoroscopic and contrast agents. However, in high-risk patients, exposure to ionizing radiation and contrast agents is contraindicated and undesirable. Echocardiography guidance TAVR can offer a feasible and safer strategy for TAVR.

The goal of the study was to estimate the outcome (mortality and morbidity) among hemodynamically unstable neonates, as well as the time to return to hemodynamic stability following the use of ECHO in the management of hemodynamically unstable neonates.

The primary aim of this work is to evaluate the role of high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) in recruitment of lung in preterm newborns 32 to 37 weeks gestational age with moderate to severe respiratory distress. The secondary aim is to evaluate the role of chest ultrasound in monitoring of lung recruitment in comparison to routine chest x ray in those babies. Also cardiac hemodynamics will be assesed using functional echocardiography.

Many studies have shown a decrease in inotropic status (intrinsic function) after blockade of cardiac sympathetic innervation with thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) (4,5). There is no study in the literature investigating the cardiac effects of left thoracic ESP block. We think that left thoracic ESP block, like TEA, may also have cardiac effects. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of left thoracic ESP block on left ventricular functions with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).

Post-thoracic surgery pain management thoracic epidural catheter is the most commonly used method. Thoracic epidural anesthesia, in which cardiac sympathetic nerves (T1-T5) are involved in neural blockade, is the focus of our research. Many studies have shown a decrease in inotropic status (intrinsic function) after blockade of cardiac sympathetic innervation with thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA).We want to examine the cardiac effects of TEA with strain echocardiography, which is an advanced echocardiography method. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of TEA on left ventricular functions with strain echocardiography.

Echocardiography is a cornerstone of modern cardiology management, but access in rural and remote areas is limited. We have developed a robot ("Edler" named after the originator of echocardiography) which enables a sonographer to complete an examination at a distance. This study seeks to compare the images obtained by both methods, the completeness of the exam over a feasible time, and to identify particular components of the exam that are difficult to obtain using the robot.

Current understanding suggests that the majority of cardiovascular events are driven by vulnerable plaques. Nonetheless, the impact of PCSK9 inhibitors on the stability of carotid plaques remains insufficiently elucidated, with a notable scarcity of relevant clinical studies. This investigation seeks to address this gap through a real-world study conducted among patients with arterial sclerosis in Asia. The primary aim is to evaluate the effects of small interfering RNA (inclisiran) on carotid plaque characteristics as assessed by ultrasound, thereby contributing valuable data to inform clinical practice.

The goal of this observational registry is to collect a curated dataset of multimodal imaging data that will serve for development of artificial-intelligence based solutions for prediction of risk and outcomes in patients with atrial fribrillation. Type of study: observational study Study Participants: Patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter who undergo clinically indicated transesophageal echocardiography before catheter ablation or cardioversion. We hypothesize, that automatic analysis of video images of transthoracic echocardiography with deep learning combined with clinical data can predict the presence of left atrial appendage thrombus (LAT). Therefore, our main aim is to create and validate an artificial intelligence model to predict the presence of LAT based on automatic analysis of transthoracic echocardiography with artificial intelligence.

The Beta-blockers in Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) (β-Tako) trial, is an academic, pragmatic, prospective, multicenter randomized clinical trial, aiming to assess the efficacy of beta-blockers (BB) in TTS patients. Two-hundred patients with TTS will be randomized (1:1) to BB (n=100) or no BB (n=100). BB with alpha or nitric oxide release activity will be used in the treatment arm. The primary endpoint will be the comparison of the wall motion score index by echocardiography at 7 days. A composite clinical endpoint (death, stroke, admission for recurrent TTS, ACS, heart failure or atrial fibrillation) at 1 year, will be assessed by an independent clinical events committee. Several sub-studies will be performed. The β-Tako trial will inform treatment decisions in this uniquely challenging clinical entity.

Echocardiography is the main method of bedside examination of neonatal cardiac morphology, which can timely diagnose congenital heart disease and quantitatively assess its severity, but the diagnosis and evaluation process depends on the normal range of neonatal echocardiography.At present, there have been normal reference standards for echocardiography in children and adults at home and abroad, but there is no uniform standard for echocardiographic parameters in newborns, especially premature infants.This study intends to carry out a national multicenter, prospective, observational study to establish the reference range of echocardiography at different time periods after birth in newborns, and stratified according to gestational age, birth weight and gender, to conduct a more accurate hemodynamic assessment of clinically critically ill newborns and guide the treatment of critically ill newborns in real time.

This observational study aims to improve the accuracy of the report of the echocardiographic study, making it more consistent with the current international guidelines and reducing the diagnostic mistakes in patients undergoing clinically -indicated echocardiography. The main questions it aims to answer are: * can the addition of automated diagnostic algorithms help to improve the overall accuracy of the echocardiographic report?