ACIST Medical Systems Inc, an interventional and diagnostic technology company, has announced that its HDi high-definition intravascular ultrasound system has been used in the first patient case for an interventional cardiology procedure. The procedure was performed by Paul Teirstein, MD, the chief of cardiology and director of interventional cardiology for Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif.
The ACIST HDi is designed to offer detailed insight that interventional cardiologists can use to optimize treatment choice for their patients. During the first case, fine plaque details were visualized in a highly stenosis vessel, and the imaging system enabled the doctor to continuously visualize the entire vessel. This helped with optimal stent sizing, and HDi aided in ensuring proper stent expansion.
According to ACIST Medical, the HDi system offers improved image clarity, speed of procedure, and image interpretation. The new system is considered to be the first high-definition IVUS system, which includes a touch panel interface, high-definition catheter, and swift pullback speed. HDi’s improved image quality is due to a combination of its 60 MHz transducer and powerful signal processing, which produce imaging at high axial resolution (<40 µm versus the ~100 µm of other IVUS systems) and with minimized image noise, without the need for vessel clearing.
HDi also has a high depth of penetration to allow assessment of full plaque burden and the complete left main artery. The complete HDi imaging system is integrated into a 19-inch touchscreen console, which has interactivity via swiping, zooming, drawing, and annotating, allowing rapid measuring and manipulation. With its small footprint, HDi can be integrated into catheterization laboratories. The Kodama HD IVUS catheter, which houses the ultrasound transducer, has been designed for improved image quality and deliverability. HDi has both manual and super fast automated pullback options up to 10 mm/s. In this setting, HDi can complete pullback up to 20 times faster, reducing the time from minutes to seconds and minimizing ischemic risk and motion artifacts.
ACIST Medical Systems is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minn. To learn more about the company and the HDi high-definition intravascular ultrasound system, visit the ACIST website.
