Archives for August 2017

We are excited to announce that ASE Past President, Susan Wiegers, MD, FASE, has accepted an invitation to serve on the Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee (MIDAC) of the Food and Drug Administration for a term effectively immediately and ending June 30, 2021. The MIDAC advises the FDA Commissioner or designee in discharging responsibilities as they relate to helping to ensure safe and effective drugs for human use and, as required, any other product for which the Food and Drug Administration has regulatory responsibility. As a committee member, Dr. Wiegers will help review and evaluate data concerning the safety and effectiveness of marketed and investigational human drug products for use in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using radioactive pharmaceuticals and contrast media used in diagnostic radiology and make appropriate recommendations to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs. Join us in congratulating her on this very important appointment.

One of the latest products from ASE, Self Study: Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease DVD, provides a comprehensive review of the use of echocardiography in the diagnosis and follow-up of a variety of congenital heart diseases. Imaging from basic to comprehensive echocardiographic assessment is discussed. The DVD provides a review of anatomy and physiology including identifying and optimizing echocardiographic views for assessing and characterizing variations of congenital heart disease. It also includes a review of the different surgical approaches used to repair and palliate lesions.

Self Study: Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease DVD is suitable for sonographers, fellows, cardiologists, and physicians with limited background in congenital heart disease as well as those with significant congenital cardiac expertise. This DVD is designated by ASE for 12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Purchase your copy today at ASEMarketPlace.com.

The 4th issue of CASE is now online along with a new “What is This Image?” The ten case reports’ topics include ablation complications, coronary sinus fistula, CRT and Fabry, COR triatriatum, coronary perforation, ECMO, endocarditis by 3D, intramyocardial dissecting hematoma, and ePLAR for pulmonary embolism. The lead author on the ePLAR article, “Dramatic Normalization of the Echocardiographic Pulmonary-to-Left Atrial Ratio with Thrombolysis in a Case of Life-Threatening Submassive Pulmonary Emboli,” is Isabel G. Scalia, BSc, from Heart Care Partners in Brisbane, Australia. “This was a great opportunity to be able to highlight the power of ePLAR,  a new echocardiographic surrogate for transpulmonary gradient, in a case of massive life threatening pulmonary embolus,” said Scalia. “In particular, in both diagnosis and management follow up, ePLAR was able to demonstrate the physiology of acute subtotal occlusion of transpulmonary flow. As a young clinician, CASE journal has offered me an excellent platform to showcase the potential impact of this new, clinically useful echo tool. I very much hope that this case will encourage other clinicians to consider measuring ePLAR in patients with these conditions as a non-invasive aid to diagnosis and treatment.”

Dear ASE Members,

By now, we are all familiar with the reports of flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey and the devastating impact on Houston and other parts of Texas and Louisiana. At times like these, we draw from our compassion to support others through difficult times.  We are specifically thinking of our colleagues in the affected areas.  For our members in that vicinity we wish you well and thank those of you who have stayed at the hospitals and other care centers to help and treat patients during this time.

Many ASE members have contacted us to express their interest in assisting with relief efforts. Because ASE does not have the infrastructure to organize disaster recovery efforts, we encourage our members to volunteer with reputable, established relief teams that are already in place and/or give to other charitable organizations offering services in that area. If you would like to support their efforts, the American Red Cross, United Way Relief, and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund (established by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and managed by Greater Houston Community Foundation) are just a few of the organizations that are providing relief specifically for Hurricane Harvey.

Again, we hope all ASE members affected by the storm are safe, secure, and will soon be on the path to recovery. Our thoughts are with you.

Sincerely,

Vera Rigolin, MD, FASE
ASE President

Read release here.