Archives for September 2020

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) and the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) are pleased to announce the launch of the new, improved ImageGuide Registry®. ASNC and ASE have selected ARMUS Corporation as the new registry vendor. This partnership will enable the ImageGuide Registry to expand and capitalize on new technology to support its mission of improving patient outcomes in cardiovascular imaging.

“Through this partnership with ARMUS and the re-launch of our registry, the mission of ImageGuide will be able to be fully realized through automatic data capture, outcomes connections and potential for image inclusion. ASE looks forward to leveraging this information for the benefit of patient care,” says Sherif Nagueh, MD, FASE, chair of ASE’s Registry Committee Read more here.

ImageGuideEcho is A FREE benefit for U.S.-based ASE members. Learn more here: ImageGuideEcho.org.

Join Guideline Chair, Amer M. Johri, MD, FASE, and Henrik Sillesen, MD, DMSc, for a free, LIVE webinar, Tuesday, September 22, 1:00 – 2:00 PM EDT, as they review the recently published ASE guideline, Recommendations for the Assessment of Carotid Arterial Plaque by Ultrasound for the Characterization of Atherosclerosis and Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk. They will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound methods for carotid arterial plaque quantification.

1. To register, login to your ASE member portal.
2. Select the ASE Learning Hub from the top red menu.
3. Register for the webinar here.

By the end of this educational webinar, viewers will be able to:

• Understand the standard method for carotid arterial plaque quantification recommended by ASE using 2-D or 3-D derived plaque height.
• Be familiar with other methods of arterial plaque measurement such as plaque score, plaque area, and plaque volume, including their advantages and disadvantages.
• Understand the clinical context within which carotid arterial plaque quantification enhances cardiovascular risk stratification.

Be familiar with emerging techniques for carotid arterial plaque composition assessment and its role in detecting the vulnerable patient.

Join E21 Research Grant study section chairs Jonathan R. Lindner, MD, FASE (American Society of Echocardiography) and J. Brian Fowlkes, PhD, FAIUM (American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine) for a free, moderated discussion with the E21 Grant Recipients on September 23, 2020 at 6:00 PM ET. The event will include updates on the innovative research being done through clinician-scientist and engineering partnerships, dialogue regarding cutting-edge ultrasound research, and feature the inaugural E21 Research Grant Recipients presenting their mid-term progress reports:

• Oliver Kripfgans, PhD, FAIUM
• Babak Nazer, MD
• Patricia Pellikka, MD, FASE 

The aim of the 2019 E21 Research Grants funding opportunity was to promote research partnerships between clinician-scientists and engineering scientists, with the purpose of addressing a major clinical problem in cardiovascular ultrasound imaging. Funding was provided by the ASE Foundation, American Society of Echocardiography, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, National Board of Echocardiography, Inc., Bracco, Inc., and Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc.

National Coffee Day is September 29th but we’re celebrating all week long! Join the ASE Foundation September 27 – October 3 and help us raise $5,000. Donate what you would normally spend on a cup of coffee to ASEF. Your contribution will help us meet our Annual Appeal goal and raise needed funding to support scholarships, guideline dissemination, and research!

Mark your calendars and plan to “Donate A Cup” to ASEF! Donations will be accepted all week long, September 27- October 3, 2020. Contact Foundation@ASEcho.org to get the ball rolling and make an early pledge.

Congratulations to Shiecca C. Madzima, MD, Christina A. Snider, BA, Haris Riaz, MD, and Rohit Moudgil, MD, PhD, from the Section of Clinical Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio for supplying the image and text for the latest CASE, What is This Image? quiz. Are you able to get it right?

The September JASE contains “Poor Survival with Impaired Valvular Hemodynamics After Aortic Valve Replacement: The National Echo Database Australia Study,” by David Playford, MBBS, PhD, FCSANZ, FESC, FACC, et al. Dr. Playford said, “We have coined a new term in relation to obstruction of flow across valve replacements: “Impaired Valvular Hemodynamics” or IVH. We believe it best addresses the combined issue of abnormal gradients, reduced orifice area, and patient-prosthesis mismatch.The National Echo Database of Australia is the world’s largest repository of echocardiographic measurement and report data that is linked with all-cause and disease-specific mortality. Using NEDA, we characterised the valvular hemodynamics in patients with AVR and classified them by the degree of IVH.” Two additional articles on echo in valvular heart diseases join this one for a deep dive on the topic.

This issue also includes a state-of-the-art review, “Artificial Intelligence and Echocardiography: A Primer for Cardiac Sonographers,” from Ashlee Davis, BS, ACS, RDCS, FASE, et al. Ms. Davis said, “With this article, we really wanted to address artificial intelligence (AI) from the sonographer’s perspective. Our goal was to ensure that sonographers have an understanding of the current and future uses of AI in echo, and address any concerns or fears that they may have about the impact on the profession.”

Other clinical investigations cover stress echo, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and contrast echo, how to identify cardiovascular risk in systemic lupus erythematosus, echo assessment of myocardial scar, echo in children, and fetal echo. Three brief research communications finish out this month’s scientific knowledge. To read about a man whose life exemplified passion for echo and science, do not miss JASE Editor-in-Chief Michael H. Picard’s piece, “In Memoriam: Alfred F. Parisi, MD, FASE.”

Other features this month include:

• The President’s Message from Judy Hung, MD, FASE
• The Sonographer’s Communication from Sharon Mulvagh, MD, FASE et al, A Survey of CEUS Education in Sonographer Training Programs: The Well-Opacified and Delineated Road Less Travelled, and Ready to Be Taken
• The Education calendar highlighting extraordinary opportunities around the world to increase your expertise and add to the field.
• The Council on Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease Communication by Piers Barker, MD, FASE

JASE always welcomes input from our readers as we strive to provide top-notch research and communication for our dynamic field. Email managing editor, Deborah Meyer, at DMeyer@ASEcho.org.

During the month of August, one ASE member, Cassady Palmer, BS, ACS, RDCS, RDMS, FASE, was recognized for Going the Extra Mile and received a GEM award!z

Her nominator said, “Cassady has made some tremendous strides in the name of research for our lab. Cassady and our Medical Director, Dr Mazur, have secured a large research grant that will support and propel their work for years to come. Needless to say, we are very proud.”

Do you know an ASE member who’s gone the extra mile? Join us in celebrating ASE members who are making the world a better place, be it for their dedication to the field of cardiovascular ultrasound, being an outstanding mentor to students or fellows, their commitment to quality patient care, a milestone service anniversary, or congratulating them on a major accomplishment. Learn more about how to nominate someone here.

Join Guideline Chair, Amer M. Johri, MD, FASE, and Henrik Sillesen, MD, DMSc, for a free, LIVE webinar, Tuesday, September 22, 1:00 – 2:00 PM EDT, as they review the recently published ASE guideline, Recommendations for the Assessment of Carotid Arterial Plaque by Ultrasound for the Characterization of Atherosclerosis and Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk. They will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound methods for carotid arterial plaque quantification.

1. To register, login to your ASE member portal.
2. Select the ASE Learning Hub from the top red menu.
3. Register for the webinar here.

By the end of this educational webinar, viewers will be able to:

• Understand the standard method for carotid arterial plaque quantification recommended by ASE using 2-D or 3-D derived plaque height.
• Become familiar with other methods of arterial plaque measurement such as plaque score, plaque area, and plaque volume, including their advantages and disadvantages.
• Understand the clinical context within which carotid arterial plaque quantification enhances cardiovascular risk stratification.
• Become familiar with emerging techniques for carotid arterial plaque composition assessment and its role in detecting the vulnerable patient.