GE HealthCare Introduces Caption AI on Vscan Air SL Wireless Handheld Ultrasound System to Help More Clinicians Capture Diagnostic-Quality Cardiac Images

GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) today announced the launch of Caption AI artificial intelligence (AI)-driven software for rapid cardiac assessments at the point of care on Vscan Air SL. Now, with Caption AI technology, clinicians using Vscan Air SL handheld ultrasound will have access to real-time, step-by-step guidance to capture diagnostic-quality images and automated ejection fraction estimation to help inform clinical decisions across cardiac settings. Vscan Air SL with Caption AI will debut at the 2024 American College of Cardiology (ACC) Annual Scientific Session & Expo, taking place April 6 – 8, 2024 in Atlanta.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, and the prevalence is expected to continue rising as people live longer and the population increases.¹ Early detection of heart disease is critical to improving patient outcomes, but providing rapid echocardiographic assessments at the point of care can be difficult in resource-constrained facilities and practices. Vscan Air SL with Caption AI is designed to lower the threshold for healthcare professionals to be able to capture cardiac images so that even non-expert ultrasound users can take a quick look at patients’ hearts.

"With the increase of cardiovascular disease and shortage of sonographers around the globe, innovations like the Vscan Air SL with Caption AI are hugely transformative in cardiac care, supporting rapid and confident assessments at the point of care," said cardiologist Jordan B. Strom, M.D., MSc. "AI guidance has enormous potential in ultrasound due to its ability to guide experts and relatively new users in retrieving diagnostic-quality information to make timely and accurate decisions and get patients on the right path sooner."

Caption AI provides real-time visual guidance to prompt users on probe movements and includes a quality meter to ensure the user obtains the best possible images. Once an image is captured, the AutoEF feature automatically calculates a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). In addition, users can efficiently scan with AutoCapture and Save Best Clip features to capture the best quality image from each view.

The ultraportable Vscan Air SL provides high levels of depth, resolution and sensitivity in imaging performance with an industry-leading single crystal transducer technology. The latest integration of Caption AI builds on GE HealthCare’s history and innovation in handheld ultrasound—having introduced the pioneering Vscan in 2010 as the first color, pocket-sized ultrasound device—and is helping to make next-generation ultrasound care accessible to even more patients.