GE Healthcare licenses ultrasound diagnostic protocol

GE Healthcare has announced that it has licensed the rights to the ultrasound diagnostic protocol developed by an obstetrician from the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS).

This patented technique facilitates the automation of the acquisition of ultrasound images used by doctors for the diagnoses of foetal heart defects.

GE Healthcare has gained an exclusive right to license this software to be used in its three and four-dimensional ultrasound systems, with the incorporation of the protocol in its next-generation Voluson E8, which also includes the SonoVCAD to boost clinical workflow.

Alfred Abuhamad, chairman of obstetrics and gynaecology at EVMS and developer of the protocol, said: “This is going to change the way ultrasound is practised.”

“With some heart defects, infants can die without surgery soon after birth. With an earlier diagnosis months before birth, clinicians and the mother can plan delivery in tertiary care centres with surgeons prepared.”

He added that the diagnosis of foetal heart defects requires a heart-view showing all four chambers together with precisely angled views of other planes, which can be extremely challenging.

In April 2007, GE Healthcare announced the implementation of Innova intravascular ultrasound in partnership with Volcano Corporation.