Auto EF (automatic ejection fraction), where the ultrasound machine automatically tracks the endocardial border and calculates the ejection fraction of the left ventricle, used to be confined to the very top end of the cardiac ultrasound market – in the £90,000+ price bracket. Now, this technology is filtering down to medium range ultrasound machines, like the Siui Apogee 2300. Siui are a company who are currently leading the field in portable ultrasound, particularly where cardiology is concerned.

Auto EF reduces the interaction from the user, which not only speeds up examinations but also improves reproducibility, particularly for less experienced echocardiographers. Of course, it is possible to manually adjust any points which you do not agree with, but most of the time, the machine tracks the endocardium very well. Here is a clip of how the Apogee 2300 tracks the left ventricle throughout the cardiac cycle:

The machine also has a new strain package – useful for human cardiology, but unlikely to have much utility in the veterinary world at the present time.

This can help to identify wall motion abnormalities too subtle for the eye to detect. For example, in human athletes with subclinical cardiomyopathies, strain may help to unmask the underlying abnormality.

Auto EF is not currently included as standard on any Siui machine, but can be added to your customised cardiac package on the Apogee 2300. If you’d like to discuss your ultrasound requirements, please contact us here.