Supersonic to debut quantification tools at RSNA 2019.

By AuntMinnie.com staff writers

November 26, 2019 -- Ultrasound equipment manufacturer SuperSonic Imagine will be debuting three new quantitative liver ultrasound applications at the upcoming RSNA 2019 meeting in Chicago.

The first two tools, Att Plus and SSp Plus, are designed to simultaneously quantify ultrasound attenuation in the liver and intrahepatic speed of sound to reflect fat content for detecting and diagnosing hepatic steatosis, according to the vendor.

The third new tool, Vi Plus, works in combination with real-time elasticity imaging to visualize and quantify tissue viscosity. These viscosity assessments provide clinicians with information for tissue characterization.

Liver Health: Three New Ultrasound Markers Enter the U.S. Market

SuperSonic Imagine, a major actor promoting innovation in ultrasound, will introduce a suite of three ultrasound markers for non-invasive assessment of the severity of chronic liver diseases with quantitative results: Att PLUS, SSp PLUS and Vi PLUS. The first two of these tools allow for the simultaneous quantification of ultrasound attenuation in the liver and intrahepatic sound speed, reflecting fat content, an essential criterion for the detection and diagnosis of hepatic steatosis. Coupled with elasticity imaging in real time, the third one, Vi PLUS, makes it possible to visualise and quantify tissue viscosity, providing clinicians with important information for tissue characterisation.

“Liver diseases including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) linked to conditions like diabetes and obesity affect millions of Americans and have become an important public health concern in the space of just a few years. We are very proud to present the fruits of our expertise in liver health — the series of three non-invasive liver markers — for the first time in the United States. All the more so as these markers have just received 510(k) clearance from the FDA. Following the acquisition of SuperSonic Imagine by Hologic, we are also going to present many shared sessions dedicated to women's health,” concludes Michèle Lesieur, the CEO of SuperSonic Imagine.

ULTRASOUND THALAMOTOMY MAY HELP TREAT ESSENTIAL TREMOR.

By AuntMinnie.com staff writers

November 21, 2019 -- A treatment that uses ultrasound may be effective in relieving symptoms of essential tremor by targeting the affected area of the brain, according to a study published online November 20 in Neurology. The treatment, called focused ultrasound thalamotomy, essentially destroys the area of the brain causing the tremor.

More than 7 million people in the U.S. have essential tremor, according to the American Academy of Neurology. Currently, the most common treatment for the disorder when patients don't respond to medication is deep brain stimulation, a procedure that involves incisions and insertion of electrodes or probes into the patient's brain. Ultrasound thalamotomy would offer a less invasive treatment option and remains effective for approximately three years. It does, however, cause an irreversible brain lesion.

For the study, 56 patients received ultrasound thalamotomy and 20 received a fake treatment. The research team measured hand tremors, level of disability, and quality of life at the commencement of the study and after six months, one year, two years, and three years. By the three-year mark, the researchers noted a 50% improvement in hand tremors, a 56% improvement in disability, and a 42% improvement in quality of life.

While senior author Dr. Casey Halpern of Stanford University did note some limitations of the study, he concluded that "this treatment should be considered as a safe and effective option" for those living with essential tremor.