AISAP has partnered with US-based Amavita Heart and Vascular Health in a move set to bring its AI-powered AISAP CARDIO point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) platform to underserved communities in South Florida with high minority populations.
Amavita founder and medical director Dr Pedro Martinez-Clark stated that AISAP CARDIO is being deployed in screening for aortic stenosis (AS) and other valvular diseases at its clinics, local skilled nursing facilities, and via mobile screening units.
AS is a common condition wherein the exit of the left ventricle of the heart is narrowed, meaning that blood flow from the heart to the aorta, the body’s largest artery, is restricted or blocked entirely. Left untreated, AS can be life-threatening.
Research indicates that one in four patients with moderate or severe AS in the US is not clinically recognised, with diagnosis rates worse among underrepresented minority groups and women.
Martinez-Clark stated that of the approximately 60 patients screened with AISAP CARDIO so far, significant valvular pathologies had been identified in 28%.
“Aortic stenosis is a devastating disease with a very high mortality rate if left untreated,” said Martinez-Clark.
AISAP CARDIO is a cloud-based platform and was trained on thousands of studies, as per the US company. The algorithms have been validated via multiple randomised trials at hospitals and medical centres around the US.
“Using AISAP CARDIO, we aim to dramatically increase early detection rates and offer patients timely intervention so that they can go on to live healthy lives,” added Martinez-Clark.
According to Ashley Clarke, senior healthcare analyst at GlobalData, in the US, handheld systems have the highest growth value out of all ultrasound systems – at a current rate of 3.75% annually – with the upfront acquisition cost for these and other devices classifiable as POCUS considerably lower, costing between $5,000 and $20,000 on average, than traditional ultrasound systems that may cost anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000.
In September 2024, GE HealthCare introduced its Venue POCUS systems, including Venue Sprint, a new tablet-based device. GlobalData analysis indicates that the global ultrasound systems market was valued at around $6.4bn in 2023 and is forecast to reach a valuation of around $7.3bn by 2033.
