Butterfly Network has announced the commercial launch of Butterfly iQ3, its third-generation handheld point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) system, in the US.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Butterfly iQ3 system is built on the P4.3 ultrasound-on-Chip technology with the world's fastest digital data transfer rate.
The system is designed to offer high-resolution image quality with twice the processing power compared to its predecessor, the Butterfly iQ+.
It also introduces a novel "no focus" rubber lens, which aids providers in intuitively identifying anatomy and making more confident diagnostic decisions.
Butterfly iQ3 features two new advanced 3D imaging capabilities: iQ Slice and iQ Fan. These tools are designed to simplify image capturing.
Said to be the world's first automated, sequential ultrasound capture mode on a handheld device, iQ Slice is capable of capturing up to 46 ultrasound slices at a time.
iQ Fan is a dedicated lung tool that allows for real-time virtual fanning to visualise lung conditions more easily.
Butterfly Network president, CEO and board chairman Joseph DeVivo said: “Butterfly iQ3 is a pivotal moment in Butterfly’s trajectory, further validating the company’s initial hypothesis that semiconductor-based digital ultrasound is not only viable, but the future of all ultrasound.
“With the introduction of iQ3, we’re witnessing a paradigm shift in ultrasound. iQ3 sets a new standard where digital image quality matches that of traditional handheld devices, and even certain carts.”
Furthermore, Butterfly iQ3 features a 17% smaller probe face for better access during imaging, a 7% shorter probe with ergonomic weight distribution to reduce physical strain, three configurable control buttons for tailored functionality, and a 2.5x faster charge time than the Butterfly iQ+ with up to two hours of thermal run time.
Last month, Butterfly unveiled ScanLab, an AI-powered educational application for ultrasound scanning practice.
Last year, the FDA granted 510(k) clearance to Butterfly Network’s artificial intelligence-enabled lung tool.
