Ruby Hall Clinic under the leadership of Dr K B Grant has been in the forefront of making available the latest medical technology in this part of the country. In yet another pioneering step, it has recently acquired the Philips iE 33 system. On Sunday, on World Heart Day, the system was installed in Ruby Hall Clinic.

Cardiac imaging has taken giant strides since the days of M-mode echocardiography. “Subsequent advances of 2D echocardiography, colour flow imaging and continuous and pulsed wave doppler as also Trans Esophageal Echo (TEE), revolutionised trends in cardiological diagnosis and management,” said cardiologist Purvez Grant.

To a large extent, these modalities have rendered invasive procedures like Cardiac Catheterisation unnecessary especially in congenital heart disease, rheumatic valvular disease and pericardial pathology. Latest advances in this field include 3D echocardiography, tissue doppler, strain rate quantification and myocardial contrast perfusion studies.

The Philips iE 33 system incorporates all these modalities and is one of the most advanced cardiac ultrasound imaging systems in the world. 3D echo provides better accuracy in qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the heart and is less assumption dependent and more accurate in determining LV ejection fraction, LV volumes and mass than conventional 2D echo.

It has great utility in assessing suitability of patients of heart failure for cardiac resynchronisation therapy.