Munich, Germany - October 26th, 2005 - TomTec Imaging Systems GmbH today announced the introduction of its new 4D MV-Assessment software.

The 4D MV-Assessment software combines the strength of 2D with the advantages of 3D echocardiography to provide the doctor with important and partly unprecedented diagnostic information for the mitral valve.

The trend to operate even asymptomatic patients suffering from mitral regurgitation is increasing the pressure on clinicians for precise diagnoses. Since only patients where the mitral valve can be repaired will benefit from early intervention, a preoperative assessment of the feasibility of mitral valve repair becomes more and more important.
Conventional 2D ultrasound is limited in its ability to determine underlying mitral valve pathologies precisely, because the user has to reconstruct the complex three-dimensional anatomy of the valve mentally.

Using 3D echocardiographic datasets, 4D MV-Assessment presents the anatomical structures of the mitral valve annulus and the closure line of the two leaflets in three dimensions. This simplifies assessing valve morphology and delivers accurate localisation and size information for pathological findings that would be hard to make with conventional echocardiography. For example, prolapses or the jet sizes and origins can be assessed accurately and easily with 4D MV-Assessment. Furthermore, advanced 3D measurements allow doctors to quantify their pathological findings and therefore increase the diagnostic confidence.

The easily understood findings from the 4D MV-Assessment software also contribute to better communication between clinicians of different specialities or with different levels of experience in ultrasound diagnostics. It therefore simplifies the interdisciplinary planning of therapy. For example, cardiac surgeons can plan their surgical intervention in more detail and decide preoperatively about surgical techniques and who should operate.

TomTec developed the 4D MV-Assessment software with leading clinical partners, with an emphasis on user-friendliness. 4D MV-Assessment is the first dedicated 3D clinical application for the mitral valve on the market. The easy and quick workflow makes the software applicable in the doctors daily clinical routine said Frank Schlau, TomTecs Senior VP Sales & Marketing.

Dr. Martin Hyca, TomTecs Clinical Marketing Manager adds, With the introduction of 4D MV-Assessment, 3DE will allow cardiologists to better assess complex mitral regurgitation and to guide treatment options, including new therapeutic strategies such as percutaneous treatment of mitral valve.

For more information visit www.tomtec.de.

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