{
  "abstract": "Aims\n\nThis study aims to assess quality of cardiac ultrasound imaging from commercially available single-probe handheld devices.Methods and results\n\nCardiac imaging from single-probe handheld ultrasound devices was prospectively acquired by registered cardiac sonographers. Videos were graded on a scale of 1 (uninterpretable) to 5 (diagnostic-quality imaging) by 2 sonographers. The average image quality score for each cine loop was analysed. Interpretable imaging was defined as an average IQ score ≥ 2. Good image quality was defined as an average IQ score ≥ 4. Imaging from single-probe devices representing 518 videos from 206 patients was assessed. The mean age was 72 (SD 11.1) years. Agreement on image quality was moderate (weighted kappa 0.50, 95% CI 0.45-0.55). The correlation between sonographer quality grades was 0.60. The median average IQ score was 2.5 (1.5). 454 (88%) of the videos were interpretable (average IQ ≥ 2). At least one interpretable video was obtained for 187 (91%) patients. 62/518 (12%) of videos had good image quality (average score ≥ 4). There was a trend towards lower image quality with increasing BMI categories [16-25, median 3.0 (2.0, 3.5), 25-29, median 3.0 (2.0, 3.5), > 29 median 2.5 (2.0, 3.0), P < 0.001].Conclusion\n\nBasic interpretable imaging from single-probe handheld ultrasound devices can be obtained for most patients under idealized conditions, suggesting possible use for enhanced cardiac disease detection. Since imaging from a significant minority of patients is uninterpretable and lower image quality is associated with higher BMI, rigorous assessment of image quality is essential prior to image interpretation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.",
    "Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.",
    "Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.",
    "Department of Computer Science, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.",
    "Cardiovascular Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.",
    "Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness (PACE) Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 15,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Anna Grimaldo",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5267-9452"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Benjamin Koethe",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8019-181X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Shane Williams",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-3176-5458"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Eileen W Mai",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2861-7654"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Joseph Nguyen",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-0250-0138"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Monica M Dehn",
      "orcid": "0009-0007-5769-8410"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Lisa Small"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Jennie An",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-5272-7300"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Veronique Recile"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Denise Daudelin",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6758-7753"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ludovic Trinquart",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3028-4900"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "David M Kent",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9205-5070"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Ayan R Patel",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1984-1400"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Michael Hughes",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4859-7400"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        4,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Benjamin S Wessler",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8652-1426"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/93gtxchdrh0fs.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1093/ehjimp/qyag172",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685631",
  "id": "93gtxchdrh0fs",
  "issns": [
    "2755-9637"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42910194",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2706|Ultrasound in Clinical Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220854747",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685631?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13685631",
  "pmid": "42910194",
  "published": "2026-10-06",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/93gtxchdrh0fs.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:14Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42910194",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42910194"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2706|Ultrasound in Clinical Applications",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Assessment of cardiac image quality from single-probe handheld ultrasound devices.",
  "title_text": "Assessment of cardiac image quality from single-probe handheld ultrasound devices.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:14Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/93gtxchdrh0fs",
  "venue": "European heart journal. Imaging methods and practice",
  "versions": []
}