Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
Showing 15 appraisals
The American journal of cardiology
Systematic Review of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Guidance for Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is emerging as a valuable adjunct for chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), particularly for lesions in which angiography incompletely defines procedural anatomy. In this systematic review, the authors evaluated the role of CCTA in CTO diagnosis, lesion characterization, prediction of guidewire crossing and procedural success, and procedural guidance. CCTA provides a detailed assessment of key features that directly influence CTO PCI strategy and outcomes. Randomized and observational data suggest that preprocedural CCTA can improve procedural planning, increase technical success in complex lesions, and support safer and more efficient CTO PCI through fluoroscopic co-registration and other real-time guidance applications. These findings highlight the clinical value of CCTA as a tool that can enhance case selection, optimize crossing strategy, and improve procedural success in contemporary CTO PCI.
18 July 2026
Read appraisal →Journal of the American Heart Association
Diagnostic and Prognostic Utility of Mitral Annular Plane Systolic Excursion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND: Movement of the mitral annulus toward the left ventricular (LV) apex during systole, termed atrioventricular plane displacement or mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), was first observed by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century. MAPSE, a measure of longitudinal movement, shows good agreement between transthoracic echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and can also be measured by transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac computed tomography. Measurement is fast, simple, and easily automated. However, no major imaging guidelines advise routine measurement. METHODS: We present a systematic review of studies appraising the diagnostic and prognostic performance of MAPSE from PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and Embase until September 2025 in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Studies assessing MAPSE in adult populations were included, and non-English publications, abstracts, and studies of congenital heart disease were excluded. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessed study quality. Correlation coefficients between MAPSE and markers of systolic function were pooled using Hunter-Schmidt meta-analysis. Heterogeneous diagnostic and prognostic outcomes were synthesized narratively. RESULTS: The review included 92 studies. MAPSE correlated with LV ejection fraction (r=0.64 [95% CI, 0.54-0.74]) and global longitudinal strain (r=0.53 [95% CI, 0.45-0.63]), showing a modest association with systolic function, particularly useful in patients with poor echocardiographic windows. MAPSE was frequently reduced despite preserved LV ejection fraction across multiple pathologies, enabling earlier detection of systolic impairment. MAPSE also demonstrated strong prognostic value, outperforming LVEF and global longitudinal strain in predicting adverse events in several studies. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, MAPSE has a clinically important role meriting integration into routine cardiac imaging and care.
9 July 2026
Read appraisal →The New England journal of medicine
Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided or Angiography-Guided Complex High-Risk PCI
BACKGROUND: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been associated with increased stent optimization and reduced adverse events among patients with complex coronary-artery lesions, but adoption of this strategy in Western countries remains low. Although practice guidelines recommend intracoronary imaging for anatomically complex lesions, evidence from current European practice is limited. METHODS: In this investigator-initiated, international, open-label, randomized, controlled trial, we assigned patients undergoing complex PCI to either IVUS-guided PCI, performed with the use of prespecified stent-optimization criteria, or angiography-guided PCI. The primary end point was target-vessel failure, defined as a composite of death from cardiac causes, target-vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically indicated target-vessel revascularization. RESULTS: Of the 2020 patients who underwent randomization, 1010 in the IVUS-guided PCI group and 1009 in the angiography-guided PCI group were included in the primary analysis. The mean age of the patients was 69 years, 79.4% were men, and 27.4% presented with an acute coronary syndrome. The mean procedure duration was 88.8 minutes with IVUS-guided PCI and 66.2 minutes with angiography-guided PCI. Dilation with balloon angioplasty after stent implantation was performed in 91.3% of the IVUS-guided PCI procedures and in 84.5% of the angiography-guided PCI procedures. At a median follow-up of 19.0 months (interquartile range, 15.2 to 23.4), target-vessel failure had occurred in 140 patients (13.9%) in the IVUS-guided PCI group and in 112 patients (11.1%) in the angiography-guided PCI group (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 0.97 to 1.60; P = 0.08). Procedural complications occurred in 11.3% of the IVUS-guided PCI procedures and in 10.2% of the angiography-guided PCI procedures. The frequency of adverse events appeared to be similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients undergoing complex high-risk PCI, a strategy of routine IVUS-guided PCI performed with the use of prespecified stent-optimization criteria was not associated with a lower risk of target-vessel failure than angiography-guided PCI alone. (Funded by Boston Scientific; IVUS-CHIP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04854070.).
13 June 2026
Read appraisal →The New England journal of medicine
IVUS-Guided versus Angiography-Guided PCI in Unprotected Left Main Coronary Disease
BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly used for revascularization of unprotected left main coronary artery disease. Whether intravascular ultrasonographic (IVUS) guidance during PCI results in better clinical outcomes than conventional angiographic guidance alone is uncertain. METHODS: In an international, multicenter, open-label trial, we randomly assigned patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either IVUS-guided PCI or angiography-guided PCI. The primary end point was a patient-oriented composite of any stroke, any myocardial infarction, any revascularization, or death from any cause at the longest follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 806 patients underwent randomization; 401 were assigned to undergo IVUS-guided PCI and 405 to undergo angiography-guided PCI. The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 71.4±10.7 years, 78.4% of the patients were men, and 34.7% had diabetes. At a median follow-up of 2.9 years, a primary end-point event had occurred in 135 patients (33.7%) in the IVUS-guided PCI group and in 125 patients (30.9%) in the angiography-guided PCI group (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 1.42; P = 0.40). The incidence of death, myocardial infarction, or revascularization appeared to be similar in the two groups. The percentages of patients with procedure-related and overall safety events also appeared to be similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease, IVUS-guided PCI showed no additional benefit over angiography-guided PCI with respect to the incidence of stroke, myocardial infarction, any revascularization, or death from any cause at a median follow-up of 2.9 years. (Funded by Philips Image Guided Therapy Devices and Boston Scientific; OPTIMAL ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04111770.).
12 June 2026
Read appraisal →Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society
Association of Lipid Core Burden Index With Early Progression of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Patients After Heart Transplantation
BACKGROUND: The association of the lipid-core burden index (LCBI), measured using near-infrared spectroscopy-intravascular ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS), with early progression of cardiac allograft vasculopathy remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively examined 12 consecutive heart transplant recipients who underwent NIRS-IVUS and IVUS. Patients were stratified according to the median maximum LCBI in a 4-mm segment (maxLCBI4 mm) of 223 at 1 month. The magnitude of maximal intimal thickness (MIT) progression was greater in the higher maxLCBI4 mmgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a higher maxLCBI4 mmat baseline exhibited greater MIT progression during the first post-transplant year.
26 May 2026
Read appraisal →Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society
Smaller Right Ventricle Results in Poorer Exercise Performance in Young Patients With Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot
BACKGROUND: Severe right ventricular (RV) dilatation and exercise intolerance are considered indications for pulmonary valve replacement in surgically repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) were performed in rTOF patients with pulmonary insufficiency (PI). Oxygen pulse (OP), calculated as oxygen consumption (V̇O2)/heart rate, was used as a surrogate of stroke volume (SV). Correlations between CPET and CMR measures were investigated. In all, 37 patients (mean [±SD] age 17±5 years; 14 males) were examined. Peak V̇O2/kg was approximately 70% of predicted value. The pulmonary regurgitant fraction (PRF) was 28.3±13.4%. Body surface area (BSA)-indexed RV end-diastolic volume (RVEDVi) and RVSV (RVSVi) were 127±28 and 65±16 mL/m2, respectively. RV and left ventricular (LV) ejection fractions were 50.3±7.8% and 59.1±6.1%, respectively. A strong positive correlation was noted between RV end-diastolic volume and RVSV (P<0.0001), RVSV and LVSV (P<0.0001), and RVEDVi and peak OP/BSA (P=0.0004). Larger RVEDVi was correlated with better exercise performance, whereas smaller RVEDVi was correlated with worse exercise performance. RVEDVi was larger in male than female rTOF patients despite comparable PRF, RVSVi, LVEDVi, and BSA-indexed LVSV. CONCLUSIONS: A smaller RV was associated with worse exercise performance, indicating exercise intolerance is independent of RV dilatation in young rTOF with PI and represents a unique pathological entity responsible for reduced exercise performance.
25 May 2026
Read appraisal →European heart journal
Digital profile of children's hearts: automated echocardiogram strain analysis facilitates earlier detection of cardiac dysfunction
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Paediatric myocardial strain analysis through echocardiography is often characterized by high variance and limited precision, highlighting the need for a standardized and vendor-agnostic approach applicable for diverse image qualities and populations, which could enhance cardiac function evaluation and enable early detection of cardiac impairment. METHODS: The Motion-Echo system was proposed, a semi-supervised deep learning framework built on 11 096 paediatric and 11 297 adult echocardiograms spanning diverse image qualities and vendors. It integrated context compensation and motion estimation modules for temporally coherent segmentation, myocardial motion estimation, and global strain assessment with minimal manual annotations. Clinical utility was further evaluated through downstream applications. RESULTS: Motion-Echo achieved mean absolute errors of 2.099% [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.803-2.401] and 2.665% (95% CI 2.339-3.026) for global longitudinal and circumferential strain assessments, with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.799 (95% CI 0.715-0.871) and 0.781 (95% CI 0.687-0.844), respectively. To validate the clinical utility, automated strain values achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.906 (95% CI 0.816-0.981) for cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction risk prediction. For late gadolinium enhancement detection, automated global longitudinal strain reached an AUC of 0.782 (95% CI 0.666-0.885). For left ventricular ejection fraction decline forecasting, the system outperformed manual strain values (DeLong P < .001). In addition, incorporating estimated motion flows yielded a remarkable AUC improvement to 0.952 (95% CI 0.917-0.980) for myocardial infarction detection. CONCLUSIONS: Leveraging a large-scale paediatric dataset, Motion-Echo provided a reliable and generalizable framework for myocardial strain analysis, demonstrating potential to facilitate earlier detection of cardiac dysfunction and generate digital cardiac function profiles of children.
16 May 2026
Read appraisal →BMC medical imaging
Development and validation of a novel deep learning coronary artery plaque quantification model
BACKGROUND: Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) is an established tool for assessing coronary artery disease. CCTA determined total coronary artery plaque volume predicts cardiovascular events, but manual quantification is impractical for routine use. Deep learning-based methods offer a promising solution for automated plaque volume assessment. METHODS: We developed and validated a novel software, QuantiPlaque, powered by deep learning models, for automated segmentation of total and calcified coronary plaque volume. Expert manual annotation served as the reference standard. Correlations between deep learning and expert segmentation were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Pearson's r, and Spearman's rho, and agreements were evaluated with Bland-Altman analyses. RESULTS: A total of 115 CCTA scans were included. Mean (range) age was 58 (51-64) and 51% were females. The mean coronary artery calcium score was 56 Agatston units, ranging from 0 to 601. The model demonstrated strong correlation and agreement with expert annotation for per-patient total plaque volume (ICC 0.95, mean difference - 8.35 mm3, 95% limit of agreement - 102 to 85 mm3, Spearman's rho 0.87, Pearson's r 0.95) and calcified plaque volume (ICC 0.90, mean difference - 0.28 mm3, 95% limits of agreement - 21.97 to 21.42 mm3, Spearman's rho 0.93, Pearson's r 0.90). Per-vessel analysis showed strong correlation in the left anterior descending artery and right coronary artery but was weaker in the left circumflex artery territory. CONCLUSION: The evaluated deep learning model provides accurate quantification of total and calcified plaque burden, with strong correlation and agreement to expert annotation.
16 May 2026
Read appraisal →Current heart failure reports
Emerging Artificial Intelligence Tools for the Screening of Structural and Valvular Heart Disease
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Structural heart disease (SHD) encompasses diseases involving the heart valves, chambers, walls, and muscles. Current diagnostic methods have limited accessibility and predictive value. This review aims to present recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI)-guided tools in the screening of SHD and valvular heart disease (VHD), and to present challenges and opportunities for their use in clinical practice. RECENT FINDINGS: AI-guided models trained on ECGs, chest X-rays, and coronary artery calcium scans have a high accuracy in the diagnosis of SHD, heart failure, low left ventricular ejection fraction, and VHD. Some of these models can highlight the signals that influence their predictions, improving explainability. The use of AI in screening for SHD and VHD could lead to earlier diagnosis, enhanced accuracy, and better accessibility. However, outcome data on earlier diagnosis using these tools is required before broad deployment.
14 May 2026
Read appraisal →European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging
Additive prognostic value of functional performance to coronary artery anatomy: the ISCHEMIA trial.
AIMS: To assess whether baseline functional performance assessed by exercise treadmill stress testing (EST) has additive value to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for risk stratification among patients with chronic coronary disease (CCD) and moderate or severe ischaemia. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a subgroup analysis of the ISCHEMIA trial including participants who underwent EST and CCTA. EST data and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) on CCTA were evaluated by core laboratories, blinded to clinical data and results of the other tests. The primary outcome for this analysis was all-cause death. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular death, cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction (MI), MI and a composite of cardiovascular death, MI, or hospitalization for heart failure, unstable angina, or resuscitated cardiac arrest. EST and the number of vessels diseased on CCTA were both interpretable in 1864 patients (median age 62 years, IQR 55-68, 83% males). During a median follow-up of 3.1 years, 69 patients died. Higher peak metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved on the qualifying stress test was associated with lower all-cause death (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.76-0.98; P = 0.025). The addition of peak METs to CAD severity improved the predictive ability of the all-cause death and CV death models by 10-20% and 8-13% respectively, depending on the metrics used for CCTA. Adding peak METs to CCTA anatomical models resulted in better prediction of MI by 11-17%, cardiovascular death or MI by 10-14%, and 5-component composite outcome by 12-16%. CONCLUSION: Peak METs on EST, a marker of functional performance, added prognostic value to models including CCTA anatomical findings in patients with CCD and moderate or severe ischaemia.
3 May 2026
Read appraisal →Open heart
Non-invasive endotyping improves treatment satisfaction and prescribing appropriateness in patients with angina and no obstructive coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND: Patients with angina and no obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA) frequently receive empirical antianginal therapy that fails to target underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Whether stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-guided endotyping and stratified medical therapy improves treatment satisfaction and appropriate medication prescribing in this population is uncertain. METHODS: In the Coronary Microvascular Angina CMR Imaging Trial, 250 patients with suspected ANOCA, who had undergone invasive coronary angiography demonstrating no obstructive disease, were enrolled and underwent stress perfusion CMR with quantification of myocardial blood flow. Participants were randomised 1:1 to CMR-guided management (intervention) or angiography-guided management (control). Treatment satisfaction was assessed using the validated Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM-9) at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Medication prescriptions were documented at these time points. RESULTS: Stress CMR imaging led to diagnostic reclassification in 53.0% of patients, with microvascular angina diagnosed in 51.0%. At 12 months, global treatment satisfaction was significantly higher in the intervention group compared with controls (adjusted difference, 19.30 units (95% CI 13.89 to 24.71); p<0.001), with consistent improvements across the effectiveness and convenience domains. CMR-guided management was associated with more appropriate prescribing, including higher use of preventive therapies (85.5% vs 67.5%; p=0.001), and more targeted antianginal prescribing, including calcium channel blockers (43.5% vs 27.0%; p=0.008) and long-acting nitrates (56.5% vs 32.5%; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ANOCA, non-invasive CMR-guided endotyping substantially improves treatment satisfaction and enables more appropriate, mechanism-targeted pharmacotherapy compared with angiography-guided care. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04805814.
19 Apr 2026
Read appraisal →Journal of the American Heart Association
Comparison of Intravascular Imaging-, Physiology-, or Angiography-Guided Approaches for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND: Despite current guidelines recommending physiology- and intravascular imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in specific lesion subsets, angiography-guided PCI remains common in practice. The comparative effectiveness of these strategies remains uncertain. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes of PCI guided by intravascular imaging or physiological assessment versus conventional angiography. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, searching PubMed and EMBASE up to May 31, 2025. Eligible studies compared at least 2 of the following 6 guidance modalities in PCI: angiography, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), optical coherence tomography/optical frequency domain imaging, fractional flow reserve, angiography-derived fractional flow reserve, and instantaneous wave-free ratio. The primary outcome was trial-defined major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were pooled using a frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses assessed clinical presentation and guidance objectives such as decision making and procedural optimization. RESULTS: We identified 43 randomized controlled trials involving 39 291 patients. IVUS-guided PCI (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.60-0.79]), optical coherence tomography/optical frequency domain imaging-guided PCI (HR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.63-0.90]), and fractional flow reserve-guided PCI (HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.70-0.95]) were associated with a lower risk of MACEs compared with angiography-guided PCI. Furthermore, IVUS-guided PCI was associated with a lower risk of MACEs compared with instantaneous wave-free ratio-guided PCI (HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.55-1.00]). IVUS-guided PCI reduced the risk of MACE in both acute coronary syndrome and non-acute coronary syndrome patients. CONCLUSIONS: IVUS- and optical coherence tomography/optical frequency domain imaging-guided PCI were superior to angiography-guided PCI in reducing MACEs. Among the physiology-based approaches, only fractional flow reserve showed a clear benefit.
9 Apr 2026
Read appraisal →European radiology
Deep learning-based segmentation of T1 and T2 cardiac MRI maps for automated disease detection.
OBJECTIVES: Parametric tissue mapping enables quantitative cardiac tissue characterization but is limited by inter-observer variability during manual delineation. Traditional approaches relying on average relaxation values and single cutoffs may oversimplify myocardial complexity. This study evaluates whether deep learning (DL) can achieve segmentation accuracy comparable to inter-observer agreement, explores the utility of statistical features beyond mean T1/T2 values, and assesses whether machine learning (ML) combining multiple intensity-based statistical features enhances disease detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: T1 and T2 maps were manually segmented. The test subset was independently annotated by two observers, and inter-observer variability was assessed. A DL model was trained to segment the left-ventricular blood pool and myocardium. Average (A), lower quartile (LQ), median (M), and upper quartile (UQ) were computed for the myocardial pixels and employed in classification by applying cutoffs or in ML. Dice similarity coefficient (DICE) and mean absolute percentage error evaluated segmentation performance. Bland-Altman plots assessed inter-user and model-observer agreement. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined optimal cutoffs. Pearson correlation compared features from model and manual segmentations. F1-score, precision, and recall evaluated classification performance. Wilcoxon test assessed differences between classification methods, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: 144 subjects (mean age 42.2 years ± 16.1, 76 men) were split into training (100), validation (15) and evaluation (29) subsets. Segmentation model achieved a DICE of 85.4%, surpassing inter-observer agreement. Random forest applied to all features increased F1-score (92.7%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: DL facilitates segmentation of T1/ T2 maps. Combining multiple features with ML improves disease detection. KEY POINTS: Question Manual segmentation of myocardial T1/T2 maps is time-consuming and affected by inter-observer variability; relying on single cutoff values for diagnosis may oversimplify myocardial complexity. Findings Deep learning achieves segmentation accuracy within inter-observer agreement, while machine learning improves disease detection compared to singular cutoffs. Clinical relevance Automated segmentation and feature extraction from T1/T2 maps can enhance workflow efficiency, reduce inter-observer variability, and improve diagnostic consistency. The high recall of the machine learning model minimizes missed diagnoses, ensuring more reliable disease detection.
4 Apr 2026
Read appraisal →Heart rhythm
External validation of an explainable electrocardiogram-only deep learning algorithm for the prediction of response after cardiac resynchronization therapy
BACKGROUND: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can improve clinical outcomes in patients with dyssynchronous heart failure, but many patients selected according to the current guidelines do not respond. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to externally validate an explainable deep learning algorithm (the FactorECG algorithm) for predicting response after biventricular pacing. METHODS: We previously trained a deep learning algorithm on >1 million electrocardiogram (ECG) median beats to learn the underlying generative factors of the ECG and applied it to 1306 patients with CRT from the Netherlands. Using the extracted 21 explainable factors, a model predicting the risk of volumetric nonresponse and poor clinical outcomes was developed. In the present analysis, this model was externally validated in a cohort of 161 patients with CRT from the University of Virginia for volumetric nonresponse only. Subsequently, the added value of clinical and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging-derived predictors was investigated. RESULTS: The original model significantly outperformed American Heart Association criteria for left bundle branch block for the prediction of nonresponse {C-statistic 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.76) vs 0.51 (95% CI 0.41-0.60), respectively}. A refitted FactorECG-based model performed similarly to a model also integrating indices of mechanical dyssynchrony (C-statistic 0.74 [95% CI 0.66-0.82] vs 0.70 [95% CI 0.62-0.77], respectively). A combination of both models improved response prediction (C-statistic 0.79 [95% CI 0.71-0.85]). CONCLUSION: In this external validation study, an explainable ECG-only algorithm for the prediction of nonresponse after CRT device implantation generalized well to a lower-risk population from a different hospital. Adding indices of mechanical dyssynchrony and right ventricular function might be of additional value when evaluating volumetric response.
4 Apr 2026
Read appraisal →Ultrasound in medicine & biology
From Recognition to Action: Integrating Deep Learning and Robotic Control in Transthoracic Echocardiography
Population aging has driven a rise in heart failure cases, increasing the clinical burden on cardiac diagnostics. As a first-line imaging method, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) faces limitations due to operator dependence, patient variability, and workflow inefficiencies. Meanwhile, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic ultrasound systems offer new potential pathways toward automated diagnosis. This review examines the current landscape of AI-based image analysis and robotic-assisted echocardiography. It presents a detailed analysis of advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) applied to echocardiography and the evolution of robotic ultrasound systems, aiming to introduce a discussion on semantic-to-motion mapping. By synthesizing recent progress and outlining future directions, we can correctly recognize the current maturity level of artificial intelligence development in the field of ultrasound examination and prepare well for the subsequent work.
4 Apr 2026
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