Research Applications

Epsilon Imaging is developing solutions intended to deliver quantitative measurement capabilities for use in ultrasound diagnostic imaging. Our primary focus is on developing and refining TissueTrack™ technology for cardiology and vascular applications.

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce dynamic visual images of organs, tissues or blood flow inside the body. Ultrasound is a popular diagnostic technology because it is relatively low cost, mobile, non-invasive, and non-ionizing. This means that it can be used repeatedly without harmful side effects, which is useful when monitoring a patient over time. Despite its popularity, ultrasound has its drawbacks, such as the subjectivity of the qualitative visual interpretation methods most often used to assess ultrasound imagery. This subjectivity can lead to variability in exam interpretation results. TissueTrak™ has the ability to reduce measurement variability using a proprietary high resolution tracking algorithm thus leading to more reliable diagnoses.

Cardiology Research

Ultrasound imaging of the heart is most frequently referred to as echocardiography. Echocardiographic examination of the heart is a widely used, safe, and well accepted cardiac imaging technique. The heart is an extremely dynamic organ, and is in almost constant motion. Ultrasound examination of the heart is focused on not only observing the anatomy but in determining and measuring the dynamic properties of the heart, including blood flows and tissue motions. Epsilon Imaging is currently evaluating the TissueTrack™ technology's ability to enhance the echocardiologist's diagnoses for the following cardiac conditions:

• Coronary Artery Disease
• Heart Failure
• CRT (detection of MI/scarring)

Vascular Research

Physicians have been seeking direct, non-invasive, reliable, and regionally specific measurements of vascular stiffness to assess peripheral arterial disease, to use as a stratification tool for cardiovascular disease risk, and for more specialized applications such as planning and monitoring dialysis access. Ultrasound imaging has long been applied to vascular physiological and functional measurements. Vascular tissue motion measurements in combination with vessel anatomical measurements and blood flow timing have been shown in laboratory models to provide measures of vessel stiffness. Such measures of vascular compliance have been shown to be a strong indicator of many kinds of vascular disease.  Epsilon Imaging is working on algorithms and systems incorporating TissueTrack™ technology to provide clinically usefule measures of vascular stiffness.