Computer-assisted analysis of the echocardiogram in the clinical environment

Ultrasound imaging of the heart can provide an important source of diagnostic data to the cardiologist, but conventional echocardiography requires considerable expertise, and is extremely time-consuming. Computer-based analysis is therefore very attractive and, in the light of decreasing hardware costs in recent years, has become increasingly viable in practice. This paper describes the specification and implementation of a computer-based tool which supports the clinician in the analysis of echocardiograms, exploiting the clinical judgement and inherent skill of the clinician. The design of the system has focused particularly on the provision of a powerful user interface for ease of interaction, flexibility in system functionality, and extensive interactive capabilities to maximize reliability and convenience of use. This paper will describe the principal features of the system and illustrate its use in the clinical environment.