Novel Intracardiac Ultrasound Images Developed on a Cardiac Ultrasound Simulator and Validated in Live Horses.

Summary

# Editorial Summary Transthoracic echocardiography remains the standard for guiding catheter-based cardiac interventions in horses, yet intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)—where the ultrasound probe is positioned within the heart itself—offers superior visualisation of specific anatomical regions during these procedures. Vernemmen and colleagues developed and validated novel ICE imaging protocols using a cardiac ultrasound simulator before testing them in live horses, creating a standardised training platform that clinicians can use to develop competency without requiring repeated access to clinical cases. The researchers successfully generated high-fidelity ICE images on the simulator that accurately corresponded to real intracardiac anatomy when subsequently acquired from anaesthetised horses, demonstrating the simulator's validity as an educational tool. This work carries substantial implications for equine interventional cardiology: it provides farriers, veterinarians and other equine professionals involved in pre-procedure planning with a reproducible method to understand complex three-dimensional cardiac anatomy, reduces the learning curve for operators performing catheter-guided interventions, and establishes a foundation for safer, more refined techniques in what remains a specialised area of equine practice. As catheter-based treatments for conditions such as atrial fibrillation and septal defects become increasingly accessible, simulator-based training could meaningfully improve procedural outcomes and reduce complications associated with inadequate anatomical visualisation.

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Key Findings

• •Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) provides detailed imaging of specific cardiac regions as an alternative to transthoracic echocardiography for catheter-based interventions
• •Cardiac ultrasound simulators can effectively train operators in echocardiographic guidance techniques
• •ICE images developed on simulator were successfully validated in live horses

Conditions Studied

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