Butterfly Network has introduced Butterfly iQ3, a U.S. FDA-cleared point-of-care ultrasound system. iQ3 features a new semiconductor chip, doubling data transfer speeds for improved image quality and advanced 3D capabilities like iQ Slice and iQ Fan.
“Healthcare is at a cornerstone in the adoption of point-of-care ultrasound. Bedside ultrasound has the potential to vastly increase the information available to clinicians for proper assessment, intervention, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and other conditions across the human body,” says Partho Sengupta, MD, Henry Rutgers Professor and Chief of Cardiology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J.
“I use Butterfly in my clinical practice and in clinical research,” Sengupta adds. “The introduction of Butterfly iQ3 includes a focus on higher precision capabilities for cardiovascular point-of-care ultrasound applications to inform complex decisions. In my early experience, I found that the enhancements in visualization technology and artificial intelligence, as well as image quality will greatly assist healthcare professionals in our efforts to continually improve outcomes for our patients.”
Launching on Butterfly iQ3 are two new 3D imaging capabilities designed to make image capturing easier: iQ Slice and iQ Fan. These tools join Butterfly’s existing feature list of over 20 anatomical presets, six imaging modes (B-Mode, M-Mode, Color Doppler, Power Doppler, Pulsed-Wave Doppler, and Biplane Imaging) and collection of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced imaging tools (e.g., Auto Bladder Volume Capture, Auto B-Line Counter, NeedleViz, and a set of Calculation tools).
- Butterfly iQ Slice: Introducing iQ Slice, a handheld device featuring an automated ultrasound capture mode made possible by Butterfly’s Ultrasound-on-Chip technology. iQ Slice simplifies image acquisition by automatically scanning organs and capturing up to 46 ultrasound slices at once. This feature speeds up the process and allows for easy bedside review by skilled users or further assessment by specialists, similar to CT or MRI scans.
- Butterfly iQ Fan: A lung tool that builds on the core iQ Slice technology to allow providers to benefit from real-time, back-and-forth virtual fanning, making it easier to visualize A-lines and other lung conditions. With iQ Fan, the user no longer needs to manually fan the probe, and can just focus on analyzing the images.
“With Butterfly iQ3, we set out to give clinicians the clear leading solution in point-of-care ultrasound,” John Martin, Butterfly Network’s chief medical officer. “We built this device to meet the needs of the end user every step of the way, whether they’re an advanced scanner or just starting out, and we achieved this. We delivered a probe that will always be ready for them. Immediate boot up to clear imaging, long run time, fit-in-hand comfort, customizable controls, and rapid charging… all at a price that’s still below incumbents.”