The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared Siemens Healthineers' Acuson Origin AI-powered cardiovascular ultrasound system.
Acuson Origin. Image courtesy of Siemens Healthineers.
Acuson Origin can be used for diagnostic, structural heart, vascular, electrophysiological, and pediatric procedures in cardiovascular care, according to Siemens. The system can produce more than 5,600 AI-powered measurements on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), Siemens said.
AI Assist, a new feature for TTE, recognizes cardiac structures immediately and automatically positions color and spectral Doppler regions of interest when the transducer makes contact with the chest wall, Siemens added. The system also provides automated contouring and quantification of all four cardiac chambers without the need for an electrocardiogram (ECG) via the 2D and 4D HeartAI features.
Additionally, Siemens noted that the AcuNav Lumos 4D intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter is designed exclusively for Acuson Origin. AcuNav Lumos 4D ICE enables interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists to treat patients who otherwise would be unable to undergo structural heart interventions, including patients with TEE or general anesthesia contraindications, and patients with tricuspid regurgitation, Siemens said.
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
