Abbott, a global healthcare leader, announced it has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its latest optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging platform powered by the company's new Ultreon Software. This innovative imaging software combines OCT with artificial intelligence (AI) to provide physicians an enhanced, comprehensive view of coronary blood flow and blockages to assist physician decision-making and provide the best pathway for treatment.

US clearance follows the recently attained CE Mark in Europe, providing broader access to the latest OCT imaging platform for interventional cardiologists seeking to utilize the latest in AI-powered technology. Ultreon Software integrates with Abbott's new Dragonfly OpStar imaging catheter and PressureWire X guidewire to provide physicians access to a broad set of tools to assess coronary blood flow and blockages and improve treatment planning for patients.   

"Abbott's new Ultreon Software for OCT provides an automated, comprehensive view of the artery that facilitates physician decision-making," said Ziad Ali, M.D.D.Phil, director of the DeMatteis Cardiovascular Institute at St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center in New York. "Ultreon Software guides stents to be placed with precision. These types of innovative technologies are instrumental in providing the best care for our patients."

Earlier this year, an annual study by Abbott titled Beyond Intervention revealed that physicians view forward-thinking and innovative technologies as critical components to providing the best patient care. According to the research, 83.2% of physicians agreed that advances in diagnostic and treatment technologies, such as OCT, have translated to tangible improvements in patient care.1

"As cardiologists continue to adopt OCT and move away from traditional imaging methods such as angiography, emerging technologies are pivotal to determine the best course of patient care," said Nick West, M.D., chief medical officer and divisional vice president of global medical affairs at Abbott's vascular business. "AI enables Ultreon Software to automatically detect calcium and vessel diameters allowing doctors to put stents exactly where they are needed."