Siemens Healthineers Introduces Industry-First AI Abdomen as part of Acuson Sequoia 3.5 Ultrasound Release

• AI Abdomen automatically labels and measures organs in milliseconds, improving standardization 
• New HLX transducer improves breast and musculoskeletal imaging to reduce false negatives 
• Includes comprehensive liver assessment tools to quantify liver tissue stiffness and hepatic steatosis 

Siemens Healthineers introduces Acuson Sequoia 3.5¹, a major software and hardware update to the Acuson Sequoia ultrasound system that leverages artificial intelligence (AI)²-powered features for improved workflow and efficiency to enhance clinical performance. Acuson Sequoia 3.5 features AI Abdomen with improved ergonomics, and new solutions for breast and musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging. 

AI Abdomen is an industry-first technology that reduces sonographer hand motion by up to 89% compared with manual exams, and up to 44% compared with protocol exams.³ The improved ergonomics of AI Abdomen benefit the 90% of ultrasound users who have reported scanning while in pain, related to pressure applied to the transducer, abduction of the arm, and twisting of the neck and trunk.⁴ AI Abdomen improves both examination and reading workflow through view identification and protocol standardization, with an algorithm that automatically recognizes and labels 17 anatomical views and calculates 12 key measurements.⁵ 

AI Abdomen helps standardize exams across users, with a real-time organ-identification feature and freeze- measurement of organs. The algorithm provides consistent measurements across users, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and reducing variability associated with manual measurements. With AI-based detection, labeling and measurements, the user can focus on the patient who may be experiencing significant pain or discomfort due to a range of potential causes from kidney stones and digestive issues to cancerous tumors.

Acuson Sequoia 3.5 delivers a unique combination of exclusive technologies for breast imaging enabled by proprietary algorithms and the new HLX transducer, which is the company’s highest-frequency linear transducer. The proprietary next generation 2D Shear Wave technology adapts, to better identify and display stiff lesions in the breast, while the HLX transducer provides penetration and resolution, providing clinicians with the necessary diagnostic information to see and reduce false negatives. 

“I am impressed by the advancements in the Acuson Sequoia 3.5,” said Adrian Lim, MD, professor of radiology at Imperial College London. “The anatomy recognition and measurement of AI Abdomen could significantly simplify the abdominal exam, and I was equally impressed by the image resolution, penetration, and ergonomics of the new HLX transducer.” 

The HLX transducer also addresses the MSK clinician’s need to visualize large in-motion tissues and small, superficial structures for conditions such as tendon tears and inflammatory arthritis. The lightweight HLX transducer, designed with an ergonomical grip and narrow shape, allows for constant light pressure and tight access, and reduces strain and pressure during scans. 

“With our continued focus on practical AI, we are committed to developing solutions that improve the ultrasound user’s clinical experience and improve workflow to standardize diagnostic results for patients,” said Ajay Gannerkote, President of Ultrasound, Siemens Healthineers. 

Additionally, Acuson Sequoia 3.5 includes notable liver quantification tools, Ultrasound Derived Fat Fraction (UDFF) and Auto Point Shear Wave Elastography (Auto pSWE). These tools, which are proprietary to the Sequoia ultrasound system, provide quantification of liver tissue stiffness and hepatic steatosis in a single acquisition. The association between hepatic steatosis and fibrosis progression underscores the need to have accurate and reliable non-invasive tools to aid in the assessment of both liver fibrosis and hepatic steatosis. 

Acuson Sequoia 3.5 is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, CE marked in the European Union, and is available globally.

Further information on Acuson Sequoia 3.5 can be found here.