Archives for July 2022

The latest issue of CASE, ASE’s open access case reports journal, is available, with more great educational material to keep you sharp during the summer heat. One example is the case from Murata et al, Severe Aortic Regurgitation by Nonbacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis Treated with Anticoagulation Therapy. CASE Editor-in-Chief Dr. Vincent Sorrell noted, “This is a wonderfully illustrative CASE from this team of authors in Japan, who demonstrated that sometimes anticoagulation therapy alone can treat severe aortic regurgitation. These authors recognized early that the etiology for AR was non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis and were able to treat the underlying disease and avoid surgical intervention.”

Additionally, this issue includes new subsections; the Hemodynamic Corner includes reports on effusive-constrictive pericarditis and platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, while the Critical Care Echocardiography section features ECMO and RV strain. The Congenital Heart Disease section highlights the value of TEE for complex decision making. Finally, the Just Another Day in the Echo Lab section has a report from Cotella et al, about which Dr. Sorrell said, “The chest CT scan for the ‘coconut atrium’ as a result of rheumatic LA inflammation and resultant massive atrial wall calcification is simply amazing.”

CASE offers a variety of submission options for authors in addition to case reports, such as Letters to the Editor, Unlock the CASE, and the Sonographer Sound-Off. Check out CASE’s Author Information for details.

Finally, a reminder to sonographers that the ASE Council on Cardiovascular Sonography Steering Committee issued a challenge recently to ASE sonographer members around the world to submit cases to CASE as lead author. The first ten articles accepted will have their processing fee waived (valued up to $950 per accepted case). Three sonographer-led papers have already been accepted and were awarded this waiver. Submit your case to have a chance to earn one of the remaining seven waivers! Email Debbie Meyer, Director of Publications (JASE, CASE), or Andie Piddington, Deputy Managing Editor (JASE, CASE), with any questions or to request a case-writing mentorship from an ASE sonographer.

Since the publication of the recommendations for multimodality cardiovascular imaging of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in 2011, an impressive growth and evolution of imaging techniques has occurred, enhancing both the recognition and management of the disease. Thus, an update was needed to provide recommendations that take into account these recent developments. Register for the Multimodality Cardiovascular Imaging of Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy live webinar, scheduled for Thursday, July 28, from 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET on Zoom.

Lead author Sherif Nagueh, MD, FASE, will show how multimodality imaging plays a crucial role in the initial evaluation of patients with known or suspected HCM.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to use multimodality imaging for patients with increased LV wall thickness
• Demonstrate the assessment of dynamic obstruction, including provocable gradients and mitral valve anatomy
• Implement multimodality imaging for risk stratification and prognostication
• Use multimodality imaging for the assessment of ischemia and coronary artery disease

Attendees can earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ (pending approval) for attending this webinar. Registration for this webinar is FREE for ASE members (remember to login to your ASE Member portal) and costs $25 USD for nonmembers.

Register today for the Inaugural Echo in Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease Virtual Experience.

During this two-day virtual course, Expert U.S. and international physician and sonographer faculty will present the latest information on established and emerging cardiovascular ultrasound technologies, clinical care, and practical considerations in children and adults with congenital heart disease. Case-based approaches and state-of-the-art review are both used to discuss new and established uses of echocardiography for diagnosis and guiding management in patients with a broad array of congenital cardiovascular conditions.

Topics include:

• Unrepaired ACHD
• Cutting-edge functional analysis
• Imaging in high stakes environments
• Contemporary approaches to left heart valve disease
• Happy & Healthy: A Resiliency/Well Being Session
• Exciting debates on fetal and research echocardiography
• And many more. Check out the program agenda!

Registration includes a maximum of 16.5 CME/MOC credits (pending approval) for attending the live virtual course and completing the on-demand content. Attendees will have access to on-demand content for 90 days from Monday, September 19, 2022, to Sunday, December 11, 2022.

On July 7, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the CY 2023 proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Rule. This proposed rule announces and solicits public comments on the proposed policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and other Medicare Part B issues, for services effective on or after January 1, 2023. Comments will be accepted until September 6, 2022. ASE is beginning our analysis of the Proposed Rule and will provide a summary analysis and fee schedule impacts for members promptly.