Ergospirometry Testing System Evaluates Cardiopulmonary Function

An innovative cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) system offers reliable cardiac and pulmonary function analytic results to help physicians make more informed treatment decisions.

The Cardiac Assessment System for Exercise (CASE) CPX testing system offers features that include a double flat screen system for simultaneous presentation of all cardiopulmonary parameters and graphs, a color laser printer, and a PowerCube-Ergo for the measurement of metabolic stress testing. The PowerCube-Ergo, the heart of the system, consists of the PowerCube gas analyzer measurement module itself and proprietary software that provides spirometry, ergospirometry, flow/volume and flow/volume under load, and optional saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2) measurements. Seamless integration of blood pressure and SpO2 are automatically recorded during a patient's stress test.


Enhanced diagnostic support with exercise test interpretation (XTI) statements highlight critical values in stress testing for advanced analysis of risk prediction, functional response, and ischemia; a hysteresis analysis feature enables increased accuracy in detecting coronary artery disease in women. The easy-to-navigate software allows toggling between simultaneous view of all nine Wasserman panels or a full screen view of each individual panel, enabling accurate detection of the anaerobic threshold (AT). Full-disclosure data enables review and reanalysis of every beat and arrhythmia for enhanced clinical confidence.

Variable orifice flow-sensor technology offers precise ventilatory measurements that are insensitive to water vapor, saliva, or vibrations during exercise; the sensor weighs only 29 grams, ensuring patient comfort and compliance. Electrodardiogram (ECG) analysis and 15-lead stress testing, risk-predicting algorithms, T-wave Alternans, and Heart Rate Recovery (HRR) diagnostics assist in predicting which patients are at risk of sudden cardiac death. Digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) modality worklists support bidirectional data exchange and simultaneous review of imaging and ECG data, improving dual modality procedure efficiency. The CASE CPX testing system is a product of General Electric Healthcare (GE; Chalfont St. Giles, United Kingdom), and a range of peripheral devices can be connected, including a combination of multiple types of bicycles and treadmills.

The CASE system can be connected to a local area network (LAN), allowing storage of patient data and test results to a central database; a web view feature allows Internet access to procedure reports from anywhere, with controlled access privileges for data security. This enables physicians to review, edit, and print data remotely, for maximum efficiency in the stress test lab. Digital workflow is also optimized by seamless connectivity to electronic medical records (EMRs), the GE MUSE Cardiology Information System, and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS).

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