速度向量成像掃描方法是一種用于評估心肌機械性能的很有前途的新工具，是過去3年里由心血管專家和物理學家開發的運動分析方法。這種檢查能夠提供更加精細的心肌收縮和運動數據，可以用于評估充血性心衰、心肌同步功能紊亂、以及其他心肌功能障礙患者的心臟解剖學。

速度向量目標可以用于任何傳感器，包括心血管目標包括兒科、成人、跨食管(TEE)、心內超聲心動圖、血管和胎兒應用。

Siemens醫療解決方案公司(Erlangen, Germany)介紹了這種新工藝，在2005年9月瑞典斯德哥爾摩舉行的歐洲心血管年會上推出了Acuson Sequoia超聲心動圖檢查平臺，還展示了Acuson AcuNav 8F超聲導管。

AcuNav 8F橫斷面比現在使用的AcuNav 10F導管面積小33％，能夠在所有患者中特別是較小患者、左心臟電生理檢查和介入心臟病學中進行改良評估。“心臟手術的趨勢是創傷性較小的手術，從開放手術到小孔進入，現在是導管為基礎的手術，而這需要新的觀察技術。” 西門子公司超聲部主任Klaus Hambuchen說。

8F導管不久就可以在歐盟國家與Acuson Sequoia、Acuson CV70、和Acuson Cypress心血管系統配套使用。

Velocity Vector Ultrasound
 
Velocity vector imaging is a promising new tool for the assessment of myocardial mechanics and is a motion analysis method developed by cardiologists and physicists over the past three years. It provides more comprehensive cardiac contraction and motion data with the possibility to evaluate cardiac anatomy in patients with congestive heart failure, dyssynchrony, and other myocardial function disorders.

Velocity vector aiming is intended for use with any transducer for all cardiovascular aiming including pediatrics, adult, transesophageal (TEE), intracardiac echocardiography, vascular, and fetal applications.

Siemens Medical Solutions (Erlangen, Germany) introduced this new technology with the release of the Acuson Sequoia echocardiogram platforms, accompanied by the presentation of the Acuson AcuNav 8F ultrasound catheter at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology, held in Stockholm (Sweden) in September 2005.

The AcuNav 8F is 33% smaller in the cross-sectional region than the existing AcuNav 10F catheter and enables improved assessment in all patients, especially smaller patients, and for left heart applications in electrophysiologic and interventional cardiology. “The trend in cardiac procedures is toward less-invasive surgery, going from open surgery to keyhole access, and now to catheter-based procedures, which demand new visualization techniques,” stated Klaus Hambuchen, head of the ultrasound division at Siemens.

The 8F catheter will soon be available in the European Union countries for use with the Acuson Sequoia, the Acuson CV70, and the Acuson Cypress cardiovascular systems.