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RESEARCH

As part of Brigham and Women's Hospital’s Cardiovascular Division, the Ultrasound Research Core Laboratory (ULTRA) serves as a productive research center for investigations related to point-of-care and lung ultrasound imaging. 

 

ULTRA has worked on image analyses with a variety of sponsors and ensures internal quality control and compliance with industry regulations for all studies. The ULTRA team also works closely with sponsors to ensure timely deliverables for each project. 

The ULTRA research group is comprised of faculty physicians, research fellows, research students, and administrative staff. Each year, research fellows and faculty present their work at national and international scientific meetings and publish in high-impact medical journals. All members of the research group benefit from a rich array of education, research, and training resources available at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Harvard Medical School, and Harvard affiliated institutions. 

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To learn more about research and training opportunities at ULTRA, please contact Dr. Elke Platz at eplatz@bwh.harvard.edu.

Select recent publications include:

 

  • Ern Yeoh S, Osmanska J, Petrie MC, Brooksbank KJM, Clark AL, Docherty KF, Foley PWX, Guha K, Halliday CA, Jhund PS, Kalra PR, McKinley G, Lang NN, Lee MMY, McConnachie A, McDermott JJ, Platz E, Sartipy P, Seed A, Stanley B, Weir RAP, Welsh P, McMurray JJV, Campbell RT. Dapagliflozin versus metolazone in heart failure resistant to loop diuretics. Eur Heart J. 2023 May 21. PMID: 37210742.

  • Platz E, Claggett B, Jering KS, Kovacs A, Cikes M, Winzer E, Rad A, Lefkowitz MP, Gong J, Køber L, McMurray JJV, Solomon SD, Pfeffer, MA, Shah A. Trajectory and correlates of pulmonary congestion by lung ultrasound in patients with acute myocardial infarction: Insights from PARADISE-MI. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 2023;12(3):155-164.

  • Lee MMY*, Campbell RT*, Claggett BL, Lewis EF, Docherty KF, Lindner M, Liu J, Solomon SD, McMurray JJV, Platz E. Health-related quality of life in acute heart failure: Association between patient-reported symptoms and markers of congestion. Eur J Heart Fail 2023 Jan;25(1):54-60.

  • Ravi KS, Espersen C, Curtis KA, Cunningham JW, Jering KS, Prasad NG, Platz E, McCausland FR. Temporal Changes in Electrolytes, Acid-Base, QTc Duration, and Point-of-Care Ultrasound During Inpatient Hemodialysis Sessions. Kidney 360. 2022; 3(7):1217-1227.

  • Lindner M, Lindsey A, Bain PA, Platz E. Prevalence and prognostic importance of lung ultrasound findings in acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review. Echocardiography 2021; 38(12):2069-2076.

  • Johannessen Ø, Claggett B, Lewis EF, Groarke JD, Swamy V, Lindner M, Solomon SD, Platz E. A-Lines and B-Lines in Patients with Acute Heart Failure. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 2021; 10(8):909-917.

  • Espersen C, Campbell RT, Claggett B, Lewis EF, Groarke JD, Docherty KF, Lee MMY, Lindner M, Biering-Sørensen T, Solomon SD, McMurray JJV, Platz E. Sex differences in congestive markers in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure. ESC Heart Fail 2021;8(3):1784-1795.

  • Brainin P, Claggett B, Lewis EF, Dwyer K, Merz AA, Silverman M, Swamy V, Biering-Sørensen T, Rivero J, Cheng S, McMurray JJV, Solomon SD, Platz E. Association between Body Mass Index and B-lines by lung ultrasonography in patients with chronic and acute heart failure. ESC Heart Failure 2020; Jun;7(3):1201-1209.

  • Lindner M, Thomas R, Claggett BL, Lewis EF, Groarke J, Merz AA, Silverman MB, Swamy V, Rivero J, Hohenstein C, Solomon SD, McMurray JJV, Steigner ML, Platz E. Quantification of pleural effusions on thoracic ultrasound in acute heart failure. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 2020; 9(5):513-521.

  • Platz E*, Campbell RT*, Claggett B, Lewis EF, Groarke JD, Docherty KF, Lee MMY, Merz AA, Silverman M, Swamy V, Lindner M, Rivero J, Solomon SD, McMurray JJV. Lung ultrasound in acute heart failure: Prevalence of pulmonary congestion and short- and long-term outcomes. J Am Coll Cardiol HF 2019;7:849–58.

  • Platz E, Jhund PS, Girerd N, Pivetta E, McMurray JJV, Peacock WF, Masip J, Martin-Sanchez FJ, Miro Ò, Price S, Cullen L, Maisel AS, Vrints C, Cowie MR, DiSomma S, Bueno H, Mebazaa A, Gualandro DM, Tavares M, Metra M, Coats AJS, Ruschitzka F, Seferovic PM, Mueller C, on behalf of the Study Group on Acute Heart Failure of the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association and the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology. Expert consensus document: Reporting checklist for quantification of pulmonary congestion by lung ultrasound in heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail 2019; 21(7):844-851.

  • Swamy V, Brainin P, Biering-Sørensen T, Platz E. Ability of non-physicians to perform and interpret lung ultrasound: A systematic review. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs 2019; 18(6):474-483.

  • Platz E, Merz A, Silverman M, Lewis E, Groarke JD, Waxman A, Systrom D. Association between lung ultrasound findings and invasive exercise hemodynamics in patients with undifferentiated dyspnea. ESC Heart Failure 2019; 6(1):202-207.

  • Proplesch M, Merz AA, Claggett BL, Lewis EF, Dwyer KH, Crousillat DR, Lau ES, Silverman MB, Peck J, Rivero J, Cheng S, Platz E. Right atrial structure and function in patients with hypertension and with chronic heart failure. Echocardiography 2018; 35(7):905-914.

  • Dwyer KH, Merz AA, Lewis EF, Claggett BL, Crousillat DR, Lau ES, Silverman MB, Peck J, Rivero J, Cheng S, Platz E. Pulmonary congestion by lung ultrasound in ambulatory patients with heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction and hypertension. J Cardiac Fail 2018; 24(4):219-226.

  • Platz E, Merz AA, Jhund PS, Vazir A, Campbell R, McMurray JJ. Dynamic changes and prognostic value of pulmonary congestion by lung ultrasound in acute and chronic heart failure: A systematic review. Eur J Heart Fail 2017; 19(9):1154-1163.

  • Kim HL, Dinakar C, McInnis P, Rudin D, Daley W, Platz E. Inadequacy of current pediatric epinephrine auto-injector needle length for use in infants and toddlers. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2017

  • Platz E, Lewis E, Uno H, Peck JM, Pivetta E, Merz AA, Hempel D, Wilson C, Frasure SE, Cheng S, Solomon SD. Detection and prognostic value of pulmonary congestion by lung ultrasound in ambulatory heart failure patients. Eur Heart J 2016; 37(15):1244-51.

  • Platz E*, Jhund P*, Campbell R, McMurray JJ. Assessment and prevalence of pulmonary edema in contemporary acute heart failure trials: A systematic review. Eur J Heart Fail 2015; 17(9):906-16.

  • Platz E*,  Pivetta E*, Merz A, Peck J, Rivero J, Cheng S. Impact of device selection and clip duration on lung ultrasound assessment in patients with heart failure. Am J Emerg Med 2015; 33(11):1552-6.

  • Platz E, Hempel D, Pivetta E, Rivero J, Solomon SD. Echocardiographic and lung ultrasound characteristics in ambulatory patients with dyspnea or prior heart failure. Echocardiography 2014 Feb; 31(2):133-9. 

  • Platz E, Lattanzi A, Agbo C, Takeuchi M, Resnic F, Solomon SD, Desai A. Utility of lung ultrasound in predicting pulmonary and cardiac pressures. Eur J Heart Fail 2012; 14(11):1276-1284.

  • Mennicke M, Oliva I, Gulati K, Goldflam K, Skali H, Ledbetter S, Platz E. Anatomic distribution of traumatic pneumothoraces on chest CT: Implications for bedside ultrasound screening in the emergency department. Am J Emerg Med 2012; 30(7):1025-31.

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