# Reading workstation for clinical contrast echocardiography

> **NIH NIH R44** · NARNAR, LLC · 2022 · $1,023,511

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Coronary microvascular dysfunction (MVD) is increasingly being appreciated as a part of the pathophysiology of
a number of conditions including MINOCA (myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries), heart
transplant graft vasculopathy, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Coronary MVD occurs
more commonly in women and can result in chest pain due to myocardial ischemia despite the presence of
normal or near normal coronary angiograms. Identifying MVD in patients remains challenging and results in
delayed or missed diagnoses even though cardiovascular event rates in these conditions are similar to those
with established coronary artery disease. Clinical tools are therefore needed to both rapidly and accurately detect
these conditions. Echocardiographic imaging of the myocardial microcirculation using ultrasound contrast
agents, referred to as myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE), has decades of data demonstrating the
diagnostic and prognostic benefit of MCE in evaluating patients with MVD. In many ways, MCE is the preferred
method for perfusion assessment because it is more convenient, less expensive, and more available than
comparative techniques of nuclear imaging (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and cardiac MRI.
However, the clinical use of MCE has been limited to only a handful of experts in the field due in large part to the
perceived experience dependence of MCE interpretation. Currently, no widely available clinical tools exist to
support MCE quantitative analysis and interpretation. A clinical gap exists between a proven echocardiographic
technique and the technology necessary to apply MCE in an efficient, user friendly and standardized method.
Narnar LLC is developing a user-friendly contrast echocardiography quantification and visualization software.
This product is designed to overcome the existing critical limitations of MCE by enabling rapid interpretation.
This new clinical tool will evaluate the myocardial flow-function relationship that is critical to identifying patients
with MVD by using echocardiography. The overall aim of this phase II proposal is to productionize the prototype
software into a comprehensive software solution that when integrated into the current workflows using already
available technologies (ultrasound, FDA approved enhancing agents) will enable a cardiologist to confidently
assess both function and perfusion by contrast echocardiography.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10547365
- **Project number:** 2R44HL152939-02
- **Recipient organization:** NARNAR, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Jiri Sklenar
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $1,023,511
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2021-03-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10547365

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10547365, Reading workstation for clinical contrast echocardiography (2R44HL152939-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10547365. Licensed CC0.

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