Powered by cutting-edge equipment, expert sonographers and AI-enhanced analysis, the CIM's echocardiography platform delivers fast, high-quality cardiac imaging tailored to the needs of modern clinical research
Source: Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute)
July 2, 2025
At the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute), the echocardiography platform at the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM) is delivering what today's research community urgently needs: timely, precise and reliable cardiac imaging for clinical studies.
Led by François Tournoux, MD, PhD, with support from Michael Chetrit, MD—both researchers in The Institute's Cardiovascular Health across the Lifespan Program—the CIM's echocardiography platform offers a robust, research-dedicated solution to growing clinical trial needs. Together, Dr. Chetrit and Dr. Tournoux, bring deep clinical expertise, academic rigour and a practical vision for how imaging can drive discovery.
A research-first approach
"With increasing clinical pressures and fewer resources, our traditional echocardiography labs are often at full capacity," explains Dr. Tournoux, who is also Director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). "Research studies can be deprioritized or delayed. This CIM platform was created to solve that problem."
Unlike conventional clinical labs that typically operate a single commercial imaging system, the CIM echocardiography platform houses three echocardiography machines from different vendors—a rare and valuable asset in the research setting.
"This setup allows us to directly compare technologies and validate tools across multiple systems," says Dr. Tournoux. While each unit represents a significant investment, the ability to tailor imaging protocols to study needs makes them indispensable to modern research.
The platform supports a range of modalities, including standard transthoracic and stress echocardiography (imaging patients during exercise). It uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to accelerate the analysis of echocardiograms, reducing both turnaround time and costs. "AI enables us to process large volumes of imaging data rapidly and consistently, which is especially critical for large multicentre clinical trials," explains Dr. Tournoux.
High-quality imaging, expertly delivered
The platform's strength also lies with its people -- a team of clinical experts and highly trained sonographers. Before participating in research studies, CIM sonographers must pass protocol-specific qualification exams to ensure alignment with sponsor requirements and clinical trial standards. "These are high stakes studies," says Dr. Tournoux. "Quality of scanning and consistency in measurements are non-negotiable."
Supporting diverse clinical research — from oncology to cardiology and beyond
The CIM echocardiography platform supports a broad range of clinical research beyond just cardiology studies, including:
- Cardiology-led studies— testing new therapies for heart failure, rare cardiomyopathies, or other conditions, involving sometimes very complex imaging protocols.
- Non-cardiac studies requiring cardiac imaging—particularly in oncology, where emerging therapies may have cardiac side effects.
- Multicentre trial image analysis—where imaging is collected from studies performed in all participating centres and centrally analyzed by the CIM team to ensure consistency and impartiality.
Looking ahead: Synthetic imaging and integrated data
The platform is also positioning itself for the next generation of research. Dr. Tournoux is developing an integrated imaging database that connects echocardiography data with hospital records, laboratory data and pharmacy information.
The team is also exploring synthetic imaging, in collaboration with international partners. "Synthetic data allows us to protect patient privacy by creating data that is completely anonymized yet still useful for research. If we can match these synthetic imaging data with synthetic clinical data, we can open the door to ethical, large-scale discovery without compromising patient confidentiality."
Ready to support research
While hospital echocardiography labs facing mounting demands, the CIM platform offers a dedicated solution built for research timelines and standards.
"We ensure high-quality imaging that is delivered on time, using the same equipment and sonographers as our hospital system," says Dr. Tournoux.
For investigators and sponsors alike, the message is clear: The CIM echocardiography platform is open for research. The infrastructure is in place. The expertise is here. And the data will be delivered where it matters most, integrated into the patient's chart and ready to support clinical discovery.
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