Butterfly Network has launched its third-generation, handheld, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), Butterfly iQ3. It received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance last month.
 
Butterfly iQ3 is powered by the company’s most advanced semiconductor chip, with a data transfer rate that’s double its predecessor. It also features two new 3D imaging capabilities designed to ease image capture: iQ Slice and iQ Fan.
 
iQ Slice is an automated, sequential ultrasound capture mode that steers the beam to scan an organ and capture up to 46 ultrasound slices at once across a wide angle. It’s designed to make it easier and faster to acquire images without skilled maneuvering. The files can either be immediately read and measured at the bedside by skilled scanners, or sent to a specialist for further review for those less experienced.
 
iQ Fan is a dedicated lung tool that allows real-time, back-and-forth virtual fanning to visualize A-lines and other lung conditions. Users don’t need to manually fan the probe and can focus on analyzing the images.
 
iQ3 has twice the processing power compared to Butterfly’s iQ+ and a new “no focus” rubber lens so providers can intuitively identify anatomy and observe small structures. The company said in a blind survey distributed by third-party vendor Intellisurvey, 475 clinicians across over eight specialties compared Butterfly iQ3 images to GE Vscan Air CL, with the majority across all categories ranking iQ3’s overall image quality better than that of GE Vscan Air CL.
 
The new POCUS has a 17% smaller probe face and 7% shorter probe with ergonomic weight distribution. It has three configurable control buttons that can be tailored for functionality. iQ3 also features a 2.5x faster charge time than iQ+ and up to two hours of thermal run time for continuous scanning.
 
“The next-generation P4.3 chip we developed with TSMC [Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited], the world’s leading semiconductor foundry, is the foundation for the Butterfly iQ3 hardware platform. From the micron-sized MEMS that transmit and receive ultrasound to the electronics and mechanical heat dissipation, we’ve improved device performance across the board. Our customers will have a seamless experience that’s fully integrated across hardware, mobile app, and enterprise software.” said Andrei Stoica, Ph.D., chief technology officer at Butterfly Network.