Caption Health, maker of an artificial-intelligence-guided ultrasound platform capable of instructing clinicians on obtaining a clearer picture of the heart in motion, has raised $53 million in new financing to expand the commercial reach of its system.
The proceeds will also help fund the development of its AI platform in additional care areas.
“Caption Health is working towards a future where looking inside the body becomes as routine as a blood pressure cuff measurement,” said Armen Vidian, a partner at DCVC, which led the startup’s series B funding round.
“Simplifying ultrasound is critical to providing fast, effective care,” Vidian said. “By making ultrasound accessible to non-specialists with AI-guided, FDA-cleared products, Caption AI brings the benefits of medical imaging to more caregivers in more settings.”
The round also raised funding from Caption Health’s previous backer, Khosla Ventures, as well as new money from Atlantic Bridge and cardiovascular devicemaker Edwards Lifesciences.
Caption Health’s ultrasound AI was first approved by the FDA this past February for walking medical professionals through the steps of the common cardiac exam used to diagnose different heart diseases. The software also analyzes the 2D ultrasound image in real time and automatically records the best video clips for later analysis, while calculating measures of heart function.
An updated version of the company’s algorithms and guidance later received an expedited clearance from the agency as a tool for front-line hospital staff to help evaluate COVID-19 patients for cardiovascular complications.
Now, Caption Health has accelerated its plans to bring its AI to market later this summer, and the company says it is already in use at 11 U.S. medical centers, integrated with the Terason uSmart 3200T Plus portable ultrasound system.
“We are truly grateful to our investors and to our early adopter clinicians, who have believed in us from the beginning,” said Caption Health CEO Charles Cadieu. “This capital will enable us to scale our collaborations with leading research institutions, regional health systems and other providers by making ultrasound available where and when it is needed—across departments, inside and outside the hospital.”