Since the mid-1970's the PV loop has steadily become the gold standard as a means to study myocardial contractility, compliance, muscle energetics and other important quantitative measures of function. Approaches such as ultrasonic crystals, magnetic resonance imagine (MRI) and echocardiography have been used to measure instantaneous volume with varying degrees of success. However, these technologies all have severe limitations, particularly during the generation of load independent indices of contractility. Pressure Volume catheter technology has emerged as the most reliable method to generate real-time ventricular PV loops in the intact heart, particularly now as a result of recent advancements in the field through the use of "admittance" instead of the older "conductance" technology. More in-depth information on the role of PV Loops in Cardiovascular Assessment can be found in the "Education" section of this website.

Scisense offers two PV Loop system product lines to fit a variety of budgets and protocols: