Does the M.mode.ify software tool accurately measure E-point septal separation retrospectively compared to traditional M-mode ultrasound?
M.mode.ify is a highly accurate and reliable software tool for retrospective measurement of M-mode parameters like EPSS from standard ultrasound video clips.
OBJECTIVES: M-mode ultrasound provides high temporal resolution imaging by rendering a single scan line over time, enabling precise measurement of rapidly moving structures. Traditional M-mode is limited to real-time acquisition and cannot be applied retrospectively. M.mode.ify is a novel software tool that generates M-mode-like tracings from video data, enabling post-acquisition analysis. This study evaluates the accuracy of M.mode.ify in measuring E-point septal separation (EPSS), a key echocardiographic parameter. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 50 cardiac ultrasound studies from our institution's quality assurance database. Inclusion criteria required both a saved M-mode EPSS image and a parasternal long axis (PLAX) video clip. EPSS values from M-mode served as the reference standard. Two blinded reviewers independently measured EPSS using M.mode.ify. Inter-rater reliability and agreement with the standard were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Absolute error was calculated to quantify measurement precision. RESULTS: Of the 50 analyzed studies, 9 were excluded due to inadequate anatomical visualization. Among the 41 included studies, inter-rater correlation was strong (r = 0.90), and agreement between M.mode.ify and standard M-mode measurements was excellent (r = 0.92). The mean absolute error was 2.38 mm (SD 1.71 mm). CONCLUSION: M.mode.ify demonstrates high accuracy and reliability in measuring EPSS retrospectively. This tool may expand the utility of ultrasound data by enabling post hoc analysis of M-mode parameters.
Crockett et al. (2026) studied this question.