New Ultrasound Technology Review

This week we are going to review the latest in new bedside ultrasound technology.  This info is taken from an upcoming article on technologic advancements in EM Ultrasound, that was written for EM Pulse by Dr. Adrian Elliot and myself.  So keep a look out for the full article in future issues...

The Most recent push in ultrasound technology is the miniaturization of the ultrasound machines to handheld devices.  Multiple companies have released handheld ultrasound imaging devices in the past few years.  Some of these devices are the size of larger cellular phones, making them easy to carry around at all times.  Siemens was the first to release a "pocket ultrasound," the Acuson P10.  This unit starts up in 5 seconds and can be used for cardiac and abdominal applications.  It weighs in at a hefty 1.6 pounds and stores both video clips and still images.

Accuson P10

Signostic has created a hand held ultrasound machine with a high-resolution LCD touch screen display and text and voice annotation, called the Signos.  It is the lightest at 11.2 ounces.

Signos personal ultrasound

GE has also released a handheld unit this past year called the Vscan.  It is the size of a smartphone, but is a self-contained unit.  It boasts a 3.5-inch color display with an easy user interface and a 4 GB memory card.  The entire unit weighs 14 ounces and has the ability to perform color flow doppler imaging.

Vscan

The MobiUS, produced by Mobisante has recently gained FDA approval as a handheld ultrasound device that actually utilizes a smartphone-based platform.  The device uses the Toshiba TG01 smart phone and the probe connects via a USB connection.  It can connect to wifi or cellular network, allowing the user to send images wirelessly via the Internet.  The whole system weighs 13 ounces and although it is not out for purchase yet, the estimated price will be $5,000 for a single probe system.

MobiUS

The increased portability of these ultrasound systems will make them attractive for pre-hospital, disaster settings and even remote locations leading to earlier diagnoses.  These machines also cost significantly less than their larger counterparts, making their purchase more palatable to departments.

Other current ultrasound advancements include educational technology.  For practitioners continuing to learn how to use ultrasound technology, there is an abundance of websites and smart phone-based applications dedicated to emergency ultrasound education.  While there are no dedicated Android-based or Blackberry-based ultrasonography apps, there are currently six different EM-focused applications downloadable for the Apple iPhone.