Reviews and News on Ultrasound Machines

Ultrasound technology was first introduced in obstetrics about thirty years ago. In obstetrics, standard ultrasound machines produce a two-dimensional image of a developing fetus. It is used to obtain measurements, detect any abnormalities, and to determine gestational age. However, with a 2-D ultrasound machine, the image is usually grainy and it requires a qualified physician or sonographer to identify different parts of the body or problems. One of the undeniable advantages to 3-D and 4-D ultrasound imaging is that it provides patients and doctors with multi-planar images. While 3-D ultrasound scans are capable of showing 3-dimensional images, there is a delay in regard to time.

By contrast, a 4-D ultrasound machine provides health care professionals and patients with advantages that 2-D and 3-D ultrasounds do not offer. First, it provides a three-dimensional, more detailed image that clearly shows facial features and can show movements of the fetus in real- time. Soon-to-be parents can get a much clearer photographic image of what their child will look like. In fact, the video images that are captured are similar to those that are taken with a video camera. The ability to see movement as it is happening makes it easier to diagnose heart or spinal cord abnormalities, and respiratory problems. In addition, if there is a need to extract liquid from the fetus for diagnostic purposes, 4-D technology is more precise in pinpointing the exact location.

Currently, the most common reason a 4-D ultrasound is ordered by an obstetrician is to detect suspected abnormalities having to do with the internal organs of the fetus. 4-D ultrasound machines offer physicians better quantitative tools to assist with diagnosis, treatment and management of fetal healthcare. While 4-D ultrasound machines are still not common, they are beginning to make progress moving into routine clinical medical practices.

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People tend to think about ultrasound machines in terms of obstetrics, but not everyone is aware of their use in regard to physical therapy treatment. Today, ultrasound machines are more portable than ever, and they are now available to be used at home for therapy and pain relief. Home ultrasound machine units can be as effective at relieving pain as professional ultrasound machines. Professional ultrasound machines use a continuous wave and the home units use pulsed waves, which makes them safer for the general public to use. Since they are safer to use, patients that use a home ultrasound therapy machine are able to perform treatments on themselves more frequently than a professional medical office would.

With ultrasound therapy, high-frequency sound waves provide circulation through pulsation of the deep tissue that is located under the surface skin and by providing a therapeutic massage that releases tight muscles, reduces inflammation or muscle spasm by increasing by increasing blood flow to the area being treated.  Ultrasound therapy can be used to treat several pain related medical conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, and bursitis. In addition, research has shown that ultrasound therapy can be used to help heal bone fractures more rapidly. The ultrasound machine can combine sound pulses with heat which can be very soothing to the patient.

Ultrasound machines that are being used in the home can benefit patients with chronic pain in many ways. Many patients have claimed that treatment from an ultrasound therapy machine provided them with much better results in terms of relieving their pain than other common treatments including cortisone injections and surgery. Home ultrasound machines can also be a worthwhile investment in terms of costs. Consecutive ultrasound treatments at a medical equipment facility are much more costly than a one-time investment in a home ultrasound machine.

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In an era where the medical profession is constantly being informed of more dangers pertaining to x-ray radiation, medical equipment manufacturers are responding with new and improved versions of their most popular diagnostic machines. One example of this is the Hologic QDR 4000. A bone densitometer that has become the industry standard for many physicians, this Hologic machine is designed to do full scans of the lumbar spine, as well as the hip and forearm.

In addition to its longstanding reputation for making reliable bone densitometers, Hologic incorporates pencil-beam technology into its QDR series. Pencil-beam imaging techniques are widely known for providing the best quality image with a relatively low dose of radiation. Like all bone densitometers, the machine’s primary function is to assess a patient’s bone mineral status, but the QDR 4000 also offers a low-profile design for easy patient positioning.

DXA technology is considered the state-of-the-art method of diagnosing low bone mineral density (BMD), specifically as it relates to the disease of osteoporosis. As the technology behind these machines has improved, so has the package of software and peripherals provided to the physician. These tools help clinicians compare their patients’ relative BMD scores and more accurately determine the appropriate method of treatment to prevent additional bone loss.

The Hologic QDR 4000 bone densitometer features a compact 6 ft. patient table, pencil beam technology and a low patient dose of radiation, all packaged in a low-profile, state-of-the art design.

For physicians who want a quick and easy way to monitor their patients’ bone density before sending them out for DXA scan, Hologic makes a bone densitometer called the Sahara. This ultrasound based machine is radiation-free and weighs only 22 pounds, which makes it portable enough to be moved around from one examination room to another. While it takes up very little space – a cursory scan taking only one minute – it is the fastest bone densitometer on the market.

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Pulse Wave Doppler is an imaging technique based on the ultrasound imaging principle. Ultrasound images of blood flow, either by Color Flow, Power Doppler, Continuous Wave, or Pulse Wave Doppler all essentially give the movement of the blood. Using any of the methods details about the heart circulation and blood can be found. In the technique of Pulse Wave Doppler (PWD) a series of electrical pulses are transmitted to visualize the movement of blood.

The electrical pulses sent give the echoes; depending upon the echoes the blood flow is calculated. By the Doppler Effect it can be clearly differentiated among the blood vessels and the body tissues. As the echoes from the stationary type body tissues are constant and do not change from pulse to pulse while echoes from the moving objects like blood changes from time to time with every pulse. These differences in the flow can be directly measured by the time difference or in terms of the phase difference from which the Doppler Frequency is determined.

In Pulse Wave Doppler imaging the electrical signals are sent in the form of pulses. The transmission of the pulsated signal is produced by the oscillators, which changes its voltage according to the resonance frequency. Short duration pulses of the ultrasound frequency are sent with a specific frequency, which is known as pulse repetition frequency (PRF). In the duration of the pulse transmission echoes continuously returns to the receiving transducer, but all the receiving signals are not viewed. The receiving transducer has its fixed frequency to open the gate for receiving the signals. The shift in the frequency from the pulse transmission is to allow the estimation of the Doppler Frequency Shift.

Pulse Wave Doppler is a famous technique used for imaging the blood flow by the electrical pulse methods and the technique has its own instruments, which are used to measure the blood flow.

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Corometrics has a proven track record in the manufacture of fetal monitors that are compact and light weight and aid in the measurement of heart functions and uterine activity. The quality is unmatched as is to be expected from any GE machinery. The wide beam 9 crystal Nautilus watertight ultrasound transducers that these machines incorporate acquire accurate signals in the measurement of fetal heart rate. These sleek machines are also user friendly and come with an intuitive user interface. The display lists the main parameters which make for easy reading and also allows for printing the results on graphs.

All GE Corometrics 170 Series 174 Fetal Monitor System have dual ultrasound internal and external monitoring. They are the ideal non intrusive monitoring systems that are available in the market today and are moderately priced with assured quality and reliability. These machines are compact and light weight making them easy to be moved around. They can be ideal for home or for use as they are highly affordable.

The main features of the machine include, high and low threshold alarms that indicate possible abnormal activity on the parameters that have been provided. The monitors also provide differentiation in the heart rates of twin babies and clearly separate the two. The machine also ensures the heart beat coincidence of the fetus twice so that there is no confusion between the two beats. There are independent volume controllers for both fetuses in twin baby monitoring situations.

The Fetal Movement detection options allows for the monitoring of the fetal movements and automatic recording of the same on chart paper. The LED lights and single touch buttons makes it convenient to use. The optional Fetal Acoustic Stimulator uses low frequency stimuli to wake the fetus which increases the reliability of the anti partum tests and retest consistency. There are musical indicators for most parametric monitoring done on the machine.

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Color Flow Mode (CFM) is also called as Color Flow Doppler Imaging (CFD). These are the ultrasonic imaging techniques used for measuring the blood flow through the heart. They display the flow data on the 2-D echocardiography image. The technique is mainly used for determining the congenital, valvular and other forms of disease related to heart.

The color flow mode imaging is based on the Doppler Effect of the acoustics. The Doppler Effect helps to find out the blood flow from different parts of the body. It helps to identify the direction of the flow of blood. Color flow mode imaging is understandable to the common user. They avoid the displays of the complex spectral velocity structures.

In the color flow imaging different colors defines the direction of the given jet. The red color and blue colors are taken for defining the direction. The change in the hues from bright to dull depicts the change in the velocities. When there is turbulence in the blood flow a mosaic of colors is formed. Therefore a 2-D display of the blood flow is depicted by the identification of size, velocity and direction.

Red color is used to depict the flow towards the transducer and the blue color is used to depict the flow away from the transducer. Different color references can always be seen in different Doppler Imaging devices. Generally in color flow mode the color bar of black color represents zero flow.

Color flow mode is a very easy and understandable way to study the ultrasonic waves to calculate the blood flow. By making different colors as the codes to measure the flow of blood people can get easily the meaning of the reports generated. These techniques work in the normal hearing range of the humans thus are not harmful for humans.

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Mammography machines help analyze breast tissue for possible incidence of cancer and are the choicest tools for guiding breast biopsy procedures. It works by directing a low frequency X-ray through the breast tissue and rendering detailed images for the physician to analyze. The high clarity and definition of these images helps perceive even delicate tissues within the breast. The GE Senographe DMR Mammography Machine is a highly advanced state of the art piece of medical equipment from GE that delivers high performance at affordable costs. GE has been a pioneer in mammography machine manufacturing and over the years has set high industry standards which are rarely matched by competitors.

The machine is very user friendly and has 5 photocells for expansive imaging functionalities in breast placement and digital angulations display. It also provides hands free compression and offers more interaction with the patient by way of vertical height adjustment. The quality of images rendered by a mammography machine is of utmost importance. The high image quality increases the diagnostic capabilities of physicians and the GE Senographe DMR is ahead of the competition in that it delivers high quality images with superb clarity by using dedicated MaxiRay X-ray tube and SharpIQ grid. The MaxiRay bi-metal rhodium or molybdenum tube offers extensive penetration and comes with an inner focusing cone. The high X-ray spectrum provided by these metals penetrates even the densest of breast tissues and reveals details that are obscure in images rendered by other machines.

The unrivalled image quality and magnification provided by this tube sets the machine apart from its competitors. The machine reduces exposure time, which ensures image quality and cuts down dose by 40 percent which allows for examination of dense breasts without reduction in image quality. The anti scatter grid movement is also optimized by the SharpIQ and DMR features which provides high definition images. The machine as with most GE products is consistent and reliable and also ensures automatic optimization of parameters. The digital display, flipping markers and single magnification stand all add to overall design and renders it highly user friendly.

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