Reviews and News on Ultrasound Machines

As more and more medical equipment suppliers try to capitalize on the recent expansion of ultrasound applications, it can be difficult to keep up with all of the new machines that have become available. Instead of being limited to bulky and cumbersome ultrasound scanners in a hospital setting, providers and patients are benefitting from the latest Doppler imaging techniques now being used in doctors’ offices around the world.

One recent addition to modern ultrasound machines is the Acuson p50, a portable model that is built on a Microsoft Windows-based Apple MacBook platform. It is practical, stylish, and portable, with a slide-out instrument panel and high quality color Doppler imaging. Color Doppler imaging gives this machine the ability to differentiate between tissues and the MacBook platform allows for enhanced reporting and workflow optimization.

The features of the Siemens-designed Acuson p50 include spatial compounding, which improves the visual boundaries of images and improves definition. It also has a patented speckle reduction capability that complements the color Doppler tissue imaging technology. Fully mobile and portable, this unit offers up to two hours of battery-only operation as well as on-screen access to secondary controls, built-in wireless/Ethernet connectivity and CD/DVD drives.

For the most part, the p50 ultrasound machine is used in cardiology and vascular application, including stress echocardiograms, making it an excellent companion for cardiologists, general physicians and ER doctors. Also, since the p50 is housed within the framework of a MacBook Pro, it allows doctors to perform other tasks as well, including full use of the Internet, email and Microsoft Office applications. The system comes with 2 GB of RAM, a 2.0 GHz Intel Dual-Core Pentium processor and 160 GB of memory.

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It seems like every day that ultrasound technology finds more applications within the medical community, and medical equipment manufacturers are in a rush to develop devices that can take advantage of this trend. Until recently, ultrasound was primarily utilized by doctors of obstetrics and gynecology, with limited use as an alternative imaging tool in cardiology and orthopedics. But thanks to major developments in Doppler technology and image processing, portable ultrasound machines are now used in practically every area of medicine.

The S8 portable scanner from Sonoscape is evidence of these changes, and along with other Sonoscape models it features the most advanced imaging technology available today. The S8 includes multi-beam process and micro-scan imaging technologies, as well as automated tissue optimization, a High-Q noise filter and more. HD probes make this model capable of 4D imaging, which is important for cardiologists.

This fully portable ultrasound model also features one-touch optimization of scanned images and other types of imaging techniques including panoramic, trapezoidal and micro-scan. It has a 15” color LCD monitor, which allows for both color and Doppler multi-beam images. Hospitals who purchase this type of equipment are usually looking for a versatile and powerful ultrasound machine scanner to use in the emergency room or in a cardiac-care unit, but it is also a popular model for OB-GYN and general imaging applications.

The advanced state-of-the-art technology used in the Sonoscape S8 means it provides some of the clearest ultrasound images available. Plus, it is easy to maintain and priced competitively at only one-third the price of competing models.

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It seems like every other day, major medical equipment manufacturers are adding new features or new devices to their growing portfolio of high-tech equipment. Just recently, General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt recently announced the launch of a very small and inexpensive portable ultrasound device, known simply as the Vscan.

Not much larger than a smart phone, the Vscan folds up like a flip phone, with the control keys at the bottom and a top screen showing the scanned ultrasound image. It is hard to believe that a device as small and lightweight as this can have the same capabilities as a console machine did just a few years ago.

Imagine how many more mobile healthcare units will now be able to quickly asses a patient’s internal condition without the need to bring them to a medical facility. For most medical practitioners, this type of device could easily become as indispensible as a stethoscope.

As baby boomers age and medical charts go digital, the medical equipment industry is working hard to make healthcare more accessible, portable and easy to use. In addition to GE’s Vscan, Signostics is shrinking its portable ultrasound scanners to the size of an iPod. Weighing only one-half pound, these tiny devices are designed to be worn around the neck like a stethoscope.

As healthcare costs continue to rise, it seems like more of these miniaturized devices will become the norm. Portable devices are in high demand among home health care providers and the need for more portability is sure to increase as the population gets older. For example, the World Health Organization estimates that the number of people aged 60 and up will grow from 650 million (2006) up to 1.2 billion in 2025. It’s no wonder the entire medical equipment industry is obsessed with making common instruments smaller.

Ultrasound Machine Tags: Portable Ultrasound, portable ultrasound machines, Ultrasound Machines, Used Medical Equipment