Reviews and News on Ultrasound Machines

Ultrasound machines are used for more procedures and diagnostic tests than ever before, especially since the introduction of color Doppler ultrasound and high-frequency ultrasound techniques. But breast ultrasound is quickly gaining traction as an adjunct to digital mammography.

Non-invasive and painless, ultrasound only requires exposure to the area being examined. Instead of applying low doses of ionizing radiation to the area, an ultrasound probe simply uses measures high-frequency sound waves. Using this technique, clinicians can discover various abnormalities, such as masses, lumps and cysts of the breast, without the need for repetitive ultrasound testing.

For high risk patients who also have dense breast tissue, an ultrasound is often recommended to ensure that nothing is left undetected. By using sound vibrations, it is possible for a breast ultrasound machine to see inside the tissues of the breast without exposing women to high-risk secondary testing.

In addition to testing for breast cancer, a breast ultrasound is often used to identify the cause of other breast symptoms, such as redness, swelling and pain. In most cases, the ultrasound probe is sensitive enough to distinguish between the nature of these abnormalities, such as determining whether a cyst is solid or filled with fluid. A more advanced form of ultrasound known as Doppler ultrasound can be used to check the blood circulation within the breast, as the areas surrounding a mass will generally lack blood flow.

When a patient is given a questionable diagnosis from a routine mammogram, breast ultrasound machines are often used to confirm the abnormal results. It is especially effective in women who have silicone breast implants or dense breasts. In order to confirm the presence of breast cancer, a surgical biopsy can be performed with the guidance of ultrasound. A needle may also be inserted into the suspicious area to drain fluids that accumulate within a cyst.

As ultrasound technology continues to improve, expect to see more doctors recommend a breast ultrasound for higher risk patients as a routine supplement to mammography.

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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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Another accomplishment has been added to the growing list of ultrasound-powered medical devices. It is called ultrasound fusion imaging, and it is considered a safe way to obtain musculoskeletal biopsies. Just as effective and accurate as conventional imaging, the new technique will use ultrasound as opposed to traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) guidance.

The use of ultrasound allows a real-time image to be produced on the screen instead of producing and uploading images for later viewing. However, ultrasound machine fusion is not done independently of CT scans and digitized MRI. Oncologists still use these techniques to locate and characterize the mass, and these images are uploaded to an ultrasound fusion device, where it is grafted into the real-time ultrasound scan. The reason it is done this way is to give doctors an image of anatomic precision that provides them with real-time feedback as soon as the needle is placed.

Because an ultrasound fusion machine allows for the overlay of various diagnostic images, it can be much easier for doctors to detect or prevent issues such as hemorrhage and neurosis from arising in surrounding, non-diagnostic areas. With a 95 percent success rate, this method of diagnostic imaging is particularly effective in obtaining musculoskeletal biopsies of suspected cancerous tumors, and patient outcomes indicate that the test yields fewer complications and greater patient comfort during the procedure.

In addition to being less complicated and more accurate than traditional methods, needle biopsies performed with ultrasound fusion are much quicker to obtain. The layering of three images and the real time accuracy provided by this technique make the whole procedure a more pleasant experience for the patient.

The study also suggested that the use of ultrasound fusion technology may be less expensive for medical institutions and patients because the MRI/CT scans will not need to be repeated during the biopsy procedure. Using ultrasound machine image-guided is generally less costly and labor-intensive than other imaging techniques.

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When compared with other types of diagnostic imaging, the relative safety of ultrasound machines has made them the focus of many new developments in medical technology. Today, the ultrasound is used in many different ways that go well beyond the field of obstetrics. Many general practitioners are expected to start using a pocket-sized ultrasound scanner in place of a stethoscope.

One area of diagnostic imaging that affects a large percentage of the female population is the annual mammogram, a test that traditionally uses radiation-based x-ray equipment. But an increasing number of doctors are recommending a secondary test on ultrasound machines. The reason for the second test is based on the fact that general mammography only catches about half of all cancers in the breast when a woman has dense breast tissue. However, according to a study that was published in the AMA Journal, when these same women were given both an ultrasound and a regular mammogram, up to 75 percent of all cases were successfully diagnosed.

The problem with regular mammograms on women with dense breast tissue is that cancerous tumors and dense tissues are virtually indistinguishable on x-ray films. Dense breasts are more common among women under 50, affecting almost half of all women in that age group, but as women age their breasts become less dense. When premenopausal women get breast cancer under the age of 50, it will not only be harder to detect; the tumors will also grow faster than they would in an older woman. For women who fit into this group and are also considered “high risk” due to family history, a mammogram and breast ultrasound are highly recommended, but any woman with dense breasts will benefit from having both tests performed annually.

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