Reviews and News on Ultrasound Machines

Thanks to a simulation training course in ultrasound guided procedures, many medical residents have been able to hone their skills in a learning environment that doesn’t affect patient safety. The Henry Ford Hospital conducted a study that found this to be a highly effective teaching tool that will undoubtedly improve confidence among residents when they start using these new skills on the job. While conducting an ultrasound test may look easy enough to the outsider, practitioners need practice to gain the knowledge needed to use ultrasound machines with dexterity and speed.

The study was conducted while would-be doctors performed some of the most common ultrasound procedures, including biopsies of the breast, liver and thyroid, as well as the draining of excess fluid from the body. Students were able to use mannequins instead of actual patients, which allows for a more standardized form of teaching. Because they can practice the same procedure again and again, students were able to become more proficient than they would otherwise have been if their procedures were done on humans.

Each radiology student participating in this study was given a chance to learn techniques when using ultrasound machines through a combination of live training, video and written coursework. They each had six months to learn the skills within a simulated medical environment that recreates live surgical procedures as well as emergency care, intensive care and routine medical scenarios.

The mannequins themselves were equipped with hypo-echoic and hyper-echoic nodules that allow for a real-life ultrasound experience. Both before and after their training, student doctors were tested on their proficiency and knowledge of ultrasound technology. Not surprisingly, the students showed significant improvements after learning in a simulated hospital environment.

Using “cyclic sound pressure”, ultrasound equipment operates on a frequency of about 20 kilohertz, which is greater than what the human ear can hear. Most often used to produce pictures of a fetus in the womb, ultrasound machines work by measuring energy and sound waves that bounce off of the inner structures of the body.

Diagnostic imaging has dramatically improved over the past several years, and ultrasound machines are the most commonly used form of medical diagnostic imaging. This non-invasive technique is used to visualize internal organs to assess their size and structure, while locating any abnormalities within them. A sonographer, or ultrasound technician, usually administers these tests in a medical office or hospital, and most prenatal facilities have an ultrasound machine on the premises.

Because ultrasound is relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of diagnostic testing, it has become one of the most commonly used tools in modern medicine. It is a safe test because it relies on sound waves instead of radiation, which has been known to cause cancer.

How do obstetricians use ultrasound equipment?

Ultrasound equipment is used during pregnancy to produce 3-D images of the fetus, and help obstetricians to:
Confirm the viability of a fetus
Determine the fetus’ gestational age and size
Locate the fetus, and determine whether the pregnancy is uterine or ectopic
Check for multiple fetuses
Determine the sex of the baby
Assess the growth of the fetus
Check for the heartbeat and fetal movements

While ultrasound machines are typically used to produce a keepsake of the child, the American Medical Association strongly discourages the use of excessive “vanity” ultrasounds during pregnancy. Compared to the ultrasound images of the past, today’s ultrasound machines can produce 3-D images that are very lifelike, which has created a demand for more ultrasound testing, but it is ill-advised for a pregnant woman to undergo more ultrasound testing than what her doctor determines as medically necessary.

One of the hottest selling ultrasound machines on the market is the new SonoSite MicroMaxx, which lives up to its impressive name. By packing a lot of power into a compact, portable system, the SonoSite Micromaxx delivers the quality and features of a much larger, console-style ultrasound system in a small device that can be carried almost anywhere.

In addition to being highly portable, the MicroMaxx offers incredible image quality. And despite its small size, it produces images quickly. It can go from the off position to being ready to start scanning in about fifteen seconds, which can be extremely helpful with a critical-care patient. This state-of-the-art ultrasound system can be used in a number of different applications as well, including the ER, anesthesia, radiology and off-site locations.

In addition, medical professionals who tested this machine found it highly durable. Drop-testing has also shown that this machine to be rugged, even in extreme conditions, making it the ideal solution for rescue operations and natural disasters.

Available in color Doppler and 2-D modes, the SonoSite Micromaxx ultrasound machine allows for dual, M-Mode and Duplex imaging and works with three sweep speeds. Broadband, multi-frequency imaging allows for quick transmission to a medical facility, and images can be processed using compression, contrast enhancement, persistence and dynamic range/gain, using 1-8 focal zones.

While its portability makes it the ideal ultrasound equipment for a mobile rescue unit, it also moves quickly with a medical facility, from surgery and radiology to cardiology and anesthesia departments. Many healthcare facilities are opting for mobile systems like the Micromaxx, as it is sometimes easier to move the machine where it is needed than to move the patient to the machine.

Ultrasound technology has advanced dramatically since it was first introduced. Now, sonographers and radiologists can view more than just a static image on a piece of film. Thanks to new 4-D volumetric scanning, they can now see organs, fetal movements and blood flow in real time on a flat screen monitor.

These advancements in ultrasound equipment have allowed cardiologists to view the flow of blood and spot a blockage before it becomes a heart attack. Ultrasound probes can also be used after delicate organ transplant surgeries for follow-up care, instead of using more invasive techniques. And as advancements continue in ultrasound technology, it is now used frequently to diagnose problems with specific organs. Sonographers can take a multiple-clip dynamic image that can later be examined by a radiologist to view cross-sections of a 3-D image.

The major differences between the ultrasound equipment of the 80’s and 90’s, and what we are seeing today, is due to the addition of color Doppler and digital imaging. This technology offers doctors the ability to view movement and transitions that occur within an organ, artery or fetus.

Even the size and scope of hospital ultrasound equipment has changed over the past twenty years. Today’s machines can be moved from one part of a hospital to another, and offer far more sophisticated imaging techniques than the ultrasound machines of the past.

An even smaller, mobile unit will soon be available, thanks to a new “analog front-end” chip. Expect to see a full range of handheld ultrasound devices that can be used in mobile lifesaving units or on-site at disaster areas. As the demand for this equipment grows, and compact probes are adapted for diagnostic and post-operative treatment, physicians expect them to be used in even more medical and surgical applications.

Ultrasound uses “cyclic sound pressure”  in a frequency of approximately 20 kilohertz, which is higher than what the human ear can hear.  The energy and sound waves measured through ultrasound equipment can reveal details about the inner structure of the body, and is most commonly used to produce pictures of fetuses in the womb.

Diagnostic Sonography

The most common use of ultrasound machines in the medical profession is in diagnostic imaging. Ultrasound equipment is used to visualize internal organs, muscles, and tendons, for their size, structure and any abnormalities within them.  Typically, an ultrasound scan, or sonogram, is performed by a medical professional called a sonographer.  One of the most widely used methods of ultrasound is during pregnancy, to visualize the fetus during prenatal care, but it has also been used to image other areas of the body for the past fifty years.

Because ultrasound technology is relatively inexpensive and portable, it has become one of the most widely used diagnostic tools in modern medicine.  It is also known as the safest test because it uses no radiation, which has been known to cause cancer.

How is ultrasound equipment used during pregnancy?

Ultrasound machines produce three-dimensional, computerized images that can be used during by obstetricians during pregnancy to:

• Determine the gestational age of the fetus
• Confirm the viability of the fetus
• Determine the location of the fetus, whether uterine or ectopic
• Determine the sex of the baby
• Check for multiple pregnancies
• Check for any major abnormalities
• Assess the growth of the fetus
• Check for heartbeat and fetal movement

Today’s ultrasound machines can produce more detailed images than ever before, which are often used as a keepsake for the child.  However, excessive “vanity” ultrasound testing is strongly discouraged by the American Medical Association.

Thanks to a revolutionary new approach, neurosurgeons can now avoid radiation and scalpels when performing brain surgery.  Using a new ultrasound machine in conjunction with MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), neurosurgeons can now precisely burn out very small portions of malfunctioning brain tissue without ever cutting the skin.  Based on a preliminary study performed in Switzerland, the use of this new ultrasound technology on nine chronic pain patients has shown that the technology can be safely used in humans.  The next step is to test its effectiveness with other disorders, such as Parkinson’s.

Ultrasound machines, used in conjunction with MRI, are responsible for this groundbreaking discovery, which is based on using extreme precision to create lesions deep in the brain without the need to perform traditional brain surgery.  A neurosurgeon at the University of Virginia, Neal Kassel, has been directly involved in developing new applications for focused ultrasound.  He is chairman of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in Charlottesville, VA.

How is high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) different from diagnostic ultrasound?

By using a special device, intense ultrasound beams can be focused on a small piece of tissue.  The beams can heat it up and destroy it without breaking the skin.  Currently, this ultrasound technology is being used to ablate uterine fibroids, and is being tested for use in breast and other cancers.

One Israel-based ultrasound technology company, InSightec, is developing experimental HIFU devices for use in brain surgery.  The major challenge in developing this technology is figuring out how best to focus beams through the skull, because the skull absorbs and distorts the path of energy from sound waves.  Also, because ultrasound beams absorb energy and convert it into heat, the temperature of the skull can go up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  As a result, the device has a built-in cooling system to prevent skull tissue from overheating.

An experimental version of InSightec’s device is now being tested in 5 medical centers around the world, and neurosurgeons like Neal Kassel hope this will give ultrasound equipment manufacturers the impetus start focusing on the brain.

Using a lightweight, high-resolution ultrasound machine, doctors at UC Irvine’s Medical Center have learned to diagnose life threatening conditions, with striking precision, in a matter of minutes. 

Without an ultrasound scanner, many patients might have died from unforeseen conditions such as ectopic pregnancies, ruptured organs, or blockages.

Ultrasound has long been used in the field of obstetrics to show the growth and development of a fetus, but the technology has advanced further in recent years.  Now cardiologists, urologists and other specialists use ultrasound machines to see inside the body with clarity.  Ultrasound machines can make minimally-invasive techniques, such as heart catheterization, much safer and more effective. 

Because ultrasound technology works by emitting sound waves that allow doctors to plot three-dimensional images on a computer screen, it can be used to detect gallstones, blood clots, collapsed lungs, heart problems and blockages in the intestines, kidneys and stomach. 

Some of the more advanced, portable ultrasound machines weigh less than seven pounds, can be ready-to-use in fifteen seconds, and cost about $50,000.  Using these machines, clinicians can now accurately identify 44 medical conditions in about two minutes. 

Emergency medical personnel, cardiologists, internists and urologists are using ultrasound technology in new and exciting ways, which has caused many healthcare providers to consider investing in new ultrasound equipment for emergency rooms and clinics.  While the cost of these machines can be prohibitive, it makes sense to check out used medical equipment resellers to find ultrasound equipment that meets both the needs and budget of your facility.  These machines are truly the “wave” of the future.

Over the past decade, pregnant women have been bombarded with advertising from “boutique ultrasound” services that promise to provide a “keepsake” ultrasound video of their baby. These commercial businesses, more like photography studios than medical facilities, go far beyond the standard, doctor-administered ultrasound previously offered during pregnancy. In fact, many women have started posting their baby’s ultrasound photos on Facebook and other social networking sites. Today’s photo-realistic images show much more detail than the standard ultrasound image of the past. Ultrasound videos can even facial features, movements and thumb-sucking.

This budding, yet controversial, business sector provides expectant families with photos, videos, and digital images of fetal ultrasounds. High-tech boutique-style ultrasound centers have been gaining popularity across the country, but it is beginning to cause alarm within the medical community. Many obstetricians believe these frequent, non-medical ultrasounds could be potentially harmful to both the mother and fetus.

Connecticut legislators are close to banning ultrasounds for pregnant women unless they are pre-approved for medical or diagnostic reasons. This action is in response to the growing number of “keepsake” ultrasound businesses in the state. While there are no conclusive studies to prove long-term injuries caused by excessive ultrasounds, the bill’s supporters contend that using ultrasounds as a form of “entertainment” is inappropriate and dangerous.

The FDA has also expressed concern about this growing practice, calling it an “unapproved use of medical devices”.

Part of the reason for the growth in commercial ultrasound business is recent improvements in the technology over the past 5-7 years, which have improved the photo quality of the images, but like any other medical procedure, it comes with a certain amount of risk. Most physicians agree; conducting medical procedures outside of a medical setting is never a good idea.

Any medical imaging specialist will tell you, the most important part of medical ultrasound scanners is the “transducer probe”. This is the part of the machine that converts sound waves into electronic signals, and back again. In most cases, the transducer probe is made out of piezoelectric materials, which are designed to produce electrical voltage when stressed and also deform when external voltage is applied.

While this type transducer probe is considered the industry standard, a better type of probe can be made using a different principle. The principle of the “condenser microphone”, also known a capacitive transducer, uses a back plane with a thin membrane that vibrates. The only issue with bringing this type of transducer to market has been their need to contain enormous electrical fields, which has been difficult to accomplish. However, researchers have made progress recently by using the same production techniques often used in making microelectronics. It won’t be long before you begin to see capacitive transducers being routinely offered with medical ultrasound machines. This development should dramatically improve the sharpness of images produced by ultrasound equipment.

These capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) will overcome many of the limitations on existing ultrasound equipment, allowing new applications for ultrasound transducer technology in the field of medical imaging and treatment. CMUTs will bring the fabrication technology of standard, integrated circuits into the field of ultrasound medical imaging.

In terms of bandwidth, high frequency applications, and compatibility with newer imaging models, these devices are expected to be the next generation in acoustic medical imaging. Recent advances in micro-fabrication will make it possible to introduce these new silicon based electrostatic transducers within a few years, when they are expected to compete in performance against the standard piezoelectric transducers.

An Endoscope is a long thin tube with a miniature camera lens fixed on the tip of the tube, and a light source at the other. It is inserted in the body cavity of a person in order to view the inside of the intestines, oesophagus etc, and a magnified image of the relevant area is transmitted to a viewing monitor. The Endoscopy equipment consists of a control head and a flexible long tube containing several other tubes transmitting light, air, water or even suction.

Endoscopes pertaining to the specific parts of the body are developed in order to customize the procedures with regards to ailments relating to the abdominal cavity, lungs, bladder, uterus, nasal, rectum etc. For example, a gastro scope is used to view the insides of the stomach intestines; a laparoscope is used to look in anything from the gall bladder to the women’s reproductive organs etc.

Initially endoscopic instruments were only used to take images of the organs and intestines, today, live color video can be viewed and all aspects of the affected area can be diagnosed first hand with the use of fiber optic instruments encasing thousands of mirrors and lens in a very tiny, flexible and compact tube.

With the advancement of modern technology and the development of the endoscopic equipments, these are also used to take a biopsy, suck formation of pus, and also perform surgeries such as hernia, fallopian tubal ligation, laser surgeries etc.

The patient is usually given anesthesia for sedation and also given pain killing medications to avoid soreness or discomfort. The procedure is hardly invasive, although in some cases it requires tiny incisions depending on the requirement. After the procedure the patient is kept in observation for few hours till the effect of the anesthesia wears off and is further checked for any discomforting effects or reactions.