Ultrasound Machines Today

Have You Thought About a Career As an Ultrasound Technician?

2012-01-06T17:42:00.000-08:00

An ultrasound technician contributes vital services to the medical field. Ultrasound sonography is the equipment used to detect diseases and examine internal organs. Pregnant women usually have ultrasound private scans to be able to tell the gender of their baby even while inside the womb. It also helps keep track of the baby's development.

An ultrasound technician operates sonography equipment. This is why ultrasound technicians are much in demand in all hospitals and clinics. The technician often works in shifts to cater to patients at different hours of the day.

To become an ultrasound technician, it is important to have the necessary education and training. Knowing the different medical terms used for the job is also another requisite. Subjects such as health, computer, physics and mathematics will acquaint would-be technicians to the rudiments of the job. A certificate showing proof that the person has undergone vocational training is enough to help you land a job. The more training the person has, the better the chances of securing a well-paying job.

Training is a pre-requisite because it provides the candidate with the necessary experience on operating the ultrasound sonography machine. A full-time internship after graduation can greatly increase the chances of getting hired. Working with real patients will provide the student the confidence to operate the machine and handle people.

Getting certified is also necessary for the job, so working towards the appropriate exams for your country in this field would be essential for this career. A license is not really necessary but it will give the technologist an edge over other applicants. Also, it will make him qualify for higher paying technologist jobs. Large hospitals will most likely hire a licensed technologist.

An ultrasound technologist needs to be people-oriented. He interacts with people on a daily basis. He needs to be personable to be able to handle difficult people or talk to people with disabilities. He should be helpful because patients need all the help and attention they can get. He also needs to take down notes on the patient's medical history. He has to explain to patients the procedure for the ultrasound exam. This is why; the job will fit someone who loves to be around people.

The images that the technologists gathered will be used to diagnose the patient and for treatment. Ultrasound private scans are very safe. They do not emit radiation. Body temperature however may rise because the sound waves passing to the tissues can elevate temperature. But this is nothing to worry about. A 1.5 degrees Celsius rise in temperature is relatively safe.

Even pregnant women can safely undergo ultrasound exam. There are pregnancy scans in clinics all over UK. Ultrasound during pregnancy can help determine the health of the baby. The mother may need to undergo ultrasound test once a month so the progress of the baby will be monitored.

There is a growing demand for ultrasound technologists all over the world. For people contemplating on a career as an ultrasound technician this is wonderful news. Technicians usually command a salary of £20,000 per year. The course is usually completed in 2 to 4 years.

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Giving Ultrasound Scans Can Be a Great Job

2012-01-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

The name of ultrasound fills your mind with various colourful pictures reflecting babies, although the concept of this term is much broader than what one might think. First and foremost, it won't be inaccurate to assert that an ultrasound test is the most cordial and easy form to ensure your sound health. Ever thought to select this fascinating yet challenging task as a domain for your career? The only thing, which might hinder this career option, is the lack of sufficient information regarding the immeasurable benefits of giving ultrasound scans. Some of the benefits are discussed below.

It is quite evident from the name of ultrasound that it is purely a medical term, but fortunately, anyone whose prior academic background is least linked with the medical field can choose this path option, by studying the in-depth course outlines of an ultrasound technician. The biggest advantage to endure the studies of these high-frequency waves is the short duration of the academic course which can be accomplished within 2 to 4 years. Furthermore, a person who is willing to involve himself in the medical field but resists the scenarios of blood taking, surgeries and critical patients, can certainly engage in the task of giving an ultrasound scan.

Ultrasound technicians do not only work on the subjects of pregnant women, but this scan diagnoses many other health-related problems of people, regardless of their gender. When talking about the pay scale of ultrasound technicians, it is quite obvious that this difficult task is worth the wages of £20,000 annually, which is a handsome amount of money. Hence more, medical researchers have revealed that many X-ray and CT scans can be a threat to the health of a critical patient. In such circumstances, ultrasound scan comes into play. This scan is not only safe and secure for your health but also gives a factual overview of the internal diagnosed organs.

If we look at the future scope of this career choice, then it brings the essence of gracious news for those people who have currently engaged themselves in this field, in one way or the other. A pregnancy ultrasound can be an expedient way for the technicians to interact with the little creature that is still on his way to the world, inside the womb of her mother. These tender feelings give one a whole lot of positive energy to work in a productive environment. Therefore, the vast idea of ultrasound scans can only be understood with a practical experience by adopting it as an appropriate career choice.

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GE-Philips Health Equipment Market Opens as Smartphones Win FDA Nod

2011-10-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

When Brian Froelke joined emergency responders in tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri, in May, the physician brought along a Toshiba Corp. (6502) smartphone with a hairbrush-size gadget attached.

The device, made by Redmond, Washington-based startup Mobisante Inc., converts a phone into a pocket ultrasound machine. Froelke used it to examine a pregnant woman who came to a temporary hospital complaining of stomach pain.

“It was helpful to reassure the mom that the baby didn’t have any obvious problems,” Froelke says.

Mobisante’s device, which goes on sale in October, is part of a wave of new smartphone applications and attachments in the nascent mobile health market, Bloomberg Businessweek reports in its Oct. 3 issue. In the past eight months, products that turn a phone into a blood-pressure monitoring cuff, a CT-scan viewer and other health-care gadgets have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance.

The market is predicted to grow: By 2015, 30 percent of the world’s smartphone users will be using mobile health products, up from 5 percent now, estimates Research2guidance, a mobile- market consulting firm in Berlin.

“Health care will be fundamentally different than it used to be,” says Bakul Patel, a policy adviser at the FDA.
And potentially less expensive. One of the promises of mobile health products is that, by building on existing products such as Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone, they can perform the same function as high-end hospital gear for a fraction of the price.

‘Bang for Buck’

Mobisante’s ultrasound attachment, for example, costs $7,495. Though the images aren’t the highest quality available, a top-of-the-line ultrasound machine costs as much as $100,000, and Mobisante’s device is “easily the best bang for your buck,” says Jason C. Wagner, an emergency department doctor in St. Louis, who reviewed it for Emergency Physicians Monthly.

By reducing costs for insurers and medical providers, mobile health-focused startups hope to snag a slice of the $273 billion medical equipment and supplies market, currently dominated by large companies such as General Electric Co. (GE) and Royal Philips Electronics NV.

“Big companies of tomorrow are the small companies of today,” says Cedric Hutchings, chief executive officer of Withings, a company in the Paris suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux that makes a $129 blood-pressure monitoring cuff that attaches to iPhones.

Although smartphones have been on the market for years, the long process for obtaining FDA clearance means health-related apps and attachments are only now starting to appear in significant numbers.
‘New for Them’

MIM Software Inc. sells an iPhone and iPad app for physicians to view CT, MRI and PET images on their mobile devices. Mark Cain, the Cleveland-based company’s chief technology officer, says MIM built a prototype of the app in a week, then spent 2 1/2 years and more than $150,000 getting FDA clearance, which came through in February.

“It was new for them, it was new for us,” Cain says.

The cost and approval time may shrink in 2012, when the FDA is expected to issue detailed guidelines about which mobile health devices and apps fall under its jurisdiction, and how it will regulate them. That will help potential customers like hospitals and medical practices decide which devices to buy and “will probably help accelerate this area,” says the FDA’s Patel.

The pioneers have already done some of the legwork: Mobisante, for instance, had to prove to the FDA that smartphones’ digital screens were comparable to the screens on existing ultrasound machines, work that future applicants may not have to replicate.

Retail Opportunity

Mobile health products could get another boost next year, when AT&T Inc. plans to start carrying some in their retail stores, according to Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices at the company.

Mobisante says it’s in talks with several potential big purchasers, including the U.S. Army, which is interested in using the portable ultrasound device to diagnose wounded soldiers in the field. In June, Health Care Service Corp., a Chicago-based insurer with 13 million customers, began testing a wireless service from Baltimore-based startup WellDoc Inc. that helps Type 2 diabetics manage their disease.

Investors and potential acquirers already are eyeing the market. In September, Sandy Spring, Maryland-based venture capital firm Hickory Ridge Group started a $50 million fund focused on new health technologies, including mobile products.

“We are looking very closely at some of these startups,” says Paul Coss, a director for wireless technologies at Philips Healthcare. “There’s some clever innovation happening there.”

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Mammograms aren't the only tests for diagnosing breast cancer

2011-10-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer can hide — in darkness, by chest walls, amid dense tissue — leaving women with a false sense of security. But new and evolving technologies zero in on breast cancer’s hiding spots and can lead to life-saving treatment.

Derry Twp. police officer Laura A. Pavone had her first mammogram one month after her 40th birthday and discovered she had breast cancer. “Having a mammogram when I was 40 was the best decision of my life,” said Pavone, a mother of three. “I was healthy, had no family history and never felt anything abnormal.”

Yet, last year, she was diagnosed with DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ, where cancer cells invade the lining of the duct. These tiny tumors are not usually discovered by a self-exam.

Area technicians and radiologists rely on an expanding number of high-tech diagnostic tests to find a lump, pinpoint its size and location, determine malignancy and work with breast surgeons to map out treatments. Soon, they will even have a 3-D option for mammograms.

While mammograms are often viewed as the gateway test for detecting all breast cancers, that is not always the case, said Dr. Todd Campbell of Holy Spirit Hospital’s Oakwood Breast Care Center in Mechanicsburg.

In most cases, if a screening mammogram indicates something suspicious, a more detailed mammogram or ultrasound will be ordered. However, if a 30-year-old woman comes in with a lump already, an ultrasound might come first.

“It usually depends on the patient’s age,” said Tracy Reed, mammography supervisor at PinnacleHealth System, which has two diagnostic sites — at the Medical Science Pavilion of Community General Osteopathic Hospital and Fredericksen Outpatient Center — and three screening sites — at Harrisburg Hospital, Dillsburg Imaging and Millersburg Imaging.

Yet, “a screening mammogram is still the most important tool we have for the early detection of breast cancer,” Campbell said.

While not perfect, this “dedicated X-ray of the breast” is precise, picking up about 85 percent of all cancers, said Dr. Scott Wise, a radiologist and director of the Women’s Imaging Center at Tristan Associates, which has locations in Camp Hill, Hershey, and Susquehanna and Lower Paxton townships. That accuracy rate drops to about 50 percent in women with dense breasts, where fatty tissue is scarce and problems appear as white spots on a white background.

“But far and away, it is the best study to show early calcifications,” Wise said. Although most calcium deposits are benign, a cluster of tiny calcium specks — called “microcalcifications”— might be an early sign of breast cancer, he added.

The wide variety of tests available each have their own strengths and weaknesses:
Screening Mammograms — A mammogram delivers a controlled beam of low-dose radiation to create a shadow on film. Soft tissue appears darker, and dense tissue appears white. Calcifications also appear white.

Views of the compressed breast are usually taken from the top and the side, while the patient stands in front of a tall rectangular machine. The compression only last about 10 seconds each time. The entire test, from the moment a patients strips down to the waist and dons a gown to the time she leaves with results, typically only takes about 35 to 45 minutes, Wise said.

Area imaging centers often read the exams while women wait, so they can deliver results, and peace of mind, right away. In unclear cases, radiologists might ask for more views.

“The interpretation takes more time than the test,” Campbell said.

To allay any confusion about changing guidelines for mammograms, area radiologists agree that a baseline exam should be done between the age of 35 and 40, and a yearly mammogram should be done starting at age 40. In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ignited a national debate when they recommended that mammograms start at 50, not 40, and be conducted every two years, instead of every year. The American Cancer Society has remained firm in recommending that women get an annual mammogram starting at 40, as have other organizations.

Experts admit that while the mammogram is not 100 percent accurate, it is still the best view in town — especially when used in tandem with other tools.

Diagnostic mammograms — These more comprehensive mammograms are performed when a patient is having a problem or has had a problem in the past that doctors are following, Reed said.

Tomosynthesis — This 3-D mammogram uses a rotating exposure that lasts about 10 seconds during breast compression to produce a stack of images similar to a CT scan’s sliced images. The machine is expected to cut down on false positive readings. It was just approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February, and PinnacleHealth expects to offer it soon at their Lower Paxton Twp. location.

Breast ultrasounds — These exams are typically done when a patient is feeling a lump, or a nodule that cannot be felt is detected on the mammogram, Reed said. An ultrasound can determine whether the lump is a fluid-filled cyst or a solid nodule, employing sound waves to create a picture of breast tissues. It is done with the patient lying down in a darkened room, situated by a technician at a monitor.

Breast MRI — Breast MRIs “have really exploded,” Campbell said. Because MRIs are “an extremely powerful study,” they are excellent at determining the size of breast cancer and seeing multiple spots, Wise said.

If an abnormality is detected on a mammogram, an MRI is sometimes recommended, Reed said. If a patient has a strong family history and is deemed high-risk, it might also be done. Breast MRIs are also the go-to screen after a breast cancer diagnosis to look at other possible abnormalities before surgery. However, Campbell said, in women with no prior problems, the breast MRI “may not always be clinically relevant.”

“It is sensitive but not very specific,” so it can show suspicious areas that might not be abnormal, he said.

Thermography — Thermography takes a compression-free photograph of the heat produced by the body, with areas of more blood flow producing more infrared rays on a thermogram. This screening is not utilized locally, as it is judged to be “experimental at this point,” Campbell said. In June, the FDA issued a warning to consumers that it should not be used as a mammogram substitute.

Stereotactic, ultrasound, or MRI breast biopsy — As a higher-level screening tool, breast biopsies, or needle core biopsies, take samples of suspicious breast tissue for analysis by a pathologist. The biopsy can be performed with stereotactic (a mammogram), ultrasound or MRI pictures, Reed said, with the method determined by the radiologist.

Most women cannot merely order up her preferred diagnostic test from a medical menu. Most insurance will cover a screening mammogram but not other measures, Campbell said. “You need an indication to do further studies.”

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Expanding ultrasound use on Earth and in space

2011-06-30T06:11:00.000-07:00

Dr. Scott Dulchavsky, surgeon-in-chief at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, was the principal investigator on projects to develop tools to expand the use of ultrasound technology on Earth — and in space. A member of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute Smart Medical Systems and Technology Team, Dulchavsky spoke with me yesterday about his work.

“How can I provide the medical care we’ve developed in a fancy trauma center… to be appropriate on the shuttle, the space station or exploration missions to a different planet?” Dulchavsky said. ”There are some challenges.”

Challenge 1: There’s not a lot of medical equipment in space. The International Space Station has no CAT scan, MRI or X-ray capabilities, Dulchavsky said. It does have ultrasound equipment, but many medical conditions, such as brain swelling and broken bones, are diagnosed on Earth using other tests.

To stretch the technology for possible use in space, the team at Dulchavsky’s hospital used ultrasound technology to diagnose a variety of injured or ill patients — even if ultrasound wasn’t the traditional test for that condition. The ultrasound tests weren’t just accurate, Dulchavsky said. They sometimes exceeded the capabilities of other tests. ”At least in expert hands,” Dulchavsky said, “it’s a pretty interesting tool.”

Challenge 2: Astronauts get some medical training, but they’re hardly health experts. ”How do I get an engineer or a geophysicist to do what has taken me years to do?” Dulchavsky said. ”My task with NASA and the NSBRI was to develop methodologies, training tools and the ability to utilize an ultrasound machine to provide high-end diagnostic potentials where they didn’t have them.”

Dulchavsky’s team developed multimedia interpretations that helped non-expert ultrasound operators produce suitable images. ”We did over 100 hours of those examinations on the International Space Station,” Dulchavsky said. The team also developed tela-ultrasound capabilities that would allow Dulchavsky to watch an ultrasound conducted in space from Mission Control.

Why do we need ultrasound technology in space, anyway? At first, NASA wanted to use ultrasound to monitor changes to astronaut health during extended periods of weightlessness, Dulchavsky said. But the equipment is also used to monitor occasional injuries or health concerns astronauts face in space, he added.

Using the principles they pioneered with ultrasound in space, Dulchavsky and his team are also working with the United Nations to bring the technology to remote regions in developing nations. The team is training non-physicians to use portable ultrasound devices to provide patients with information on childhood pneumonia, infectious diseases and other ailments. While people living in parts of Africa and Asia might not have access to a physician — much less an MRI machine or CT scanner — the portable ultrasound could serve as a stand-in. ”We’ll hook those machines up via the Internet to their regional hospitals,” Dulchavsky said. “We’ll provide follow up training to allow them to increase their skill levels.”

For Dulchavsky, the next step in space is to help astronauts go from producing ultrasound images to knowing what to do with them. ”They aren’t, as non-physicians, able to take the images that they acquire and interpret them to try to develop a care plan,” he said. Back on Earth, Dulchavsky’s upcoming work involves producing ultrasound training for medical schools.

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Ultrasound Provides Non-Invasive Measurement of Blood Pressure

2011-06-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

Investigators at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have developed a non-invasive method of measuring localized blood pressure within the vascular system. The technique was developed with help from Esaote engineers, on company’s machines. Using ultrasound to precisely measure blood flow and movement of vessel walls, the investigators were able to apply a newly constructed mathematical algorithm to extrapolate the intravascular pressure.

More details from a TU/e announcement:

They can also see the variations in blood pressure and flow in time as a result of the beating of the heart. The simultaneous knowledge of pressure and flow also provides information about ‘downstream’ parts of the vascular system. The new technique will allow physicians to carry out preventive investigations of the cardiovascular system, for example, and to monitor the development of diseases such as atherosclerosis, thrombosos or aneurysms.

The method was first tested on elastic plastic tubes, and after that on pigs’ carotid arteries from an abattoir, with good results. The technique is currently being tested on volunteers, in advance of clinical tests with patients. The results are promising. It is still expected to take several years before the technique can be used in clinical practice, for example in family doctors’ surgeries, says Bijnens [Nathalie Bijnens]. “By performing a simple scan, the physician can detect vascular disease in an early stage and decide for a preventive treatment.”

This new method for measuring blood pressure is part of a new direction for the research group led by prof. Frans van de Vosse. The group’s work focuses on making mathematical models of the vascular system. “For example we have developed a model to locate the best places to enter veins in the arms of dialysis patients”, says Van de Vosse. “But that model needs detailled input, which is why we decided to develop a measurement method ourselves.”

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The Future of Better Patient Care

2011-06-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hospitalist Michael Monge, MD, of Cogent Healthcare in San Bernardino, Calif., watched an instructor squeeze the lubricating gel on the transponder and press it gently, but firmly, into the crook of a woman’s arm. Veins practically popped off an ultrasound monitor, serving as a literal road map for vascular access.

Bradley Rosen, MD, MBA, FHM, addresses participants in the “Portable Ultrasound for the Hospitalist” pre-course

And he thought: Wouldn’t it be great if I had this technology all the time, just like I remember from my residency?

“A lot of my ER attendings were able to do a study at the bedside in a manner of minutes, not 30 or 45 minutes,” says Dr. Monge, who practices at Saint Bernardine Medical Center. “If they saw something abnormal, sure enough, they got the full study. But they were able to get that glimpse. Ultimately, it’s just better patient care.”

Dr. Monge’s ultrasound lesson was a first for the SHM annual meeting. In past years, training on ultrasounds was wrapped into the “Medical Procedures for the Hospitalist” pre-course. But at HM11, thanks to the growing prevalence and portability of the technology, the training was expanded into its own half-day pre-course, appropriately dubbed “Portable Ultrasound for the Hospitalist.”

“The ultrasound will be the stethoscope of the 21st century,” says Mark Ault, director of the Division of General Internal Medicine and assistant chairman for clinical affairs of the Department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “And the goal will be to have an ultrasound in the hands of every internist.”

Only time will tell whether portable ultrasound becomes as commonplace as Dr. Ault envisions, but what is clear is that the evolution of the technology makes it widely applicable to hospitalists, says Bradley Rosen, MD, MBA, medical director of the Inpatient Specialty Program (ISP) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Pricing is one such example. In years past, ultrasound machines were bulky and costly, with price tags in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now, portable units, depending on the number of transducers and functionality, can come as low as $20,000, though more-advanced machines quickly jump into the $40,000 to $60,000 range.

Still, Dr. Rosen views the practical uses of the technology as almost endless, and could include vascular access, placing central and PICC lines, and insertion and removal of catheters. Most hospitalists, however, continue to have limited experience with portable ultrasound, meaning those interested in learning more likely have to seek out physicians in other departments to provide the training and mentorship required. Dr. Rosen suggests working with ED physicians, OB-GYNs, and radiologists, although he notes you should be careful to be clear that the HM community is not looking to supplant anyone, or take billing opportunities away.

Hospitalists “don’t know how to use it, and people don’t know where to go to learn how to use it,” he says. “This is a starting point that will allow people … to take these ideas back and, hopefully, generate enough of a critical mass that it becomes a louder and louder chorus asking for this technology.”

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Consistence is vital in the maintenance of hospital machines

2011-05-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

When Accordia Global Health Foundation offered $800,000 (Shs1.9bn) to Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), it was directed to training. Mr. Leonard Kalunda, a Biomedical Engineering Technician at Mulago National Referral Hospital, is a beneficiary. Stella Nakakande spoke to him to find out how his newly attained skills are relevant to the hospital.

What is biomedicine?
Bio means life and we combine equipment with life. When we do maintenance of hospital machines, we are saving lives one way or another.

So how does one become a biomedic?
Before, one had to do electronics engineering first then upgrade it to biomedics. Currently though, there is a course in Biomedical Engineering at Kyambogo University, which was only introduced last year in June.

And how did you become a biomedical engineering technician?
I got a Diploma from Kicwamba Polytechnic where I studied electronics engineering. When I came to Mulago Hospital 18 years ago, I got hands-on training in handling medical equipment.

What equipment are you talking about?
There are many, the first are patient monitors which are often used in the intensive care unit but should actually be used in a lot more places to monitor patient progress. There are autoclaves, used for sterilisation of objects and fluids that may be manufactured in the hospital.

We have incubators for premature babies, ultrasound machines, defibrillators which shock the heart when it slows down, analyzers for blood collections and CT scans.

There are also oxygen concentrators which help to generate oxygen when it is turned off in case the hospital runs out of cylinders.

So what exactly is it that you do?
I calibrate or adjust the machines so that they work within a particular figure or produce a consistent amount of a substance. We also do preventive maintenance of the machines as well as their actual repairs. An example is the digital metre which presets the oxygen concentrator to produce a specified amount of oxygen. This is the number one test equipment in Uganda and perhaps the Sub-Saharan region.

What is the importance of this presetting or adjusting of equipment?
Tuning allows for consistence. It is unfortunate we don’t usually calibrate or tune the machines in Uganda.

So, where and what was the training about?
I went to Medicine International Global School in Dallas, Texas, in USA. I went last year in June and the course lasted six and a half months. I got a scholarship through Infectious Diseases Institute courtesy of Accordia Health Foundation.

And what other training have you done?
In China, in 2009, I got training to service and install Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, useful in looking at body parts like the brain. In fact, Mulago Hospital is getting one installed around the end of this year. In Egypt, in 2008, I got training in basic maintenance of the ultrasound machine used often to visualize unborn babies in the womb.

In Italy, in 2008, I got training in fluoroscopy maintenance. This is a form of X-ray where one sees live images after they are injected with a drug. The usual X-ray produces pictures in print one can say. In Indonesia, in 2007, I got some skills in Information Technology. You cannot operate these machines if you do not know how to use a computer properly.

In India, in 2002, I got training in preventive maintenance of laboratory equipment like incubators, the centrifuge which sediments blood at a very fast rate which makes it much easier to define whose blood is HIV positive and who is not under the microscope.

What is expected of you after this?
I will create change and pass on this knowledge to others through demonstrations at my work. I will pass on skills of preventive maintenance.

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Will Physicians Soon Trade In Their Stethoscopes For Tiny Ultrasound Machines?

2011-05-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, the Wall Street Journal did a great piece on how mobile technology is being used in medicine. They looked at the major avenues of use — from the hospital to personal to emergency care settings.

They gave an example of how a cardiologist has stopped carrying a stethoscope, and now just uses mobile ultrasound, a modality we have highlighted numerous times in the past.

Dr. Topol, a cardiologist in San Diego, carries with him instead a portable ultrasound device roughly the size of a cellphone. When he puts it to a patient’s chest, the device allows him to peer directly into the heart. The patient looks, too; together, they check out the muscle, the valves, the rhythm, the blood flow.

“Why would I listen to ‘lub dub’ when I can see everything?” Dr. Topol says.

As mentioned in our article on mobile ultrasound, research continues to show how the modality can be used to improve outcomes, such as with central line procedures.

With the continued improvements in ultrasound mobility, will physicians be required to become more proficient in the modality?

I would argue yes. For cardiac sounds, it will replace the stethoscope in the future, and it will eventually become a part of medical school curriculums once pricing goes down — right now the price point is $8,000. The value added by ultrasound is tremendous. The ability to look at not only cardiac pathology, but abdominal, eye, venous, arterial, and more.

Would a cardiologist be able to use a mobile ultrasound tool better than a primary care physician to look for cardiac abnormalities? Of course, but thats the case with a stethoscope as well. Most physicians today are proficient with a stethoscope — not masters — and the same paradigm could be applied to a mobile ultrasound tool.

Furthermore, since ultrasound uses sound waves, and not radiation, more physicians proficient in ultrasound could lead to less x-rays or CT scans. Recent data on cumulative doses of patient radiation exposure highlights the need for ultrasound use when possible.

Although you can use ultrasound to look at pulmonary pathology, such as for pulmonary embolisms — sound still plays a key role. Hearing the interval improvements in a patient’s expiratory or inspiratory wheezing is essential when treating a patient with acute exacerbation of COPD.

While there are cases the stethoscope would be useful, especially in regards to certain pulmonary sounds, it’s not outlandish to think mobile ultrasound could be the essential tool physicians carry around, while the stethoscope becomes relegated to PRN use.

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Terason t3200 Turns Your MacBook Pro Into An Ultrasound Machine

2011-05-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it’s not exactly a kit you can buy, but a company called Terason, who specializes in these kinds of portable ultrasound machines, has just released their new t3200 Ultrasound System designed specifically for breast surgeons.

Built around a MacBook Pro the ultrasound machine is not only highly portable, it also allows the imagery being collected to be easily integrated into a doctor’s workflow since the t3200 is a full-fledged computer. So emailing scans, sharing files on a network or checking a patient’s chart data can all be accomplished from the same machine. As for pricing? Start with the MSRP of an MBP and then add on a few thousand dollars and you’re probably getting close.

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GE and EADS to Print Parts for Airplanes

2011-05-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

GE is starting a new lab at its global research headquarters in Niskayuna, New York, that's devoted to turning three-dimensional printing technology into a viable means of manufacturing functional parts for a range of its businesses, including those involving health care and aerospace. The company aims to take advantage of the technology's potential to make parts that are lighter, perform better, and cost less than parts made with conventional manufacturing techniques.

A conventional hinge for the cover of a jet engine (top) could be replaced by the more intricate one at bottom, which is just as strong but weighs half as much. The new design, created by EADS, is made practical by three-dimensional printing technology.

Technology for printing three-dimensional objects has existed for decades, but its applications have been largely limited to novelty items and specialized custom fabrication, such as the making of personalized prosthetics. But the technology has now improved to the point that these printers can make intricate objects out of durable materials , including ceramics and metals such as titanium and aluminum, with resolution on the scale of tens of micrometers.

As a result, companies such as GE and the European defense and aerospace giant EADS are working to apply it in situations more akin to conventional manufacturing, where large numbers of the same part are needed.

GE's first application of the technology could be ultrasound machines that are cheaper and perform better than current versions. One of the most expensive parts of an ultrasound machine is the device that transforms electronic signals into sound and back again—the part that's pressed against a person's skin during an ultrasound. These transducers are made up of thousands of tiny columns spaced just 30 to 40 micrometers apart, with each column being extremely thin, about eight to 10 times taller than they are wide. It's extremely difficult to make such parts using casting, since it's hard to free the part from the mold. So GE makes them using a precise cutting tool that very slowly carves away at a chunk of ceramic. The process is slow and expensive and can only be used to make a limited range of shapes.

Now GE has developed a new printing technology that spreads out a thin layer of a slurry composed of ceramic embedded in a polymer precursor. When a pattern of ultraviolet light is projected on this layer, the material solidifies only where it's been exposed to the light. Another layer of slurry is spread out on top of this and flashed with light, and the structure is built up in this way, layer by layer.

The process is still not ready for mass production, says Prabhjot Singh, a mechanical engineer and project manager at GE Research. But because the process is faster and saves material, "it could achieve orders of magnitude reduction in cost," he says. GE designers using the new process could improve the performance of the transducer because they won't be as constrained in the types of shapes they can make. This could lead to higher resolution ultrasounds.

GE is also investigating the possibility of printing some airplane parts, a strategy EADS has also recently pursued. At the EADS labs in Filton, U.K., researchers demonstrated that they can print out several different metal parts for airplanes with a technology that uses a laser to heat metal powders until they form solid metal shapes. Using this technique, EADS has printed metal hinges for engine covers: the hinges allow the covers to swing open for engine maintenance.

The parts have intricate shapes that maintain strength while cutting the weight of the part in half. The new hinge has been put through the tests used for conventional parts and shown to meet performance requirements. Weight savings are critical in the aerospace industry. According to EADS, reducing the weight of an airplane by just one kilogram can result in fuel savings of $3,000 per year, or $100,000 over 30 years—the typical life of an airplane.

To be sure, the technology is still limited. Although many functional metal alloys can be printed, the high-performance ones used inside an engine can't yet be produced in this fashion (such parts require a level of precise control over the temperatures of the materials during processing that can't be achieved yet in printing). GE will use the new technology to print out engine parts—such as turbine blades—but only for testing certain properties of a design, such as its aerodynamics, and not its ability to survive high temperatures and pressures. Singh says that this could help speed up the design process by making it possible to have a high-precision part built in weeks rather than months.

The other main limitation of the technology is the size of the objects it can print. Depending on the material and the printer, it's possible to print things that are a few centimeters across to at most something near a meter. Printing out wings or parts for some of GE's large power-plant turbines is still not possible. And there are some things that likely will never be made using three-dimensional printing. "It will never be used to make something such as nails. But eventually it could be used to make the tools that make nails," says Jonathan Meyer, a research team leader at EADS Innovation Works.

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Vermont Doctor Gets Grant To Improve Ultrasounds In Developing Countries

2011-04-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

Fletcher Allen radiologist Dr. Kristen Destigter received $100,000 grant from the Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation Thursday, to help her further improve her efforts on the Imaging the World project by getting ultrasound technology in developing countries.

"In the developing world, maternal mortality and morbidity is very high," Destigter said.

She said that rate could be lowered by using portable ultrasound machines, which currently run around $8,000. She's hoping to use the grant to make a similar machine that's more affordable.

The smaller machines will allow health care workers in rural areas to conduct ultrasounds as long as they have sunlight and cellphone reception. Solar power can charge the device in places where there is usually limited access to power, then with a phone network, an image can be sent like a text message.

"Imaging the World's developed a compression and transmission model that allows us to compress those so much that they're the size of a photo and we can send them over a regular cellphone modem," Destigter said.

Once the image is taken, it's sent to a doctor to be read.

"We have a network of volunteer experts around the world and even in Uganda who are able to look at these images," Destigter said. "Then we send that result back to the nurse midwife at the rural health center in a text message on her cellphone."

She said that leads to proper diagnosis and allows women to get to hospital if they need more thorough treatment.

"Having ultrasound available in these rural areas how that is going to save many many lives," Destigter said.

If all goes well with the project, Destigter's efforts could receive $1 million in more funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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Where To Find Ultrasound Technician Training

2011-04-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

In order to become a certified ultrasound technician, ultrasound technician training must be accomplished. Several schools and training institutions in the United States are offering programs for the ultrasound sonographer to acquire the required trainings. These trainings are designed to educate every student getting the ultrasound sonographer course.

It is essential for aspiring sonographers to acquire the needed knowledge and expertise to become competitive in the field of ultrasound sonography. Here are some important points on how to find the ultrasound technician training a student needs to become fully trained and effective sonographer in the future.

In order to choose the ultrasound technician training school, there are some vital measures the student needs to do. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or CAAHEP is responsible for providing the list of accredited training institutes for ultrasound sonography trainings. Locate the list of the accredited training programs in your state.

Some of the training programs are available on community colleges or technical schools in the area. There are also traditional trainings that can be acquired in bachelor degree colleges and universities. This is because the ultrasound sonography degree ends in a four-year degree program.

After identifying the training institutes to enrol the ultrasound sonographer training, the next step is to look for the corresponding program fitted with your needs. Some programs can be attended in the evenings or depends on your chosen schedule. It is also high time for you to choose if you will pursue the four-year degree program, the two-year associate degree programs or the training programs that could only be accomplished in a year or less.

Some of the trainings can be accomplished in distant education through online programs. Take cautions in schools offering most of the coursework through online programs because more 'hands-on training' and practical training is required for this program in order to become successful.

When choosing for the suitable programs, always make sure that highlight on-the-job trainings. Internships for students are important because with this, students are given a chance to use and maneuver ultrasound machine on-hand for the determination and diagnosis of disease. Also, refrain from taking programs that don't emphasize patient-care settings.

Patient care is important for technicians since one of their job descriptions is to position the patient into a situation that is best to capture clear images of the body organs and veins being diagnose. One-year programs are the shortest of the programs but when compared to the two-year or four-year programs, the latter will offer an opportunity to earn more money and have a more stable profession.

The entire program for the ultrasound technician training will cost a student anywhere from $75 to $500 per credit. Of course, community colleges (public schools) will require a more cost-effective education while four-year colleges will cost you more for tuition and will require many credits to earn the degree.

After deciding which school and what program to take for the ultrasound technician training it is now time to visit the school to talk with a representative from the department of the ultrasound technician program. Relevant questions and important information you need to know about the program and the school could be asked. It is also vital to get stories of experiences from the students in the school. Examining the laboratories and the ultrasound machines should be inspected so that regret from enrolling will not be experienced since machines are important tools for the technicians.

Ultrasound technician training can be acquired from several private and public institutions such as college communities or four-year universities.

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Do You Have To Take Core Classes Before Entering Ultrasound Technician Programs?

2011-04-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ultrasound technician programs require trainings in order to complete the entire coursework to become certified in the field of ultrasound sonography. Do you have to take core classes before enrolling in an accredited university to become ultrasound sonographer? Yes. And here are some reasons why it is critical to have undergone several related ultrasound technician programs before pursuing to become a successful ultrasound technician.

One of the job requirements of being an ultrasound sonographer is to generate and capture clear images of the needed organs or veins of the patient's body. This is necessarily by using the ultrasound machine's sound waves to get images. Furthermore, patient care is needed by the technician because he is the one responsible in securing a position for the patient in order to get the images he needs for initial diagnosis.

With this job description, it is therefore needed to have some background in biology terminology, and physics to be able to enroll in an ultrasound technician programs. Furthermore, several of the schools are requiring the applicants to have an associate degree program diploma in order to continue pursuing a career in ultrasound technology. The one year degree program for ultrasound sonography can only be vital for professional who are already inclined the field of allied health. This is only to improve, expand and acquire more knowledge in ultrasound technology.

Aside from basic high school subjects such as anatomy, physics, biology and an optional associate degree course, there are still core courses which an ultrasound technician needs in order to become effective and efficient in his work. Here are some of the important credits which should be earned by the technician in order to be qualified in ultrasound technician programs.

Anatomy, a branch of biology is the study of the different structures of the human body as well as the internal and external organs. This is needed for the ultrasound technician so that the location of each body organ is analyzed and studied to make use when organs and body parts are being studied by the ultrasound machine.

To know the functions of the several body organs and body parts, it is essential to study physiology. This is also important and vital for the work of the technician because this is a continuation of the anatomy subject.

Medical terminology is the study of the different jargons and languages used by medical professionals. Medical etymology, an equally needed subject should also be studied by the technician.

Ultrasound principles are important for the technician to know the fundamentals of ultrasound sonography including the different characteristics of the machines such as echoes and Doppler ultrasound.

Physics is another important coursework to be finished in the degree of ultrasound technology. This is because the study of matter, forces and motion are also important for the ultrasound machine utilization.

Proper care and maintenance of the ultrasound machines are essential to keep the machines working properly and efficiently. This is why a coursework entitled equipment use and maintenance is included in the curriculum of the ultrasound technician programs.

Patient care is also an important coursework for the technicians to know the proper care and management of the patients especially for those who are already very sick. Proper positioning of the patient is not an easy job for the technician that is why proper way to do the positioning must be taught in school for the technician to do it properly in the laboratory room.

Having a background on the several core classes is essential for the ultrasound technician programs not only for proper accomplishment of the task of getting clear images from the patient's damaged body organ but also for proper care of the patients and for proper administration and maneuvering of the ultrasound machine.

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United Imaging Healthcare Leverages Samplify's Analog Front-End Solutions to Deliver New Portable Ultrasound System with Superior Image Quality

2011-04-16T05:45:00.000-07:00

China Medical Equipment Fair, (CMEF) -- United Imaging Healthcare, a leading provider of ultrasound and MRI systems in China, is introducing its iuStar100 — a new 48-channel portable ultrasound machine. The iuStar100 utilizes Samplify's high-performance, low-power receiver analog front-end design and its award-winning SAM1600 analog to digital converter (ADC) to deliver exceptional B-mode and color Doppler modes image quality.

"We have found Samplify's front-end solutions provide the best analog performance at low power, thus contributing to the superior system image quality of our new portable system," says Eddy Ye, Chairman of United Imaging Healthcare. "We greatly appreciate Samplify's dedicated technical support allowing us to bring this product to market fast."

Danny Kreindler, Director of Marketing for Ultrasound at Samplify, comments, "We are pleased to have United Imaging Healthcare as an important partner and customer in China. The quality of its new 48-channel portable system is a testament to the company's strong technical team and dedication to delivering superior imaging products."

To expand its line of successful ultrasound machines, United Imaging is also developing next-generation systems using Samplify's SMK9130 front-end development platform that includes the company's AutoFocus™ beamforming technology and analog front-end modules. Eddy Ye notes, "Samplify's SMK9130 AutoFocus™ beamforming development platform allows us to rapidly develop out next generation hardware and software and deliver machines that will set a new standard of image quality in ultrasound systems."

New Ultrasound System Showcased at CMEF

United Imaging will showcase the iuStar100 in its booth H1-E68 at CMEF April 16th – 19th. Samplify will demonstrate its SMK9130 complete 64-channel ultrasound beamforming development platform and its analog front-end solutions at its booth H2-K18.

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Ultrasound Jobs and Salaries

2011-04-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

People who are aspiring to get jobs as ultrasound technicians will do well to know what it is they do first and what is expected of them before they apply for the job. For one thing, in order for you to go near that ultrasound machine, you first have to make sure that you are qualified and that you have the skills necessary to work as an ultrasound technician. It may seem somewhat simple but really, you will discover that it is a lot harder than it looks. Ultrasound technician jobs demand that you know your craft very well and that you know how to talk to patients and doctors alike.

You have to know how to work different types of ultrasound machines and know how to work them properly so that you are able to get the clearest images possible which will make it easy for the doctors that you work with to make a diagnosis. As for the patients, well, you will have to be soothing and yet professional so that they do not fear you or the process that they have to undergo as some of them do tend to be skittish at times.

There are several ways that you can train to become an ultrasound technician; you may go to school whether it is a college or a university or you can get in-house training form a hospital. It is very important for those people who want to work in the field to have good qualifications so that they can be hired once they are done with their studies. Another thing that you need to be when you want to work as one is that you have to be physically fit so that you can help the people move around so that you can get the very best images that you possible can.

There are plenty of ultrasound technician jobs for the taking and you have to know that another of its perks is that it pays really well. A starting salary for one starts at 40k a year and it could go as high up as 68k a year even. Although there are several factors that may affect that, you can rest assured that all the hard work and trouble that you go to will be very well compensated and that you will never go hungry. So what are you waiting for? Take advantage of this chance and realize your dreams of being an ultrasound technician.

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New threat in 3D ultrasound machines

2011-04-04T05:18:00.000-07:00

CHANDIGARH: The three-dimensional ultrasound scanning machines have emerged as the latest threat to further imbalancing the sex ratio in Haryana. The Jhajjar civil surgeon has written to the government of Haryana not to allow the registration of such machines in the state.

Incidentally, mobile clinics and mobile testing machines, which have paved way for these 3D ultrasound machines, are already facing ablanket ban in rural as well as urban belts of the state. Health minister Rao Narender Singh, endorsing Jhajjar civil surgeon Dr Bharat Singh's view, has lodged a complaint in this regard with his counterpart in Rajasthan following the seizure of one such machine, last week, from Mahendegarh in Rajasthan.

"Use of kits for identification of sex is a passé. Now, couples seeking sex determination approach clinical laboratories with blood samples to be send abroad. This is a foolproof system. As far as 3D ultrasound machines are concerned, here, you need not give any indication, rather parents can see sex of the baby themselves. I have disallowed the registration of such machines in our district," said Dr Bharat Singh.

Meanwhile, referring to mobile clinics and diagnostic machines, like ultrasound scanner, health minister Rao Narender Singh admitted that the practice was rampant in the state, especially in the border districts.

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Largest crisis pregnancy care centers not clamoring for proposed sonogram grants

2011-03-26T04:29:00.000-07:00

As The American Independent reported earlier this week, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns’ proposed Informed Choice Act would allocate federal grant money to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations that operate ”as a community-based pregnancy help medical clinic” to buy ultrasound equipment to provide free examinations to pregnant women. But some of the presumed benefactors of these grants, crisis pregnancy centers, have admittedly not gone out of their way to push this legislation.

Representatives from the two largest networks of crisis pregnancy centers in the country, Care Net and Heartbeat International, said that about half of their clinics offer what they refer to as “limited ultrasound services.”

Under the bill, to qualify for the grants, centers would have to already provide medical services under the guidance and supervision of a licensed physician.

Care Net, based in Lansdowne, Va., operates 1,135 crisis pregnancy centers across the country, said spokesperson Kristin Hansen. Of those, she estimated that 550 to 600 offer limited ultrasound services. Those ultrasounds, Hansen said, are administered either by licensed medical professionals or trained stenographers.

“The ultrasounds help determine viable pregnancies and how far along you are in your pregnancy, which is very important,” Hansen said.

Hansen noted that the bill has not gone anywhere though it has been introduced in the last several legislative sessions. Yet she said this new Congress has proved to be “different,” and that the role of ultrasounds in educating women about abortion has gained more prominence this time around.

“The legislation comes at a time when ultrasound and pregnancy centers serve significantly by providing these services for free,” Hansen said.

The majority of Care Net’s funding comes from private, non-governmental sources, Hansen added.

Heartbeat International, based in Columbus, Ohio, operates approximately 800 CPCs nationwide (1,100 total, covering 50 different nations), said public relations director Virginia Cline. Of those, Cline estimated that about 400 centers offer medical services, ranging from testing for sexually transmitted diseases to ultrasound services.

Were Stearns’ bill to pass, Heartbeat International said it would not apply for a grant to purchase ultrasound machines, and generally steers clear of federal money and the red tape involved, save for now-expired grants for abstinence and Marriage Works funds.

In a statement emailed to TAI, the CPC network said, “Heartbeat International will not pursue such grants as we are not a direct provider of services. In general, Heartbeat always recommends qualifying service providers to carefully consider government grants and contracts that would help them effectively serve those facing unplanned pregnancy to make positive life choices.”

Birthright International, another large umbrella of CPCs which began in Toronto in 1968 and now has 400 chapters worldwide, offers no medical or ultrasound services in their network, according to spokesperson Terry Weaver of Birthright’s U.S. headquarters. Among the services Birthright provides include, according to its website: free pregnancy testing, information on prenatal development, career development, adoption, pregnancy and childbirth.

In the past, the policy group Democrats for Life of America has supported Stearns’ legislation, for its education merits.

“When women see ultrasounds, they have a tendency to choose life,” said DLA President Kristin Day.

Stearns’ bill does not come without strings. Among the stipulations, grant recipients must:

be legally qualified to provide such medical services to pregnant women and be in compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements for the provision of such services
obtain and maintain medical malpractice insurance in an amount not less than $1 million
not receive more than 30 percent of its gross annual revenue from a single source or donor

With the money, the centers would have to use the ultrasound equipment to:

show the visual image of the fetus from the ultrasound examination and give a general anatomical and physiological description of the characteristics of the fetus
give each pregnant woman the approximate age of the embryo or fetus
give each pregnant woman information on abortion and alternatives to abortion such as childbirth and adoption and information concerning public and private agencies that will assist in those alternatives

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Supercharge Ultrasound Machines with Oxford Electromagnetic Acoustic Imaging

2011-03-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

Oxford University researchers have developed technology that combines ultrasound and electro-magnetic detection to help peer inside and identify abnormalities within tissue. So far, the system, dubbed Oxford Electromagnetic Acoustic Imaging (OxEMA), has shown good results in identifying calcium carbonate nodules within sheep kidneys (see above). Researchers believe that this technology will be a common option in ultrasound machines of the not too distant future.

The technology provides the ability to discriminate different electrical and mechanical properties of a tissue in a way not available from any current imaging technology which will potentially radically improve the identification of tumours and any other anomalous tissue characteristics. The imaging capabilities will initially be made available as an additional feature on a system which operates with a similar user interface to current ultrasound machines.

OxEMA has the potential to enable better, earlier diagnosis of numerous conditions and tumours, including some or all of breast, liver, kidney and thyroid cancer, as well as having applications in orthopaedics and other clinical areas. The technology provides an automatically registered, overlaid EMA image on top of the ultrasound image, providing the ability to simultaneously assess the electrical and mechanical properties of the same piece of tissue, with considerably improved diagnostic power.

Professor David Edwards, who leads this research at the Department of Engineering Science, said, “OxEMA has the capability of producing MRI-like images because it utilises the electromagnetic properties of tissue as the contrast mechanism. However, in combination with ultrasound we can achieve images of high spatial resolution without the use of large expensive magnets, keeping the size and cost of the system much lower than MRI. It also has the important advantage of being a non-ionising technology reducing the radiation exposure for the patient. Using the electromagnetic signature of the identified targets, the technology has the potential to be used in the classification and identification of specific tissue types. We are now working towards building an imaging system that can be used in a clinical environment”.

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Philips HD11 Ultrasound Machine

2011-03-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

The medical equipment industry has experienced significant growth, particularly in third-world countries. There are entire companies dedicated to buying equipment for hospitals and clinics all over the globe. Sometimes an investor will open a new medical facility and will hire one of these agents to procure a whole slew of equipment. The agent will often need to buy new ultrasound machines like the Philips HD11, or something similar.

These systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars, with prices sometimes exceeding $100,000. As such, it behooves the potential buyer to study all options and information available, before making such a significant purchase.

So before starting out on an ultrasound shopping spree, let's look at the basics of what these machines do, how they do it, as well as points to consider when buying one.

1. What Ultrasound Machines Do

The main purpose of these machines is to perform diagnostic imaging of internal body structures.

For example, if a doctor wants to check on how someone's heart is functioning, an echocardiogram or cardiac ultrasound picture must be taken. This will allow a physician using a Philips HD11 XE ultrasound to examine the heart (without any surgical procedure) and determine whether there are any cardiovascular diseases.

Other ultrasound usages include the examination of pregnant women to determine the date of conception (gestation) as well as the gender and health of the fetus. This is generally referred to as obstetric ultrasonography. Outside of pregnancy, gynecological ultrasonography is done to examine the health of the uterus, ovaries and other pelvic areas. Together, these two areas are sometimes referred to as OB/GYN ultrasound studies and can be handled, for example, by a GE Voluson 730 Pro.

Another major area of use is in urology. Upon need, doctors will want to examine males to rule out testicular torsion or cancer which can be confused with relatively harmless epididymitis and hydrocele respectively.

As different ultrasound systems perform different diagnostic imaging, buyers must first determine whether there is a need for cardiovascular, OB/GYN or other studies, before selecting the appropriate machine.

2. How Ultrasound Machines Work

One might think that knowing how these machines work is not so relevant when buying one. However, a basic understanding of how ultrasound systems operate is important when determining which machine or accompanying transducer one really needs.

In short, transducers or probes are connected to the ultrasound machine. These probes vibrate at high frequencies producing sound waves ranging from 2-18 MHz. The range will depend on the depth of the organ that is being examined.

The doctor or technician places the transducer outside the body (non-invasive) and moves it around the examination area ( for example, abdomen for OB/GYN and chest for cardiovascular).

Invasive exams require insertion of the transducer either in the esophagus, rectum or vagina.

The sound waves then bounce off the various internal organs and fluids, and are transmitted (via the transducer) back to the ultrasound machine for interpretation and visualization. The doctor can then see on the monitor what is going on internally.

In terms of the transducers themselves, there are many types, including convex, linear, phased array, invasive and more. Some are more appropriate for abdominal exams, while others are better for cardiovascular studies.

3. Considerations When Buying an Ultrasound Machine

Of course, the first point to consider is budget. If one can afford to buy one or more brand-new Philips HD 11 ultrasound, then there is little point in looking at reconditioned options. However, if cash is somewhat limited, there are many excellent, used ultrasounds for affordable prices.

When dealing with second-hand equipment, buyers should make sure they are getting at a minimum, a 3 month warranty. They should also request as much detail about the machine as possible. Info like the date of manufacture, software version, transducer compatibility, as well as some pictures of the machine, should all be obtained before buying.

An additional consideration is location. Buyers from outside the USA or Europe might need to deal with longer delivery times. If sea freight is being used, care should be taken to prevent damage resulting from moisture and/or rough handling.

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Ultrasound machines: medical diagnosis at a distance

2011-03-08T02:55:00.000-08:00

For astronauts living on the International Space Station, getting sick or injured can be a big deal — they're zooming around the Earth at 17,500 mph (28,163 kph), far beyond the reach of hospitals on the ground.

The space station is also not outfitted with a full suite of medical diagnostic equipment, so getting to the bottom of mystery pains and ailments isn't as simple as it can be here on terra firma. Bulky imaging devices like X-ray machines and MRI scanners are so large and heavy that they're just not cost-effective to launch into space.

But as in many areas, spaceflyers have gotten creative, working well with the limited options at their disposal. NASA helped turn the station's ultrasound machine, for example, into an all-purpose diagnostic imager with a direct line to doctors on Earth.

The technology helps keep astronauts healthy, and it holds great promise for diagnosing sickness in isolated people and communities around the world, from mountaineers climbing Everest to villagers in Bolivia.

Ultrasound machines emit high-frequency sound waves that bounce back at points of differing density —for instance, the boundary between soft tissue and bone. The devices reconstruct these sonic echoes into two- or three-dimensional images.

On Earth, ultrasound is commonly used to image fetus development and to look at blood flow in people with cardiovascular problems. Diagnosing other issues, such as broken bones and collapsed lungs, are primarly the province of X-ray and MRI machines, NASA officials said.

But since the orbiting lab doesn't have X-ray and MRI machines — and does have ultrasound gear — NASA hoped ultrasound's reach could be extended a bit. So in 2000, the agency's Johnson Space Center initiated a collaboration with Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and Wyle Laboratories in Houston to devise a more general-purpose ultrasound technique.

The research team developed non-conventional ultrasound methods that allowed them to image a wider variety of body parts — and, as a result, diagnose a broader range of ailments.

For example, the novel techniques can evaluate tooth or sinus infections, researchers said. And the methods can also gauge the effects of spaceflight on astronauts' central nervous systems, by measuring changes in the diameter of the eye's optic nerve sheath.

Ultrasound images taken on the space station are beamed down to Earth via satellite downlink. The pictures are high-resolution and high-quality, allowing doctors to spot problems and make diagnoses.

Researchers soon recognized that remote-diagnosis ultrasound isn't necessarily just for astronauts — the technique holds great promise for regular Earthbound folks as well. So they began working to develop a terra firma version that could be used by everyone.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle, researchers said, was finding a cost-effective way to transmit diagnosis-quality images from a farflung patient to a doctor — without the benefit of access to NASA's satellite hookups and huge telemedical network.

So researchers at Wyle and Henry Ford Hospital began working with a computer-imaging company called Epiphan Systems. The result was the formation of Mediphan, a company that specializes in remote medical diagnostics technology, NASA officials said.

Drawing partly on some NASA expertise, Mediphan came up with two devices: one that stores and archives high-quality ultrasound images, and another that transmits them securely over the Internet, with almost no loss of quality.

The instruments have already been put to widespread use.

Major professional sports teams in the United States use them to quickly diagnose injuries that happen in practices and games, NASA officials said. And remote-diagnosis ultrasound has been helping keep Olympic athletes healthy since the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

Researchers are also working to expand the technology's reach to all corners of the globe, officials said. Someday soon, doctors in London or Boston could be using it to diagnose the illnesses of villagers in the rain forests of Laos or the deserts of Botswana.

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Fat-busting ultrasound machines: Breakthrough for bigger mums

2011-02-27T04:34:00.000-08:00

Fat-busting ultrasound machines are giving overweight mums-to-be the chance to see their unborn babies' faces for the first time.

The technology at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital is a first for New Zealand and was developed to cope with a rise in the number of obese pregnant women.

Middlemore has the busiest maternity ward in the country. The number of obese pregnant patients increased from 15 per cent in 2006 to 35 per cent last year.

Several had body mass indexes higher than 50 - well above the recommended maximum of 25, said consultant obstetrician Yvonne Lake.

Ultrasounds allow staff to identify birth defects and other potential problems.

Layers of fat made it hard to get a clear picture of an unborn baby, she said.

The machines provided much clearer images, and could show them in 3D.

They have allowed staff to identify four cases of congenital heart disease that may not have been found otherwise.

"It's made a huge difference," said Lake.

Middlemore bought two $200,000 machines with funds from the Mayoress Ball and Lion Foundation.

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Bedside ultrasound becomes a reality

2011-02-24T04:40:00.000-08:00

Clinicians have often referred to ultrasound technology as the "stethoscope of the future," predicting that as the equipment shrinks in size, it will one day be as common at the bedside as that trusty tool around every physician's neck. According to a new report in The New England Journal of Medicine, that day has arrived.

The "Current Concepts" article by Yale School of Medicine clinicians Christopher L. Moore, M.D., and Joshua A. Copel, M.D., outlines how ultrasound use has moved beyond traditional specialties like radiology and is now being routinely employed by clinicians across myriad medical specialties and practice areas. From anesthesia to vascular surgery, Moore and Copel say, the use of ultrasonography has increased across the board, with the biggest growth seen among non-radiologists.

Over the past two decades, the equipment used in ultrasonography—a safe, effective and non-invasive form of imaging that aids in diagnosis and guides procedures—has become more compact, higher quality and less expensive, leading to the growth of point-of-care ultrasonography, which is performed and interpreted by the clinician at the bedside.

"Ideally, point-of-care ultrasonography can decrease medical errors, provide more real-time diagnosis, and supplement or replace more advanced imaging in appropriate situations," said Moore, assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Yale School of Medicine. "Point-of-care ultrasonography may also allow more widespread, less expensive screening for certain illnesses."

Ultrasound imaging uses the same sonar developed for ships at sea. As sound passes through the body it produces echoes, which can identify the distance, size and shape of objects inside. During an examination, a machine called a transducer is used to view an organ and produce pictures. The transducer emits sound and detects the returning echoes when it is placed on or over the body part being studied.

"Ultrasonography quality has improved dramatically and machine sizes and prices have shrunk even more dramatically," said Copel, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale. "The quality of images available now on inexpensive handheld machines is better than those of systems that cost over $100,000 15 years ago."

Some medical schools are training students to use ultrasound before they choose a specialty, according to Moore. He points out that ultrasound has been used on Mount Everest, the international space station, and in battlefield situations, an indication of its versatility as a diagnostic tool. But he cautions that indiscriminate use of ultrasonography could lead to unnecessary testing, unnecessary interventions in the case of false positive findings, or inadequate investigation of false negative findings.

"More imaging could simply lead to increased expense without added benefit, or might even be harmful without appropriate training and quality assurance," said Moore. "As this technology grows, we need a better understanding of when and how it can be used effectively and competently."

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An Ultrasound on the Go

2011-02-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

Smartphones can do just about anything these days, including conducting a sonogram on an expectant mama! A Redmond, Washington-based company just received FDA approval to sell the world's first phone-based ultrasound system.

The MobiUS, which will be sold commercially to medical professionals, uses a Toshiba Windows Mobile-powered smartphone, the company's software, and an attached probe to conduct ultrasounds. The phone's cellular network and Wi-Fi capabilities then allow doctors to send the images to others, including family and friends. The company behind the phone hopes it will help provide medical care to pregnant women in remote areas.

Though ultrasound machines cannot be sold for personal use due to the "Tom Cruise law," I imagine it will only be a matter of time before parents try to buy a MobiUS!

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How to Get a Degree As an Ultrasound Technician

2011-02-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

Medical offices, clinics and hospitals hire ultra sound technicians (sonographers) to operate ultrasound machines and scan patients' bodies with sound waves. The scans produce images that doctors can use to detect medical conditions, diagnoses illnesses, and monitor fetal health (Reference 1). To work as an ultrasound technician, an individual must receive an associate's degree in ultrasound technology, pass a career skills exam and register with American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

Complete a high school degree or high school equivalence (GED) degree. While it is not a pre-requisite, many schools admissions committees are looking to admit students that have shown an interest in the sciences, and have successfully completed high school coursework in natural sciences, math and physics.
Apply to any accredited college or university that offers a 1- or 2-year degree in Ultrasound Technology. There are 176 training programs across the United States that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Complete all of the required coursework successfully. Typically you will have to take classes in patient care, anatomy, physiology, medical ethics and physics.
Pass the career skills exam that will be offered upon your completion of all of the coursework. Depending on your success and program requirements, you will finish your coursework within 1 or 2 years of starting the program.
Register with the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) after you pass your career skills exam (Reference 2). If you live in New Mexico and Oregon, you will also need to apply for a license to practice as a sonographer.

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The importance of ultrasound

2011-02-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

ANYONE who has seen films about the sea battles in World War II would not have failed to notice the use of sonar, which is an acronym for SOund Navigation And Ranging. It refers to the use of sound propagation to navigate, communicate with, or detect other sea vessels, particularly submarines.

Ultrasound, which is ubiquitous in medicine today, is an extension of sonar. It involves the use of high frequency sound waves which are produced by a handheld sensor called a transducer that is placed on a body surface, e.g. skin, vagina, and rectum.

When the sound waves from the transducer hit a body part, it is bounced back towards the transducer, which is connected to a computer that converts the reflected sound waves into an image of the body part.

It is used for diagnosis of many medical conditions as well as the assessment of treatment.

The diagnostic applications of ultrasound were pioneered by Ian Donald who contemplated its use in medicine after he saw its use by the shipyards of Glasgow for the detection of metallic faults in ships. His paper, Investigation Of Abdominal Masses By Pulsed Ultrasound, published in The Lancet on June 7, 1958, was a seminal article.

James Willocks, a colleague of Ian Donald, who authored Medical Ultrasound - A Glasgow Development Which Swept The World, in 1996, had this to say: "Ultrasound scanning is a household word. Every mother knows it and many have pictures to prove it. It is painless, safe and reliable. Its success since its beginnings 40 years ago is truly astonishing. It started in Glasgow in the University Department of Midwifery under Professor Ian Donald and seemed a rather crazy experiment at the time.

"Ian Donald was no backroom boffin, but a full-blown flamboyant consultant at the sharp edge of one of medicine's most acute specialities - a colourful character of Johnsonian richness for whom I am a very inadequate Boswell."

The initial ultrasound machines produced by the medical device industry about half a century ago were large and cumbersome, with limited features. With the passage of time, more sophisticated ultrasound machines were developed. The machines today are more compact, with several features including mobility and a wide range of diagnostic applications.

There are different types of ultrasound scans, i.e. external, internal, and endoscopic, depending on the part of the body that is examined.

External ultrasound involves placing the transducer on the skin and moving it over the body part that is to be examined. A gel is applied to the skin to facilitate smooth movement of the transducer and to ensure that there is continuous contact between the transducer sensor and the skin.

The ultrasound waves which are produced by the transducer in pulses pass through the skin into the body and are reflected back by various body parts. The reflected waves are detected by the transducer sensor and are converted by a computer connected to the transducer to produce images which can be seen on a monitor, which is similar to a TV monitor.

In addition, video recordings of the movements of body parts can be made.

The common uses of an external ultrasound scan are the examination of the developing foetus in the pregnant mother's uterus, the reproductive organs, heart, liver, gallbladder, and kidneys.

A full bladder is required for a scan done in the first three months of pregnancy. This is due to the fact that the uterus is still small. The full bladder helps to place the uterus into a position that is not so deep in the pelvis, thereby enabling better imaging of the foetus in the uterus.

Once the pregnancy is more than three months, the uterus is no longer confined to the pelvis and can be felt in the lower abdomen, making visualisation of the developing foetus easier without a full bladder.

Ultrasound of the gall bladder and pancreas would involve the patient having to consume no food or drinks for four hours or so before the examination is carried out.

There is no discomfort from an external ultrasound. However, the lubricating gel may feel sticky and cold. A full bladder may be uncomfortable to some people.

Internal ultrasound involves placing an ultrasound probe into the vagina or rectum. The transvaginal probe enables better visualisation of the uterus even if the bladder is empty.

The transrectal probe enables more detailed examination of the prostate gland and can include targeted biopsy of the prostate. There may be some discomfort with internal ultrasound, but there is usually no pain.

Endoscopic ultrasound involves the insertion of an instrument called an endoscope, which is a thin, long, and flexible tube through the mouth to examine the gullet (oesophagus), stomach, or small bowel (duodenum). The endoscope has a light source and ultrasound probe at one end.

Upon insertion, the ultrasound waves produced by the probe create images in the same manner as in external or internal ultrasound.

Endoscopy may be uncomfortable. Patients are usually given a sedative and painkiller prior to commencement of the procedure.

There are multiple diagnostic uses of ultrasound.

Until ultrasound came along, doctors could only listen to the foetal heart, on which presence was assumed to be an indicator of foetal well-being.

With the advent of ultrasound, the information available to the pregnant patients' attending doctors has increased markedly. Doctors are able measure the size of the foetus, which helps in determining when delivery of the baby would be expected; monitor growth of the developing foetus; check for structural abnormalities of foetus, e.g. head, and spine between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy; locate the site of the placenta; check for evidence of foetal well being or compromise with examinations of the foetal heart and even perform procedures on the foetus.

The detection and assessment of growths in the female reproductive tract like fibroids, tubal or ovarian masses, cancers etc is another use of ultrasound.

Ultrasound is used in the detection and assessment of conditions in the heart. It is used to examine the size, shape, and movement of the heart, including its valves and chambers as well as the blood flow through the heart. This type of ultrasound is called an echocardiogram, which can even be used to diagnose cardiac abnormalities in foetuses prior to their birth (foetal echocardiography).

Ultrasound is used in the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a condition in which there is blood clot formation (thrombi) in the deep veins. The thrombi can break loose and travel to the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism, which is a life threatening condition.

Abnormal conditions in other organs that can be detected and assessed by ultrasound include the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, prostate, testes, breasts, thyroid, lymph nodes, skin, joints, and eyes.

Procedures like biopsies, in which tissue samples are taken for analysis, can be carried out under ultrasound guidance. The ultrasound is used as a guide to the correct location of the site for the biopsy to be carried out. Examples include breast and prostate biopsies.

The limitations to the use of ultrasound are due to its properties, viz: ultrasound waves cannot pass through bone, air, or gas. Therefore, it is not possible to produce detailed images of some parts of the body like the brain, which is surrounded by bone.

Doctors utilise other imaging methods like CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to examine parts of the body that are not suitable for ultrasound examination.

Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated with.

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Ultrasonography: New approach to central venous cannulation

2010-05-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

Portable ultrasound machines are highly valuable in ICUs, where a patient's condition might not permit shifting the patient to the USG department for imaging. Traditionally central lines are put blindly using anatomical landmarks, which often result in complications such as difficulty in access, misplaced lines, pneumothorax, bleeding from inadvertent arterial punctures, etc. Ultrasonography provides "real time" imaging, i.e., the needle can be visualized entering the vein. Aims: We performed a study to compare USG guided central venous cannulation (CVC) and conventional anatomical landmark approach to CVC, in terms of ease of cannulation, time consumed, and associated complications. Settings and Design: The study was performed in a 16-bed open ICU. Eighty patients were randomly divided in two groups. Conclusion: USG-guided CVC is thus easier, quicker, and safer than landmark approach.

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Cardiology workshop in Dubai

2010-05-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

Dubai Hospital recently hosted a workshop on the use of ultrasound equipment for cardiac disease diagnostic. Specialists and technicians attended the workshop in large number and learn basics and skills required for this kind of diagnosis. Practical training was provided after theory and basics session.
Dr Arif Al Mulla, head of Cardiology Section at Dubai Hospital said "The aim of this workshop is to improve the skills of cardiologists and provide them enhanced training to deal with accident and emergency cases. The workshop also aims to increase the knowledge of cardiologists to enable them to conduct accurate diagnosis of emergency cases by conducting an ultrasound."

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