Free Ultrasound Machine Reviews and Tips

Free ultrasound training video: Voluson and others

Today I need your help. I'm finishing production on a training video for the Voluson i that ships free with the systems we sell to end users. I'd like your input!

The videos are free knobology/system overviews that are a visual training for our customers new to the system. It is NOT diagnostic nor is it intended to be. I've done applications training on many systems over the years, but I'm always learning from my customers and experts like you.

My question to you, loyal readers, is:

Do you have any suggestions on things you would like to see in the basic user manuals or applications training done by professionals? The audience here is a user who is new to the system, and not new to ultrasound. This could be your favorite imaging tip/hint/secret, annoying things to avoid when teaching, tips for physician training, tips for sonographer training, or important advice for learning a new system. Because it's a DVD, I can't tailor it specifically to an end user (ie: put in the context of the system it's replacing).

If I use your suggestion and it's not already included, I'll send you a free copy of the Voluson i video when it's done!

Email me your suggestions, and thank you all!

-Brian Gill

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Ultrasound equipment on Twitter

Get my latest ultrasound equipment reviews, ultrasound news, and other ultrasound related content on Twitter!

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Biggest threat to Radiology: Medical Imaging by Physicians. Aunt Minnie

A team of professional radiologists voted that the largest threat to radiology is the use of medical imaging by physicians. We have seen a tremendous demand from physicians in anesthesia, endocrinology, vascular and vein, surgery, pain management, family practice, orthopedics, rheumatology, and many other specialties, whom are adding ultrasound to their practice in order to become more efficient.

In addition, they're finding that the reimbursement adds revenue to their bottom line, and saves their patient money (as opposed to the costs of sending the patient to a hospital or imaging center). Physicians get results on-the-spot, "point of care" results and can make a quick diagnosis. For more information on ultrasound in your practice, give me a call and I can help you find the best ultrasound... such as SonoSite, GE, or Siemens portables.

-Brian

 

Quoted from http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=nws&sub=rad&pag=dis&ItemId=87734&wf=3377:

Biggest Threat to Radiology

1. Increased use of medical imaging by physicians in other specialties (turf battles)

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SonoAccess iPhone app review

"Look at this," the anesthesiologist said to his colleague, "it'll give you a good idea of what you need to see when you're performing the needle-guided injection."

The doctor had just pulled out his iPhone. But not to make a call or show a picture of a family. He was showing a demonstration of a complicated medical procedure on an app called SonoAccess from SonoSite. It's iPhone app designed for point-of-care physicians to learn and visualize the many new and emerging applications for ultrasound.

I had the app, too, but hadn't taken a look at it. However, I had just finished training these six anesthesiologists at a local hospital on the SonoSite MicroMaxx portable ultrasound. In the training, we weren't able to do an injection on a live patient, so he pulled out this cool little iPhone app and "wowed" his audience.  Obviously, it's no replacement for practice, but it allowed the doctor to provide a good visual of this ultrasound procedure.

I delved into it more and thought I'd share my thoughts here.

Overall, the app is easy to use. On the first load it asks you for minimal contact information, then you're in.

It opens to the "coach" section, which is tailored to the preferences, or "specialty" that you set up in your profile.

The videos are separated by specialty and product. It provides some cool training videos on their products, which are typically a better, visual version of their quickstart guides (also found on the app in text form).  However, getting to the videos isn't entirely intuitive. Say you're going to take a look at a video in the "coaches" section... to get there, you'll click on the bottom-left icon that says "coach". Find the video that you want, then click on it. On the left, it shows as a picture of the video or a generic, unspecified document with text describing what you came to see. There's no "click here" or anything of the sort. So, to get to the video, just click on the image or text and you'll get what you need.

Not all videos are created by SonoSite, although a good portion of them are. And it appears not all images in the videos are SonoSite machines in use. Some of these videos are provided by a cool site called SoundBytes. This site, while it states it is subscription-based, also allows you to view free informational videos on various ultrasound procedures. They're informative and helpful videos that are wonderful to help in identifying structures, issues, and landmarks. There are videos on tendons, lower and upper extremity, DVT, pelvic, echo, and many other applications.

The next icon on the SonoAccess app takes you to "cases", which also links to many videos and articles on ultrasound scanning. The videos are helpful, however, many of the documents are quite difficult to read on the iPhone. They're PDF files that are also available on SonoSite's website, and you can look into the SonoSite Virtual classroom. It's much easier to read the documents on a larger computer screen than pinching-and-scrolling on the iPhone. It hurts your eyes. The SonoSite virtual classroom can be frustrating to navigate, but you'll eventually get what you need.

The next icon takes you to "images", which is quite self-explanatory. It's a good resource and saves the effort of running to a computer and evaluating case-studies. In fact, these ultrasound images and videos are quite convenient for those moments in-between cases when you're not quite sure when you'll be needed. You can view them anywhere so long as you have an internet connections (videos and images are downloaded from the internet, not stored on the phone itself).

The last information icon is "guides." Again, while the information is helpful, it's really tough to read on the iPhone. These are PDF files that are already available at SonoSite, so you're really better off looking at them there. It can be really frustrating pinching-and-moving the screen to try and view the document in a font that doesn't require an eagle's eyesight.

These guides include some good information, so don't ignore them. There are very good resources that SonoSite provides on its ultrasound machines (including quick guides), and ultrasound reimbursement info, which seems to be information that is hard-to-get oftentimes. Note that the reimbursement info is based on the national unadjusted physician fee schedule, so it will just give you a good idea of what to expect. There's also good information on these pages regarding other fees and procedures.

Overall, an excellent app that is stable and very informational. SonoSite really stepped ahead of the other manufacturers here by allowing its vast research and resources to be available to the general public. Nice work. Get it here.

 

Quoted from http://www.sonosite.com/products/sonoaccess/features/:

SonoAccess Ultrasound iPhone Application Features | SonoSite Inc.

Scanning Techniques The Scanning Technique Videos are designed to provide expert techniques and tips for point-of-care ultrasound applications.

Video Case Studies

The Video Case Studies provide an in-depth look into specific cases that you may encounter in your practice.

Clinical Image Gallery

The Clinical Image Gallery is designed to give you a look at expert ultrasound images for anatomy recognition and as a quick comparative reference for you to compare your results to.

Quick-Start Guides

The Quick-Start Guides are abbreviated user manuals designed to give new SonoSite users a digital roadmap of their system's controls and features to help navigate the user interface.

Reimbursement Guides

The Reimbursement Guides are designed to provide general coverage and payment information for diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound-guided procedures so you have accurate coding and billing information.

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How GE Is Disrupting Itself-- New Portable Ultrasounds Discussed

This is an interesting, long article written for the Harvard Business Review discussing the future of ultrasound and how GE is "disrupting itself". Its initial focus discusses the success of "reverse innovation" in ultrasound. Its a somewhat ironic situation in which equipment designed to meet the needs of less-developed countries with less resources, are being introduced to the larger, more well-to-do countries for entry in the market place. And they're finding success. ie: Their emerging markets find places in our emerging markets, but a tad bit differently.

In the first paragraph, it discusses two ultrasounds that refer to its recently released GE Venue 40 Ultrasound Machine series. The Venue series of ultrasounds are direct competitors to the SonoSite S-series ultrasounds, but apparently at a much more competitive price point. They're singular-focus ultrasounds designed to be used as a tool to assist another procedure, and largely designed for physician-use. For GE, these include: Vascular Access, Anesthesia, Interventional, Musculoskeletal, and Point of Care ultrasounds. Frankly, when I do apps training on these types of limited-use portables, I don't like them as much. Sure, they are easy to use, but they're hard to optimize and, oddly, frustrating to some. I prefer the Siemens P50 because they're more versatile and you can use a wireless mouse. I find that many physicians choose the SonoSite systems simply because its all that they've seen (ie: great marketing on SonoSite's behalf). Don't get me wrong, I really like SonoSite ultrasound machines, but each has its place. Venue 40 ultrasound Product Brochure and information found here.

But I digress. Here's the article. It's important to note that all of the authors are on GE's payroll, including Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of GE Healthcare. Its other authors are Vijay Govindarajan, and Chris Trimble.

The remainder of the article is very interesting but less ultrasound-focused. It essentially discusses how GE will use innovation for less-developed countries as its model to compete in the worldwide market (note that these countries, such as rural India and China, are some of the largest emerging market in the world). It states that if GE does not innovate for these countries, the smaller "giants" of innovation will crush GE.

Quoted from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2009/10/how-ge-is-disrupting-itself/ar/1:

How GE Is Disrupting Itself - HBR.org

In May 2009, General Electric announced that over the next six years it would spend $3billion to create at least 100 health-care innovations that would substantially lower costs, increase access, and improve quality. Two products it highlighted at the time—a $1,000 handheld electrocardiogram device and a portable, PC-based ultrasound machine that sells for as little as $15,000—are revolutionary, and not just because of their small size and low price. They’re also extraordinary because they originally were developed for markets in emerging economies (the ECG device for rural India and the ultrasound machine for rural China) and are now being sold in the United States, where they’re pioneering new uses for such machines.

We call the process used to develop the two machines and take them global reverse innovation, because it’s the opposite of the glocalization approach that many industrial-goods manufacturers based in rich countries have employed for decades. With glocalization, companies develop great products at home and then distribute them worldwide, with some adaptations to local conditions. It allows multinationals to make the optimal trade-off between the global scale so crucial to minimizing costs and the local customization required to maximize market share. Glocalization worked fine in an era when rich countries accounted for the vast majority of the market and other countries didn’t offer much opportunity. But those days are over—thanks to the rapid development of populous countries like China and India and the slowing growth of wealthy nations.

We call the process used to develop the two machines and take them global reverse innovation, because it’s the opposite of the glocalization approach that many industrial-goods manufacturers based in rich countries have employed for decades. With glocalization, companies develop great products at home and then distribute them worldwide, with some adaptations to local conditions. It allows multinationals to make the optimal trade-off between the global scale so crucial to minimizing costs and the local customization required to maximize market share. Glocalization worked fine in an era when rich countries accounted for the vast majority of the market and other countries didn’t offer much opportunity. But those days are over—thanks to the rapid development of populous countries like China and India and the slowing growth of wealthy nations.

GE badly needs innovations like the low-cost ECG and ultrasound machines, not only to expand beyond high-end segments in places like China and India but also to preempt local companies in those countries—the emerging giants—from creating similar products and then using them to disrupt GE in rich countries. To put it bluntly: If GE’s businesses are to survive and prosper in the next decade, they must become as adept at reverse innovation as they are at glocalization. Success in developing countries is a prerequisite for continued vitality in developed ones.

The problem is that there are deep conflicts between glocalization and reverse innovation. And the company can’t simply replace the first with the second, because glocalization will continue to dominate strategy for the foreseeable future. The two models need to do more than coexist; they need to cooperate. This is a heck of a lot easier said than done since the centralized, product-focused structures and practices that have made multinationals so successful at glocalization actually get in the way of reverse innovation, which requires a decentralized, local-market focus.

Almost all the people and resources dedicated to reverse innovation efforts must be based and managed in the local market. These local growth teams need to have P&L responsibility; the power to decide which products to develop for their markets and how to make, sell, and service them; and the right to draw from the company’s global resources. Once products have proven themselves in emerging markets, they must be taken global, which may involve pioneering radically new applications, establishing lower price points, and even using the innovations to cannibalize higher-margin products in rich countries. All of those approaches are antithetical to the glocalization model. This article aims to share what GE has learned in trying to overcome that conflict.

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SonoSite MicroMaxx Price and Titan Price drops

We just dropped the price on refurbished units of the SonoSite MicroMaxx and the SonoSite Titan portable ultrasound machines. These have been popular with needle-guide applications (PICC line, anesthesia, pain management, etc) as well as Musculoskeletal applications lately. Of course, we also sell them for the traditional uses such as vascular, breast, emergency department, and other ultrasounds typically performed by the Physician. You can also just call for pricing on the MicroMaxx and Titan.

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Acuson Antares Transducers

We just added the full range of Acuson Antares (Siemens Antares) transducers to our available inventory. We sell these new with warranty and also have used probes available. We have a special price on the C5F1 4D Antares transducer, as well. It's a great resource to add or replace your transducers. All links may not be up yet, but they're all available if they're listed on the Antares page. Click on the contact link to get pricing.

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Acuson X150 Color Doppler Ultrasound

Following is our video introduction to the Acuson X150 ultrasound. It shows the user interface and I take a look at its imaging capabilities. It's in a non-clinical environment, but gives you a good idea of its capabilities and image quality. It follows the Acuson tradition well with a no-nonsense high quality image. More information on the Acuson X150 is available by following this link: Acuson X150 Ultrasound

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Acuson Antares ultrasound review with 3D and 4D imaging

We're still getting a lot of buzz around the Acuson Antares (Siemens Antares). I'd forgotten about it so I'm posting it here. Acuson X150 video coming shortly. Email Brian Gill if you're interested in knowing more about this system or if you're interested in adding it to your practice. You can get more information on the Acuson Antares at the GPS Medical website. Additionally, GPS Medical is selling replacement transducers for the Acuson and Siemens Antares ultrasounds, new and refurbished, with warranties.

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New Report confirms Ultrasound Technology Expected to Flourish as it Enters New and Unique Medical Markets

A new report confirms many things we've discussed here for a long time: adding revenue through ultrasound is not just viable, it's becoming a necessity for many offices.

I've long been a proponent of the use of the Hand Carried Ultrasound, portable, laptop sized machines, for use by physicians and non-traditional settings such as endocrinology, rheumatology, MSK, anesthesia, bedside, critical care, podiatry, emergency medicine, and other such non-traditional ultrasound environments.

It's become increasingly popular and it's why we like the Acuson P50 (which we just highlighted here), GE Logiq e, GE LogiqBook XP, SonoSite MicroMaxx, and other such portable models. This report confirms it, you can find the full article here. The full report will cost you an arm and a leg, but for my purposes and those who read this blog, the summary should suffice.

The image quality found on today's portable ultrasounds rivals many current console units, and surpasses many of those that cost more than $200,000 just a few years ago.

Additionally, for the full consoles or portable ultrsaounds, the costs of refurbished ultrasound equipment have dropped significantly in recent years, bolstered by the fact that competition on used ultrasound market market increases. Our take: if you're looking at refurbished ultrasound, make sure they have a service department and the salespeople actually know what they're talking about. If you're spending $10,000 or $100,000, doesn't it make sense to spend a couple extra dollars to ensure you're getting the correct machine and that it's refurbished properly? We've built a successful business on that model.

If you're looking to add ultrasound, this report confirms that it's going to continue to grow, and emerging markets continue to explode worldwide. We've found that for most physicians, it's an excellent additional revenue source in an increasingly more difficult market... and it's cheaper, easier, and takes less space than CT or MRI.

 

Quoted from http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/07/prweb2686524.htm:

Medical Ultrasound Technology Expected to Flourish as it Enters New and Unique Medical Markets - Market Research Report by MARKETSTRAT

Medical Ultrasound Technology Expected to Flourish as it Enters New and Unique Medical Markets - Market Research Report by MARKETSTRAT

Marketstrat is pleased to announce the release of its latest market report titled, "Medical Ultrasound Systems Worldwide, 2009."

Dublin, CA (PRWEB) July 29, 2009 -- The world Medical Ultrasound equipment, accessories, and maintenance services market is expected to reach $4.7 billion by 2012. Higher growth rates towards the end of this period are projected as economic conditions stabilize around the world leading to sizeable increases in healthcare expenditures, particularly in high-end capital equipment acquisition

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Acuson P50 Revision 1 vs. Revision 2, a comparison

New revision of the P50 ultrasound includes spatial compounding, so we compared it side-by-side with release 1.

Upon receiving our demo P50 revision 2 ultrasound, we took some time to see how its improved over the first release.

The first thing you notice is, well, that there are no physical differences. In fact, much remains the same: simple to use, retains access to the Windows XP desktop, allows installation of 3rd Party Windows applications, has integrated WiFi, has simple networking, has the user-friendly slide-out console, and retains all the same user-friendly functions that make it popular.

In essence, the P50s improvements are in its image quality, namely: penetration, wall definition, tissue definition, and color Doppler... these improvements are noticeably different in cardiac applications, as well, which is a welcome improvement. In linear transducers, Acuson added its SieClear spatial compounding technology, which adds a great deal of improvement over the revision 1 images (which we already felt were very good).

Following are some pictures of my carotid with the Siemens P50 Revision 1 and Revision 2,which includes the SieClear compounding option. In cardiac applications, SieClear is not available (it is not physically possible).

Both images are taken using the default Carotid setting on the "medium t-shirt" preset. Images are taken on the same patient within 30 minutes of each other. SieVision is set to 2 in both machines. Revision 2 images (on the right) have SieClear active, which attributes to much of the image quality improvement.

Note that I am limited to the size of images on this blog, so image quality has been slightly compromised. I will post some of them on the GPS Medical website soon. Otherwise, contact me or leave a comment.

 

Acuson P50 Revision 1 with SieVision	Acuson P50 Revision 2 with SieClear and SieVision
Revision 1	Revision 2
Revision 1	Revision 2
Revision 1	Revision 2
No Image.	Revision 2

 

 

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Acuson Releases Revision 2 of Portable P50 Ultrasound

Acuson P50 revision 2 shows large improvements in image quality for cardiac and vascular applications.

This past week, we received our demo version of the Acuson P50 portable ultrasound system. We were excited to finally see this unit, and we took some images with revision 1 and revision 2 Acuson P50 ultrasound machines. I'm putting the images together and will have side-by-side images on the blog shortly. The major change in Revision 2 is the addition of SieClear spatial compound imaging as well as important cardiac imaging improvements ... ie: image quality in cardiac is much improved. We'll post these images later this week.

SieClear is the Acuson/Siemens equivalent of technologies such as CrossXBeam (GE) or SonoCT (Philips/ATL). When it's added to SieVision (Speckle Reduction), imaging of tissue and vessels is much improved in revision 2.

Additionally, one of the main issues in the past was the image quality in the cardiac applications. Revision 2 is definitely an improvement on penetration and overall image quality. We compared revisions on cardiac, as well, and there was definitely a very solid improvement, particularly in color Doppler, penetration and wall definition. We like it MUCH better over the first version of the P50. Stay tuned for some carotid comparison images.

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Hands-on Ultrasound Workshops - Free CME credits

Workshops feature demonstrations and hands-on use of popular technologies such as: AutoOB calculations, basic techniques of volume ultrasound, routine 2-3 trimester ultrasound, new technologies in breast imaging, advanced technologies changing the private practice, and 3D/4D ultrasound

Physicians have a great opportunity in the midwest for a hands-on ultrasound workshop here in the Midwest. Siemens will hold a few different workshops in midwest cities in which you can learn about, and practice using ultrasound in basic and emerging technologies.

There will be a few workshops that will offer dinner and free CME credits that will cover:

• The Routine 2/3 Trimester ultrasound with autoOB calculations
• Basic Techniques of Volume Ultrasound
• Hands-on Tips & Hints in OB ultrasound
• New Technologies in Breast Imaging
• New Visions in Ultrasound Seminiar: Advanced Technologies Changing the Practice
• Advances in Silicon Ultrasound
• 3D/4D Ultrasound

These have been great workshops for Physicians to see some of the newest technologies, learn more about advancing the use of their own ultrasound... and how to expand the use of their own ultrasound, providing more services for their patients. Additionally, it's common for non-ultrasound using physicians to get a close-up look, including hands-on use, giving them a good idea of whether ultrasound would be good for their practice.

Workshops will feature the newest Acuson ultrasound machines, as well, some of which I've featured on this site and the GPS Medical site. All classes are sponsored and taught by Siemens.

Workshops are just 3 hours long with one-hour of hands-on use after the workshop. Interested? Email me with your location and I'll pass along the correct contact information for your area. You can also leave a comment here.

EDIT: I was informed that space is limited and filling up in some sessions. If you have ANY interest, contact me ASAP and I'll get you a spot.

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Goodbye to a legend: Acuson Cypress

It baffles me as to why such a strong product, the Acuson Cypress, would be taken out of production. We're down to the last units available... probably forever. A decision made by the higher-ups at Siemens cancelled the production of this long-time legend in the portable cardiovascular ultrasound market.

It's being replaced by the Siemens P50, which is a great system in its own right, but the Cypress is quite solid and its imaging capabilities are really fantastic for such a small system. We've gone to so many offices in which the Cypress is so highly regarded by the staff and Physicians... and it's such a small, fun little thing.

Does it have its quirks? Of course, all portables have SOMETHING that had to give, but mobile companies simply love it, and our service department loves it more. They just don't break unless it's something of a user-inspired issue (dropped probe or system).

This unit is one of the easiest sales we make. It sells itself, the price is good, and it has Stress Echo, DICOM, IMT, and all sorts of goodies. Penetration is good for cardiac, as well.

If you like this system, buy it now. Call us, there are literally very few left (like, less than 50) 866-347-7633. We are an authorized distributor and you'll get the real deal with the one-year warranty. Don't sit on the fence, they will be gone. No joke. We have no control over this, nor do the lower-end powers-that-be at Siemens. After that, you'll need to get the very capable (and better) Siemens P50, but the price will be higher, and not by a small amount.

RIP Acuson Cypress, we really loved you. Funny thing, I bet you'll be more expensive on the refurb market than you are as new. See you there, my friend. You will be missed by all.

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Special Ultrasound Pricing updated

We've just updated our specials page as new equipment has rolled in and we're dropping some prices to move them quickly. We have more than what's listed, but these are the best deals of the bunch. Check out our specials page to see what's available. Don't see what you want? Call at 866-347-7633 and see if we have it.

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Bill to close Stark bill loophole won't affect ultrasound

A bill introduced in congress that is created to close a loophole in which Physicians can self-refer diagnostic imaging services does not cover ultrasound, X-Ray, nor fluoroscopy studies. This is a big deal with the recent boom of physician-based ultrasound in which many physicians are bringing ultrasound units into their offices for a wide variety of imaging needs. A link to the story from AuntMinnie.com follows:

 

Quoted from http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=imc&Pag=dis&ItemId=86437&wf=3193&d=1:

Legislation has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives that would close a loophole in federal law that enables physicians to self-refer patients for imaging studies as long as the exams are performed in their own offices.

The so-called Stark law in-office loophole has long vexed radiology advocates who see it as a way for nonradiologist physicians to skirt the law's provisions banning physicians from referring patients to entities in which they have a financial interest. Imaging proponents believe physician self-referral is driving higher imaging utilization and, thus, higher healthcare costs.

But the Stark law loophole would be closed under legislation introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), whose Integrity in Medicare Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Act of 2009 (HR 2962) would amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exclude certain advanced diagnostic imaging services from the in-office ancillary services exception to the Stark laws.

The laws would ban in-office self-referral of modalities such as MRI, CT, and PET, but would not cover x-ray, ultrasound, and fluoroscopy studies. It would also not cover imaging services performed for the purposes of radiation therapy treatment planning or in conjunction with an interventional radiology procedure. In addition, it would not cover nuclear medicine exams apart from PET.

The bill currently has no co-sponsors. It has been referred to both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

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4D ultrasound with the Acuson Antares

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Acuson Antares 4D

The Acuson Antares ultrasound surprised us with its 4D capabilities and confirms that manufacturers are finally able to compete with GE's excellent line of Voluson 4D ultrasound machines. In fact, the Acuson Antares provides a more versatile machine than what you'd get out of a Voluson, and provides excellent image quality while doing so. We still like the Voluson a lot for its 4D, but this is an excellent consideration when looking for something that will fit your budget and provide much of the same 4D functionality that will be appropriate for most uses of 4D ultrasound. The bonus is that it has a very good cardiac package as well.

The Acuson (Siemens) Antares 4D imaging is also very similar to what is found on the new Acuson X300 ultrasound. We have a video coming in the next few weeks that will take a look at the X300 and give you an idea of what it looks like and what it can do (although we did not get a chance to do 4D with it).

You can view our Acuson Antares 4D ultrasound machine video here. It will also be posted to YouTube in the near future and we'll post the video here when it's all done. Please don't hesitate to write me if you have any questions or if you'd like more information on the Antares or any other ultrasound machine. We know what we're doing.

Thanks,

Brian

Video: Acuson X150 ultrasound

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Our latest quick video of ultrasound equipment is here. We reviewed the Acuson X150 and the video will give you a good idea of how it functions, what it looks like and an idea of how easy it is to use. Correction: Apparently, there's not a bi-plane transducer at this time, for that you'd still need the G20. By the time you read this, however, it's possible the probe is available. Call me at 866-347-7633 if you have questions.

In a nutshell, it's no secret that ultrasound has come a long way and it's often hard to tell the difference between some of these. The Acuson X150 has a very easy user-interface and is rock-solid. It follows in Acuson's tradition with a commiment to the long-lasting platform that addresses techs and physicians needs. I spoke with the engineers and apps people at Siemens and they're relieved/excited to have a new, solid product line that can, once again, sell itself.

Quoted from http://www.gpsmed.com/acuson_X150.html:

Acuson X150 Ultrasound Machine

We took a look at the Acuson X150 and the above video is a quick synopsis of its ease of use and outstanding quality. It's a mid-range system at a low-range price. With solid color Doppler, harmonic imaging, easy-to-use interface, and overall excellent image quality, this is EXCELLENT for small-mid size offices performing OB/GYN, Endocrinology, musculoskeletal, anesthesia, vascular, venous, abdominal, breast and many other applications. It's perfect for physician use and is easy to learn and use.

 

Video: Terason t3000 a first look

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Here's a quick video I made of the Terason t3000 so you all can see it as well. By no means is this a comprehensive video of its features. I may do that at a future date, but with all the questions I've received, I felt it was important to show just how easy this machine is to use.... it also shows the sliding console and the fact that the "box" is removed from the probe cable. This is my first time posting a video to the site, so I'm testing it here. Let me know if you have troubles viewing it.

A few days with the Terason t3000: Sexy, Cool, and WOW

Acuson P50,Terason t3000,Vivid i,Vivid e,HCU,portable ultrasound,hand carried ultrasound,ultrasound

 

 

There's a great line in the movie Philadelphia in which Denzel Washington says "Explain it to me like I'm a 6-year old". It's been going through my head since Saturday.

I spent some time in the office this weekend, and my inquisitive 8-year old daughter wanted to see what an ultrasound could do (besides 4D babies). I was going over an ATL HDI 5000, Voluson 730, and wanted to spend time with the Terason t3000 I'd received just a few days prior. I told her I'd show her the inside of her body if she was interested.

She was.

After spending time on the other two units, we came to the Terason.

"Is that your computer?" She says. (I bought a MacBook Pro last year.)

"No, but close. It's an ultrasound." I replied.

"You mean like those big things?" she referred to the HDI 5000 and Voluson 730.

"Yeah, but this one is better," I said as I pressed the side keys to release the ultrasound console in a hydraulic-like fashion.

"A-A-A-AWESOME!" She said.

Hearing her reaction, I stood up straighter, smiled broadly, and was really proud... well, for all the wrong reasons. You see, daddy's work just got a lot cooler and, well, it felt great for daddy's ego. Five minutes prior, we spent time watching her carotid artery and jugular... listening to the vein and artery and watching the blood flow through them in all their red and blue glory. Sure, this was cool to her and very educational... but the James Bond ultrasound was a quadruple-"a" "Awesome". Brushed aluminum and things that slide from nowhere are, apparently, much cooler than anatomy. WhatEver!

So it was time to push it a little. I wanted to see if she could figure out this Terason... I figured that if she can figure it out, it's unlikely that a physician new to ultrasound will struggle.

I asked her to turn on color Doppler. Her finger hovered above the "C" on the console, then she looked at me, not scared, but unsure. I told her to go with her instinct. She pushed C and up came a color box. Unafraid. This is important folks.

She smiled. A REALLY big smile. I was proud for the right reasons this time.

I looked at my wife and said "I wish I had a video camera, but I doubt anyone would believe this is her first time using this." Of course, while I'd like to think my daughter is the most brilliant kid on Earth (duh, she totally is).... the point is that the Terason is NOT THAT HARD. I realized that Terason got this right. Yeah, I'm a nerd for being excited, but when trying to sell something to a person who's never used an ultrasound before, EASE OF USE is nearly as important as Image Quality. Frustration leads to bad studies and inefficiency. That's not good when you're driving a needle into someone's body.

So I told my daughter that I wanted to hear her carotid, and she'd need to turn on Pulsed Wave Doppler. She looks down for two seconds and tentatively presses PW.

The sound comes.

Her smile got bigger.

Excited and intrigued, I walked over to the Voluson i we have in-stock, and saw the softkey buttons in different locations; what I once thought was cool (Voluson i) became frustrating and overcooked ... its user interface is just like the Logiq i and Vivid i. I walked back to the Terason: It's elegant. Not perfect, but elegant and functional. Nice.

We stepped over to a Vivid 7. I looked down and didn't want to crush my daughter's now-lifted ego. I didn't need to ask her. I turned it on and before I could say anything, she said "I don't think I can do this one, daddy." Maybe its size was intimidating, I don't know. I imaged her heart on the short axis and told her: "This is what your heart would like if I cut you in a half with a light saber."

OK, so I lose the "dad of the year award," but it was really funny at the time.

So what's the point here?

Techs enjoy consoles. I enjoy the console, and the Terason console is really great for a compact HCU (hand carried ultrasound). But today's market is growing rapidly in the Physician area and I think they'll be like my daughter: Totally comfortable with the Terason because it feels friendly and is friendly. Techs will be the ones who might be a little more tentative at first, while Physicians will likely be relieved. The console serves both sides well. This unit is simply an extension of the PC (When you boot the system, you get a Windows XP desktop, and you can run it completely from the keyboard if you choose). The console is very functional with fewer softkeys than the GE. It's labeled well and acts like any other PC application (because it is a PC application). However, just as if you're coming from any cart-based system: remember that there's only 12-inches to work with, not 24. Things need to be compressed. Get a console if you want a console. If you need portable, you're remiss if you don't call Terason.

Clearly, SonoSite understands this as well, they've taken most of the buttons OFF their machines that are going to physicians. GE adds more. Philips doesn't have anything.

Terason one-ups the latestby using the common, most user-friendly (and coolest) PC on the market: The MacBook Pro.

In the coming week I hope to get a video out on this system and post it for you. I'm also going to do an update on the Portable Ultrasound Market. SonoSite's new products, the t3000 release (Siemens licensed version that will be the Acuson P50), and some rumblings about Zonare have begun to tilt this market in new directions (FINALLY!).

As always, contact me with questions.
-Brian

 

Terason t3000: Believe the hype, it's the new killer app

I'm in Dallas today on a business trip and met with the western region Director of Sales for Terason, Jerry Michel. He brought the t3000 so I could finally see this unit "in action" so I could get an idea of just how good the images are on this unit.

What I found is that hands down, for price/performance, this unit is an absolute winner. It's small, lightweight, and essentially defies current ideas and standards of how ultrasound works (hardware vs. software processing). This is a powerful machine with excellent image quality.

Color, Doppler, and 2D imaging were really impressive, it held great frame rates when in triplex (Color, Doppler, 2D), and provided excellent waveforms for a vascular study. In the picture I have here (clearly I need to look at these photos after I take them!), you can see a breast image. Next time I'll get more images and post them here. I spent more time playing with the unit than taking pictures.

Since the last post, I've received 6 phone calls and emails from people in this unit. It seems the biggest hesitation people have is that it's not a GE unit or one from a "major" manufacturer. Well, to that I say phooey. If this were a unit from a major manufacturer, it would cost at least $10,000 more and they'd give it a name that some marketing company received a healthy sum for creating, like Acuson P50 or something. This would beat out any direct competitor in a side-by-side, they'd kill it in price, and you'll get a 2-year warranty instead of just one. For example, the current Logiq e, which isn't as good, will cost you at least $5k more... and $7k more for the 2-year warranty.

Oh, and because this is a "true" laptop, you have full access to the Windows and Macintosh OSX operating systems... which means you can store, edit, post-process all images as well as use it as a laptop computer. Yes, this means you can print to any printer on your network, share images over the network, use the word processor and web browser, watch a DVD, etc. Try that with any other "laptop" unit (in which you'd need a special service dongel to get to the operating system... and even if you had access to the dongel, you would likely void your warranty when you tried to install anything due to potential software conflicts). This is a big deal, by the way, because installing anything besides the "approved" dvd-writers, printers, etc., on other systems is a tremendous hassle and often requires a service representative to perform the installation for you, and this would not be a free visit.

To be fair, however, in certain markets this unit isn't quite ready. I would recommend it for nearly all mobile, breast, musculoskeletal, phlebology, vascular, internal radiology, anesthesia, surgery, abdominal, or urology markets. It has a solid reporting package for these markets (which is severely lacking in comparable products). You can do OB/GYN, but you'll want a separate reporting package (I'm going to try it with Ashva's iMagic when I get a chance). I haven't seen the cardiac package, but I think having Siemens pick this up as the upgrade to the Cypress is all that needs to be said (the Terason t3000 will also be sold later this quarter as the Acuson P50). The cardiovascular version of the Terason t3000 (or Acuson P50) will be more expensive (adding CW Doppler and cardiac packages isn't cheap) and will go head-to-head with the Vivid i. For this I think GE has a worthy competitor, and Siemens is betting on it. In addition, you simply cannot ignore the value of a 2-year warranty (Siemens is rumored to only offer 1-year, so you'll want to get the Terason). Obviously Terason knows it has a killer app in the t3000.

Questions? Email me or leave a comment here for everyone else to see.

Terason,SonoSite,Logiq e,portable ultrasound,laptop ultrasound,hcu ultrasound,phebology ultrasound,breast ultrasound,vascular ultrasound,anesthesia ultrasound,nerve block ultrasound,mobile ultrasound

RSNA Summary 2007, Finally! MindRay, Ashva, Terason t3000

RSNA,Terason,MindRay,Ultrasonix,Siemens,Ashva iMagic,ultrasound,radiology,SonoSite,anesthesiology,emergency,physician ultrasound

RSNA in 2007 was quite interesting for ultrasound. We've seen so many changes in the last two years, and for the first time we're seeing a few newcomers take a real stand in this market... particularly for the emerging markets.

Acuson P50 and Terason t3000

If James Bond were going to have an ultrasound, this would be it. This portable ultrasound runs on a MacBook Pro and simply looks cool. It has a slide-out interface (trackball, buttons, etc), brushed-steel look, and incredible graphics. Oh, and the image appears to be quite nice, too. I haven't actually demo'd one of these, but I've been talking to the Terason folks since RSNA and hope to see one in action soon.

Siemens marketing machine did a nice job pushing this product, but under the hood it's a Terason t3000 unit (as reported earleir) and I'm sure we'll see much more about it. But if you're really interested in the product, give me a call and I'll put you in touch with the right people at Terason. It's the same unit, different packaging (oh, and the Terason is available NOW, while the P50 is not yet released). I've found the Terason people to be nice, down-to-Earth and clearly not holier-than-thou as you would find with many of the major manufacturers. Plus, they back this product by a 2-year warranty and it's priced competitively to the GE Logiq e and SonoSite M-Turbo. Keep an eye out for these guys. They've been quiet for a long time, and I don't expect that to last long. Get in now while the pricing is good. Send me an email with your location if you're interested or if you have any questions. Email me here.

 

Affordable DICOM and Reporting for Ultrasound

In the past, I've also talked about a company called Ashva Technologies that has a good DICOM and reporting package. I saw the full demo again at RSNA, but Mohan Mysore, the CEO, spent more time on really taking me through the product. It was more than I expected and an excellent solution for the smaller offices looking for a DICOM solution or something to capture images and provide a REAL reporting package.

I must say I've been really frustrated with the terrible reporting packages from all the portable ultrasound units out there. GE's LogiqBook XP "Report Writer" has long been a joke, SonoSite doesn't even pretend to have decent reporting, and the Acuson Cypress reporting leaves a lot to be desired (unless you enjoy RSIs and frustrating notations). I'm going to go through some installations of the product here and I'll report on my thoughts as I spend time with the product.

 

Mindray taking the industry by storm

The Chinese manufacturer Mindray generated a good bit of buzz at RSNA as well. The company has done a nice job placing itself squarely in the Low Price, Good Product market. It's a niche that nobody really has filled well. Medison tried it, then decided to keep their prices high.

I've done some applications training on the Mindray products and some clinical work. Every time I've walked away from these products, I have said one thing: that it's a really good product for the price. You will not get the super-premium bells and whistles from these products like you'd see from the major manufacturers... ie: You ain't gonna get a Lexus for the price of a Ford. What you do get, however, is a solid imaging machine with good functionality that is reliable. These work really well in the market I serve for those who are looking for a good functional ultrasound at a low price. Your choice now is older refurbished or new Mindray. The big manufacturers should take notice. These guys are going to be all over the place in the next year also.

Is the Terason t3000 better now that it has an Acuson P50 label?

Acuson P50,Macintosh Ultrasound,MacBook Pro Ultrasound,Terason t3000

Terason t3000? Seen it! Only this time it's called the Acuson P50.

The Terason t3000 next to the Acuson P50 (right)

Walking the floor at RSNA, I stumbled across a company I'd seen in the past, but not paid a whole lot of attention to. The company is called Terason, and about 6 months ago, it released (albeit quietly) the MacBook Pro-based Terason t3000 ultrasound system.

So at RSNA, after being quite impressed by Acuson's new product, I later found the Acuson P50 on display at another vendor's booth... only this time it was called a Terason t3000. Come to find out, this product has been around for a bit of time and Siemens has taken it and branded it as its own product.

Back in August I saw an FDA approval that, at the time, didn't make any sense to me. It was from Siemens and it announced the Acuson P50, which it states "The Acuson P50 (TM) Ultrasound System is identical to the Teratech 2000 and previous Teratech models as identified in the predicate device section" ... with the exception of some new probes. As it turns out, this Siemens/Acuson is a re-branded Terason product (a darn nice product at that).

Shocked? Me too, I guess. They've pretty much dropped the ball on this market, failing to build on the Cypress, and now they have a nice product to offer. Lately, industry insiders are all disappointed (worldwide) with Siemens' slow reaction to the ultrasound market. The general feeling is that ultrasound is just a throw-in for their CT and MR products to sweeten a deal... which must be why Siemens fell asleep at the wheel when it comes to innovation and are boasting this MacBook Pro system as its own, excellent innovation. And it's important to note how they're back to branding their ultrasound products as "ACUSON", not Siemens, after they all-but-tried-to-kill the Acuson brand and make it their own. Oops.

But back to the real story here: you shouldn't think that this Acuson P50 is a lesser product, even if you've never heard of Terason (from whom you can buy this same product with different probes). This Terason unit is quite impressive and fully shared service t3000 (Siemens advertises the P50 as a C/V unit only). The Terason folks are good people and they made a product good enough for one of the Big Three to name it their own. Not bad.

I spent some time with the Terason folks at their RSNA booth and they're good people... friendly, knowledgeable and extremely enthusiastic about their systems. They don't advertise the re-branding and, come to think of it, they didn't say much about it when I talked about the P50 and t3000. They're excited about their product and were really enthusiastic about showing the benefits of the Macintosh operating system underneath... something the Siemens reps were not prepared to do (they didn't even know that it was actually running Windows XP and that you had to get out of it to see a Mac interface.... so I think the sales reps were quite surprised as well).

All in all, both products are quite cool. The Terason comes with a 2-year warranty and has the shared services capabilities. If you're interested in this unit, you can drop me an email and I'll put you in touch with one of the sales reps there.

RSNA next week

Hello all,

Next week I'll be at the RSNA conference in Chicago through Tuesday. If you can't make it and have any questions for the vendors or would like my opinion on any new or old products, send me an email and I'll try and help out. I have a few meetings and will be looking very closely at Ultrasonix, as I haven't had a good look at its equipment yet and I've heard great things about their product. I'll also check out ZONARE and new products from the big three at GE, Siemens, and Philips.

I will also spend some time with the DICOM software maker ASHVA and checking out its iMagic DICOM software. This looks like a pretty solid product for those who are looking for a simple DICOM solution that includes solid reporting features. Drop me a note at my gmail address if you would like my thoughts or any information.

-Brian

 

ultrasound,new ultrasound,diagnostic ultrasound

ZONARE Ranked Top Hand Carried Ultrasound Vendor

A new report from KLAS has ranked the ZONARE ultrasound as the top ultrasound in a few categories. A few of these categories are quite surprising, as well. ZONARE is ranking top in quality, and second in reliability and durability (presumably to SonoSite). It's surprising that such a young company would rank highly in these three categories against companies such as Biosound, GE, and SonoSite. So this is good news for the company, which seems to be a mostly silent player outside of the corporate "large contract" world (they won a large contract out west).

This is one of the companies I'm most interested in seeing at RSNA. It appears ZONARE has a wonderful concept, and other folks in the industry whom I've asked said that the image quality is comparable to some very high-end systems. The person with whom I spoke (not a ZONARE employee) said it went head-to-head with the iU-22, Logiq 9 and Sequoia and held its own very well... some stating that it's comparable to these systems in 2-D imaging. That's quite impressive for a compact system.

However, the system apparently can't compete in color or other areas, but I'm sure they'll be on their way with that soon. I heard from another that its reporting package is the best among compact ultrasounds.

I plan on visiting their booth next week at RSNA and I'll give it a more full report at that time, along with observations on other systems, including the P50 from Siemens (the apparent replacement to the Cypress). Questions?

Anything you'd like me to check out at RSNA? Drop me an email.

Don't forget to check out our specials at the GPS Medical website as well. We're currently running specials on the SonoSite Titan and the Acuson Cypress.

compact ultrasound,Zonare,laptop ultrasound,hcu

Quoted from http://www.devicespace.com/news_story.aspx?StoryID=77421&full=1:

ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc. Ranked Top Hand Carried Ultrasound Vendor in 2007 - News, Search Jobs, Events

ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc. Ranked Top Hand Carried Ultrasound Vendor in 2007

11/14/2007

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- ZONARE Medical Systems, a developer of premium ultrasound systems, today announced it has been ranked as the top hand carried ultrasound (HCU) vendor in the inaugural KLAS HCU study. The company was ranked first in image quality, ergonomics and throughput, according to the survey, and second in reliability and durability.

"We are extremely pleased to receive this top HCU honor based on such a highly respected, independent survey," said Donald Southard, president and CEO for ZONARE. "To be rated as first in KLAS reflects on our commitment to meeting customer needs through innovation, excellent service and unique technology. Along with the significant growth of ZONARE since our first shipment in 2005, this recognition helps reconfirm the expanding acceptance of our proprietary Zone Sonography(TM) technology and Convertible Ultrasound(TM) platform."

Siemens Releases new compact ultrasound

It appears as though Siemens has released its successor to the Acuson Cypress with the release of the P50, a MACINTOSH-based laptop cardio-vascular ultrasound machine. It seems Siemens is joining the masses (indluding myself) of going with the Macintosh platform.

This new ultrasound includes full C/V and stress echo and should be released next month in the United States. Hopefully they will be showing it at the RSNA show next week.

I will be attending the RSNA show this year and I plan on taking a look and making some reports on the new stuff coming out. Unfortunately, it appears SonoSite won't be at the show demonstrating its M-Turbo, S-Nerve, S-FAST and other new products, so I'll take a look at what's new from the other manufacturers, including this Siemens P50. I imagine GE will show off some of its new cool stuff as well. I'll update next week with anything that's new and cool. The article for the P50 is quoted below. As usual, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me at my email address.

portable ultrasound,laptop ultrasound,P50 Acuson,Siemens P50

Quoted from http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=ult&Pag=dis&ItemId=78813&wf=1:

Radiology, Ultrasound Community

Siemens Medical Solutions of Malvern, PA, launched a new laptop-based ultrasound scanner, Acuson P50, at the Medica meeting in Germany earlier this month.

P50 weighs slightly more than 5 kg and is designed for mobile applications in cardiology, as well as vascular applications in the operating room and anesthesiology departments. The scanner can also be used as a standard Internet-enabled PC that runs commonly used Microsoft Office applications, according to Siemens.

Siemens is touting the scanner's B-mode and color Doppler resolution, and the system includes an integrated stress-echo function. It also supports several cardiology application packages, including syngo Vector Velocity Imaging (VVI) and syngo Arterial Health Package (AHP), which can be used to determine a patient's age.

P50 has up to two hours of battery life, and is based on an Apple MacBook laptop with 2 GB of RAM, 160-GB hard disk, and 2.0-GHz Intel Dual-Core Pentium M processor. The scanner has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and deliveries will begin in December.

The best ultrasound deal ever?

This morning I was speaking to an old customer who is looking to do some ultrasound screening. She wants a great image but a low price (who doesn't?). All she needs is a stationary machine. Normally, you think about some of the newer stuff that's come out.... and I've been so focused on what's new in the industry, that you forget how good a price some of that old stuff is right now.

Just a few years ago, the ATL HDI 5000 with SONOCT and XRES was, arguably, the best imaging machine for vascular, OB, GYN, and small parts. Then its successor came out: the Philips iU22, as did a whole slew of Windows-based ultrasounds. So, these new consoles with USB ports, more ergonomic consoles, 4D, and DVD writers made the whole industry go "OOOOH" and "AAAHHH" over these cool new toys. However, the image quality wasn't a night-and-day improvement over the old stock.... only the operating system and ergonomics were the major changes. So what happens to the old powerhouses? The hospitals that are addicted to getting the "latest and greatest" are trading in their perfectly good ATL HDI 5000 systems with outstanding image quality to get these ergonomic, flat-screened "wow factor" windows machines.

And now, our industry has a ton of these HDI 5000 systems. This is the time to buy one. Their image quality rivals most systems out there, you can get DICOM and incredible imaging quality for, quite literally, 10-20%% of what you would have paid just 5-6 years ago! It's so bad, that some manufacturers are actually sending these to the recycler if they're not the top-of-the-line system (ie: SonoCT and XRES), they give no trade-in value and simply send them to a recycling company. Yes, there are that many out there, and you should be taking advantage of it!

If you are looking for an ultrasound and you want to turn a profit quickly, you should really take a look at the HDI 5000. It's drawbacks? Well, it's an older user interface and it's a bit slow when you want to change the probes or modes. We're talking a couple seconds here, not 5 minutes. It transfers to the network quickly and can save images in DICOM format... this was the industry leader just a few short years ago!

And what about service? These things are easy to service and parts are getting cheaper all the time. Outfits like my company have tons of parts for these machines and they're not going away any time soon. To toot our own horn a bit, the GPS Medical service team is loaded with experts on these systems, and we can even repair the monitors and circuit boards for these! Call us today at 866-347-7633 to get a quote. Tell us what you'll need to do, and chances are you'll spend under $30k for a loaded ATL HDI 5000 ultrasound with image quality that rivals systems that cost more than $100,000!

ATL HDI 5000,Radiology ultrasound,ultrasound special

Howstuffworks: How Ultrasound Works

One of the coolest sites on the internet, HowStuffWorks, recently released a visual tour of How Ultrasound Works. I'd skip the visual tour if I were you, it's quite boring, contains 183 images, and includes many images of outdated equipment with few good details. However, there's a fantastic article (from which those images are derived) for those who are looking to get into ultrasound... such as those in the emerging markets of internal medicine, emergency medicine, and Family Practice physicians who are looking to add ultrasound to their practice. It gives a great background and overview of understanding the principles and what you need to know about these great devices. You can see the whole article here.

Quoted from http://health.howstuffworks.com/ultrasound.htm:

Howstuffworks

There are many reaons to get an ultrasound. Perhaps you are pregnant, and your obstetrician wants you to have an ultrasound to check on the developing baby or determine the due date. Maybe you are having problems with blood circulation in a limb or your heart, and your doctor has requested a Doppler ultrasound to look at the blood flow. Ultrasound has been a popular medical imaging technique for many years.

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SonoSite releases M-Turbo, the MicroMaxx successor

MicroMaxx,SonoSite,Hand Carried Ultraosund,Titan,M-Turbo,portable ultrasound,emergency ultrasound,physician ultrasound

Day 1, Q4, SonoSite announces its next-generation ultrasound the M-Turbo, the MicroMaxx successor. I think most of us expected to see it only at RSNA, but apparently SonoSite was ready for this and is looking to make a big impact in Q4.

I haven't yet seen it live, but I'm interested to see how this stacks up against the MicroMaxx... particularly because the underlying architecture is quite different than past SonoSite machines. One of SonoSite's problems and benefits in the past was its use of the VXWorks operating system, which allowed it to boot quickly and provided a very stable operating system. On the M-Turbo, SonoSite has moved to Windows CE 6.0 Embedded, which is a huge change that allows SonoSite to compete more directly with GE's ultrasound machines. It also allows for easy transfer of files to USB memory stick, easy setup of 3rd party printers and devices, etc. The concern has always been: what kind of boot time would it be with Windows heavy overhead? Well, SonoSite still claims a very fast bootup time, showing 15 seconds for the M-Turbo, which is an impressive feat with Windows Embedded. Apparently this has something to do with a Texas Instruments chip, but that's far out of my knowledge range.

I have yet to see pictures to see if the user interface has changed or how the image quality stacks up, but they're keeping up with the technologies at this point, including MultiBeam (like GE's CrossXBeam or Philips SonoCT) and Speckle Reduction.

So it appears SonoSite has stepped up its game a bit and should continue to compete against the GE juggernaut. This also means we should see some pricing changes coming down the pike to the Titan and MicroMaxx lines.

And for all intents and purposes, Philips and Siemens remain quiet in this market. This is simply unreal to me. All we've seen from Siemens is an update to its outdated Cypress system (still a nice unit, but seriously!) and the Acuson P10 pocket machine. Philips has nothing, although SonoSite was started in the cafeteria of the ATL/Philips headquarters in Washington.

Quoted from http://www.sonosite.com/Press-Releases/news-2007-10-01-2.html:

SonoSite Unleashes Next Major Advance In Ultrasound

Powerful M-Turbo Hand-Carried System Delivers Breakthrough Image Quality, State-of-the-Art Connectivity and Extreme Durability for Point of Care Visualization BOTHELL, WA - October 1, 2007 – SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, today announced the introduction of the M-Turbo™ ultrasound system for use in the full range of clinical applications at the point of care. The fourth major product platform since SonoSite released the industry’s first hand-carried ultrasound system in 1999, the M-Turbo system delivers an exponential increase in raw processing power for superior image clarity across all exam types, plus seamless connectivity for digital image export in a rugged, hand-carried product weighing less than 8 pounds.  SonoSite plans to begin customer deliveries later this quarter. “I think the system is fantastic,” said Diku Mandavia, MD, FACEP, Attending Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, LA County + USC Medical Center, Los Angeles. “SonoSite has truly evolved its product to a very powerful system that integrates the latest technology. The image provides clarity at every level and by definition will make a major improvement to patient care.  They have provided an exceptionally high level of performance but streamlined the process to obtain an image in an already easy-to-use interface. SonoSite really understands the market.” “It’s a great system,” concurs Stuart A. Grant, MD, Director of Medical Student Education and Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at Duke University Medical School in Durham, North Carolina.  “The image quality of the nerve sub-structure and nerve bundles delivered by the M-Turbo system is truly outstanding. Its image quality and ease of use will make it easier for clinicians to learn and successfully perform regional nerve blocks. Additionally, the ability to download images onto a USB thumb drive makes it simple to acquire and archive images for use in teaching and for patient records. It is remarkable that SonoSite was able to listen to physicians’ needs and respond with a product that addressed them in a matter of months.” Three New Advanced Imaging Algorithms = One Amazing Image SonoSite’s new M-Turbo system offers a 16-fold increase in processing power yet weighs slightly less than the MicroMaxx® system.  The system’s increased processing power generates dramatic improvements in image quality by simultaneously running multiple advanced algorithms: SonoADAPT™ Tissue Optimization – automatically adjusts imaging parameters depending on exam type and patient size based on imaging depth thereby eliminating time-consuming and complicated clinician manipulation of multiple controls. SonoHD™ Imaging Technology – leverages the exponentially increased processing power to reduce speckle noise and other image artifacts while preserving and sharpening tissue information and enhancing the aesthetic and clinical value of the image. SonoMB™ Multi-beam Imaging - further enhanced and now available on all M-Turbo transducers, including the phased array transducer to facilitate cardiac and abdominal examinations, SonoMB technology was first introduced in April 2007 as a software upgrade for the MicroMaxx system.  Clinicians have praised its ability to increase resolution of small structures and enhance border delineation while maintaining temporal resolution.  “The M-Turbo system brings razor sharp image quality, user simplicity and speed to the time-driven, point-of-care clinical setting,” said Kevin M. Goodwin, SonoSite President and CEO.  “Alongside the successful MicroMaxx system, M-Turbo underscores and extends our leadership in the hand-carried ultrasound market. With M-Turbo, we have created a powerful and versatile imaging tool for applications across the clinical spectrum while further simplifying the user interface yet maintaining system ruggedness and the rapid boot time our products are known for.” Transducers for Every Point-of-Care Exam With the M-Turbo system, SonoSite is introducing a new phased array transducer and intracavitary probe. These new transducers offer the same exceptional durability and reliability for which SonoSite’s transducers are widely recognized:  The new P21x/5-1 phased array transducer offers exceptional image quality and an ergonomic form factor for increased patient and clinician comfort during cardiac, abdominal and Ob/Gyn exams. The ICTx/8-5 curved array transducer provides a 135° field of view and broad bandwidth for improved detail resolution. At introduction, the M-Turbo system offers a total of seven transducers to cover a full range of clinical and procedural guidance applications for abdominal, nerve, vascular, cardiac, venous access, small parts and superficial imaging. In addition to the P21x/5-1 and ICTx/8-5, this suite of transducers includes the C60x/5-2 curved array; C11x/8-5 curved array; HFL38x/13-6 linear array; L25x/13-6 linear array; and L38x/10-5 linear array.  The M-Turbo system increases transducer versatility and ease of use by optimizing the transducer to perform multiple exams types for a specific anatomical area, enabling a single transducer to be useful across a broader array of applications.  SonoMB technology runs on all transducers, including the P21x phased array transducer. The M-Turbo system offers two transducers with exceptional depth penetration for difficult-to-image patients; the C60x transducer images to a depth of 30 cm. and the P21x transducer images to a depth of 35 cm. Teaming Up with Texas Instruments and Microsoft The M-Turbo system is the first medical device to integrate Texas Instruments’ (TI) DaVinci™ technology which is designed specifically for high performing, highly responsive digital video applications. Digital videos and images can be exported from the M-Turbo system to a USB storage device in standard PC formats MPEG4 (H.264), JPEG, HTML and BMP for review or storage on a PC or Mac® computer. With two high speed (480Mbps) USB 2.0 ports and a high speed Ethernet link, clinicians can seamlessly export digital video and images for diagnostic consultation, instruction and publishing. SonoSite engineers also integrated Microsoft® Windows® Embedded CE 6.0 operating system running on TI’s TMS320DM644x digital media processor with DaVinci technology to facilitate easy patient data management and transfer with hospital information systems (DICOM®) and to USB thumb drives.  “Rapid boot from a cold start and reliability are hallmarks of our products and essential in critical medical situations,” stated Dave Willis, SonoSite Vice President, Competitive Strategy and Innovation. “The DaVinci processor, which offers state-of-the-art multimedia capabilities in a small footprint and requires minimal power, fits with our product philosophy. Most portable and compact ultrasound systems utilize large cumbersome operating systems with high-power processors that reduce battery life, increase system heat and require large memory devices that increase the risk of failure. Our proprietary, dedicated ASIC microchips perform the bulk of the ultrasound processing and eliminate the need for large power-hungry processors and operating systems. Working in collaboration with Microsoft and Texas Instruments, we were able to co-develop an ideal, flexible solution for connectivity, playback and easy image transfer.” “We are always excited to work with growing and innovative customers like SonoSite,” said Greg Mar, DaVinci Technology Manager, Texas Instruments. “SonoSite exemplifies a company that continues to push the envelope of medical technology. We look forward to working with them as they continue to drive advances in digital signal processing technology to bring better, more effective patient care.” Innovation in Education SonoSite is also leveraging the new multi-media and connectivity capabilities of the M-Turbo system to offer customers an “education key,” a library of clinically specific, point-of-care tutorials and refresher courses for playback on the system. The Education Key™ program is a thumb drive that contains a combination of system operation video tutorials, application-specific video refresher programs that provide peer-to-peer instruction on how to perform specific exams and procedures, and an image reference library of application specific sonographic anatomy for comparison purposes.  This combination of instructionally rich learning tools is an industry first and continues to solidify the commitment SonoSite is making to clinical users. Built to Take It The M-Turbo system is being offered with the same, unprecedented 5-year warranty that SonoSite introduced with the launch of the MicroMaxx system in 2005, which eliminates the need for expensive service contracts that typically add another 10-15% of the purchase price to system cost per year. Understanding the demanding requirements of point-of-care use, the M-Turbo system withstands SonoSite’s industry-leading 36-inch drop test. Durability is built in from the ground up with the extensive use of magnesium components throughout to maximize strength and minimize weight.  As with other SonoSite products, the M-Turbo system is battery operable and goes from off to scanning in less than 15 seconds. Plus, the system is easy to clean and sanitize, of utmost importance in critical care environments. “The introduction of the M-Turbo to our product portfolio marks the beginning of a new line-up of major product releases signaling the next level of performance and customization for the point-of-care market,” Mr. Goodwin said. “With a global installed base numbering more than 36,000 systems and consistently high customer satisfaction ratings of 97%, we remain the leader in point-of-care visualization.”

How to Manage a Vascular Screening Program

Aunt Minnie Editor Eric Ridley has posted a good article on the growing and important field of vascular screening using ultrasound. This is something that Physicians can easily add to their practice as an excellent elective exam for their patients.

The article does a nice job discussing all the things you should consider before running the screening exam and some of the pitfalls you could run into. His article is based on a talk given by Phillip Bendick, Ph.D., o fWilliam Beaumont Hospital In Royal Oak, MI.

These screening facilities are popping up everywhere in the US, and this article discusses the importance of choosing a technician wisely and being careful in the exams. The full article can be found here.

Quoted from http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=ult&Pag=dis&ItemId=77508&wf=2077:

Radiology, Ultrasound Community

Ultrasound vascular screening offers the promise of early disease identification when performed appropriately, allowing individuals to receive preventive medicine, according to Phillip Bendick, Ph.D., of William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI.

"Screening is the way to get at these people early before bad things really start to happen," he said in a session at the 2007 Leading Edge in Diagnostic Ultrasound Conference in Atlantic City.

It's important to note that vascular screening isn't for patients, since patients have diagnostic studies based on medical necessity, Bendick said. Instead, screening is performed for asymptomatic "participants."

Nor is screening a diagnostic exam, which may have 30-40 images or more; a standard screening study is typically limited to three to five images, he said. In addition, and probably most importantly, screening is essentially minimal sampling of data. As with any sampled system, screening is subject to diagnostic "aliasing," Bendick said.

"When you don't make enough samples, you may not have a true representation as to what's going on," he said. "The fewer the samples, the greater the aliasing." So screening requires a skilled sonographer, optimal equipment, and knowledgeable interpretation.

AAA screen,carotid screening,vascular screening

GE Vivid S5 and S6: Cypress and MicroMaxx Killers?

In an effort to Fill Every Possible Hole, it appears GE may have found a "real" hole here in its market...

Two unannounced products: the GE Vivid S5 and Vivid S6 ultrasounds look to fill a market that the company has allowed Siemens and SonoSite to have: a credible Low-Cost portable cardiovascular or truly shared-service portable ultrasound system. The unannounced Vivid S5 and Vivid S6 ultrasounds, aimed at being a "pocket Vivid 3", will take the lower-end GE Vivid 3 ultrasound, smush it into a laptop-sized package, and place it squarely in the market against the Acuson Cypress and the SonoSite MicroMaxx. It should have fully integrated stress echo as well as shared service capabilities, including an endocavity transducer option with the E8C-RS and TEE capabilities.

Surely the cardiac and vascular capabilities will be very good, as they are with the Vivid 3, but these machines will likely be missing the high-end options such as CrossXBeam or Compound Imaging, Strain, advanced analysis packages, and those things typically found in the $40,000-plus range. Hey, they gotta leave something for the semi-indistinguishable Vivid i and Vivid e products.

Oh, but one thing..: it's important to note that much of this is speculation and rumor: ie: documentation that I've seen doesn't actually state that these systems are "portable", however, it is listed that these will all run the "RS" probes, which are the transducers specifically built for hand carried units. My math says portable.

The products are under wraps and unannounced with no truly public documentation, so release dates are anybody's guess. However, surely they'd like to get this product out as soon as possible. SonoSite is expected to release a new product in the fourth quarter, and MicroMaxx's popularity refuses to cede as SonoSite becomes a household name. But assuming they don't screw this up... it seems that for the first time in a while, GE might be creating something that doesn't displace or compete against one of its own products... although the price-point will be interesting as some GE sales reps are known to sell the Vivid e for pennies when competing against the Cypress and MicroMaxx... so it's possible the Vivid e, S5, and S6 will just play in each other's sandbox. Time will tell which one gets its own Tonka.

GE Vivid,Portable Cardiology ultrasound,cardiac ultrasound,hand carried ultrasound,SonoSite,Acuson,Cypress Ultrasound

Ultrasound Screening Gets Boost at Conference

Quoted from http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=ult&Pag=dis&ItemId=77410&wf=2066:

Radiology, Ultrasound Community

Increased interest in screening examinations and early identification of disease offer an opportunity for expanded use of ultrasound, according to Dr. Edward Bluth of Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans.

"We can offer a new role for the radiologist/sonologist by aggressively moving into this area and popularizing this field," Bluth said. "With ultrasound, we can accurately, safely, inexpensively, rapidly, and cost-effectively screen healthy populations for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), carotid stenosis, and peripheral vascular disease."

He spoke during a session at the 2007 Leading Edge in Diagnostic Ultrasound Conference in Atlantic City.

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid by the lay press on healthcare issues and, in particular, the value of early disease identification and the role of screening, Bluth said. As a result, a better-informed public has been demanding greater participation in their healthcare decisions, and requesting screening examinations for early identification of disease.

Another trend looming over the next year or two is the public's understanding of the increasing amount of radiation exposure they're facing from radiographic screening examinations, he said. The role of ultrasound as a safe screening tool is just now being appreciated in the press.

Possible screening tests with ultrasound currently include AAA screening, carotid stenosis screening, and ankle-brachial index (ABI) for peripheral vascular disease, Bluth said.

ultrasound,AAA,carotid,ABI screening,AAA screening,ankle-brachial index,abdominal aortic aneurysm,carotid stenosis

Price Alert: Logiq 7 BT07 with 4D and FlatScreen DEMO!

GPS Medical just received a GE Logiq 7 BT07 ultrasound with 4D, LCD flat panel, fully shared services (with cardiac) and the full suite of options. This machine is indistinguishable from new and is not an "upgraded" machine. This is an excellent alternative to the currently expensive, and hard to find, GE Voluson 730 series of systems. You can now purchase a like-new Logiq 7 ultrasound for a lower price. Typical setups start at $60,000 for OB/Gyn. Cardiac, vascular, musculoskeletal, small parts, and other setups are available with additional probes. System is noted here (GE Logiq 7) with its options. Video will be posted later this week.

GE Logiq 7,new Logiq 7,4D ultrasound,voluson 730 expert,Radiology ultrasound,best buy ultrasound

Price Alert: 4 portable ultrasounds

New specials on Portable Ultrasounds! The Acuson Cypress, one cardiac/vascular portable ultrasound available at $18,900 with a cardiac transducer. The Logiq e portable ultrasound is available again with two probes at $35,000. The GE Voluson i compact portable 4D laptop ultrasound is available while supplies last for just $54,000 with a 4D ultrasound transducer (it also performs solid vascular and obstetrics). Titans are still in stock!

Next week the GE Vivid e portable cardiac/vascular ultrasound will be on sale again at an unbeatable price. Call today for next week's outstanding Labor Day special on the Vivid e portable ultrasound. Go to the GPS Medical specials page to find out more.

Logiq e,GE Logiq,GE Vivid e,Acuson Cypress,voluson i,GE Voluson 4D,GE Logiq e,hand carried ultrasound,compact ultrasound

TomTec releases 4D ultrasound software

Quoted from http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=ult&Pag=dis&ItemId=77349&wf=2047&d=1:

Radiology, Ultrasound Community

TomTec launches 4D ultrasound

8/30/2007

Ultrasound visualization developer TomTec Imaging Systems said it plans to debut a new version of its 4D RV-Function software at the 2007 European Society of Cardiology congress, to be held September 1-5 in Vienna, Austria.

The update comes a year after TomTec launched its software for right ventricular analysis based on 3D ultrasound data. The 4D RV-Function software will allow users to analyze the right ventricle by referring to familiar anatomical structures, important in cases of heart failure and pulmonary and congenital heart disease, the Munich, Germany-based company said.

Tomtec,4D ultrasound,4D cardiac ultrasound,cardiology,ultrasound software

GE gets behind Emergency Ultrasound

GE has gotten behind one of the more rapidly growing markets in ultrasound today, announcing a partnership with the Emergency Medical Foundation. With its hand carried ultrasound units (Logiqbook XP, Logiq e, Logiq i, Vivid e, Vivid i, Voluson i, and Voluson e), GE is looking to continue to hammer the portable ultrasound market and try and steal all it can from SonoSIte's market share, a good portion of which is in Emergency ultrasound.

 

Quoted from http://www.healthimaging.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7471&Itemid=89:

HealthImaging.com | News

GE and EMF form ultrasound education partnership

GE Healthcare and the Emergency Medical Foundation (EMF) announced a one-year educational partnership to promote medical advancement of emergency ultrasound, including two ultrasound training days for emergency medicine residents. EMF, the education and research arm of the American College of Emergency Physicians, is a national organization, which funds research in emergency medicine, according to GE.

Emergency ultrasound,portable ultrasound,physician ultrasound,ER ultrasound,logiqbook ultrasound,logiq ultrasound

New inexpensive PACS system

This is a company we've been watching recently and we demo'd their PACS system. For the price and performance, we were impressed with this product and we're currently looking at installing it in our first "test" site in the next month. It's a pretty cool product and they've asked us to distribute it for them.This has been outside our realm a bit, but it appears to be a great solution for our customers at GPS. You can email me if you want to evaluate the product. As I evaluate it further, I'll keep things posted here.

 

Ashva receives FDA 510(k) clearance for iMagic v 2.0 - Image management and reporting software for Ultrasound systems

Ashva receives FDA 510(k) clearance for iMagic v 2.0 - Image management and reporting software for Ultrasound systems

Ashva Technologies Private Limited, has announced today that the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared iMagic version 2.0 for marketing in USA.

 

Ashva Technologies Private Limited, recognized as one of the leading PACS companies in India has announced today that the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared iMagic version 2.0 for marketing in USA. The iMagic software has been cleared for a variety of tasks including Ultrasound image archiving, manipulation, creation of template based reporting and distribution of images on to a media like a CD/DVD or printing them on standard Windows based printers.

Sunder Natrajan, CEO of Ashva Technologies Pvt Ltd states:

“We are very pleased to offer this additional value to our valued customers. Even though we have over 500 plus installations of iMagic in Asia, we strongly felt that we need to have the FDA clearance. The clearance is a testament to the fact that iMagic follows International standards of quality and usability. We believe that there is no other product in the market at this price range packed with so many features and with a FDA clearance. Ashva continues to strive to bring leading edge imaging software with features found only in the high end solutions and at prices which are very attractive to the end user and to our partners.”

PACS,physician PACS,small office PACS,inexpensive DICOM,inexpensive PACS,ultrasound PACS,ASHVA Technologies

Ultrasound Price Alert: GE Voluson i portable 4D ultrasound and GE Logiq 3 Expert

The very popular and hard-to-find GE Voluson i portable 4D ultrasound is available at GPS Medical. Additionally, there is a price alert on a demo unit of the (also popular) GE Logiq 3 Expert BT06 ultrasound with shared services capabilities. This is one of the more popular veterinary ultrasounds on the market, but also perfect for smaller offices in which ultrasound is not the primary function.

GE Voluson i,Voluson i,4D ultrasound,portable 4D ultrasound,veterinary ultrasound,vet ultrasound,ultrasound price,GE ultrasound,voluson 4D,physician ultrasound,ob/gyn ultrasound,obstetric ultrasound,4D ultrasound scanner

Brief ultrasound exams prove valuable in cardiac care

The American Journal of Cardiology July 15 issue reports on a study done by Scripps Mercy Hospital and the University of California validating the use of a limited ultrasound study in a point-of-care facility such as an outpatient clinic. The study evaluated the utility of the CLUE (Cardiovascular limited ultrasound examination) that detects: carotid atherorma, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, left atrial enlargement, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. They used a compact ultrasound for the study, such as a Logiqbook XP, Sonosite Titan, SonoSite Micromaxx, GE Logiq e, or GE Logiq i portable ultrasound units. An abstract of the journal article is copied below. click here for a link to the abstract.:

 

Value of a Cardiovascular Limited Ultrasound Examination Using a Hand-Carried Ultrasound Device on Clinical Management in an Outpatient Medical Clinic

Bruce J. Kimura MDa, , , David J. Shaw MDa, Donna L. Agan EdDa, Stan A. Amundson MDa, Andrew C. Ping MDa and Anthony N. DeMaria MDb
aScripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, California
bUniversity of California, San Diego, California.
Received 16 January 2007;  revised 20 February 2007;  accepted 20 February 2007.  Available online 29 May 2007.

Limited ultrasound imaging studies using hand-carried ultrasound devices at the point of care have individually shown feasibility in the detection of carotid atheroma, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, left atrial enlargement, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. To evaluate the utility of a specific cardiovascular limited ultrasound examination (CLUE) designed to detect all 4 entities in patients seen in an outpatient medical clinic. One hundred ninety-six patients underwent coronary heart disease risk stratification by National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines and CLUE with a hand-carried ultrasound device with cardiac and vascular transducers. CLUE included brief imaging of the carotid arteries, the heart, and the intra-abdominal aorta. The prevalence of abnormal CLUE results and their effect on clinical management were tabulated and stratified by coronary heart disease risk class. Patient age (mean ± SD) was 56 ± 14 years (range 22 to 95), and 32.1% were at low risk, 30.6% at intermediate risk, and 37.2% at high risk. Of the 196 CLUEs, abnormalities were present in 37.2% (32.7% had carotid atheroma, 3.1% had systolic dysfunction, 6.1% had left atrial enlargement, and 1.0% had abdominal aortic aneurysm) and were related to age, increasing coronary heart disease risk, and male gender. Overall, CLUE resulted in new management recommendations in 20% of patients, primarily in coronary heart disease risk prevention. In patients at intermediate risk or aged 60 to 69 years, CLUE resulted in new recommendations in 39% and 37%, respectively. In conclusion, when applied to a clinic population, brief cardiovascular ultrasound exams frequently demonstrate unsuspected findings that can change management.

Compact Ultrasound,Portable ultrasound,hand carried ultrasound,cardiac ultrasound,CLUE,cardiology screening,carotid atheroma,left ventricular systolic dysfunction,left atrial enlargement,abdominal aortic aneurysm,AAA screening,cardiovascular limited ultrasound examination

Price Alert: SonoSite Micromaxx and GE Logiq 400 Pro CL ultrasounds

Special pricing on SonoSite Micromaxx ultrasound and GE Logiq 400 CL Pro ultrasounds while supplies last. The MicroMaxx special pricing includes an L25 linear transducer and other probes  are available.

Micromaxx pricing has only recently dropped and it is still hard to get on the market and in high demand. The Micromaxx is popular for anesthesiologists, emergency rooms, physicians, family practices and many point of care facilities in which a fast-booting ultrasound with good image quality is necessary.

The Logiq 400 Pro CL is an old-time standard in the OB/GYN ultrasound market and is known as one of the more reliable color Doppler ultrasound systems for obstetrics and gynecology. The system is capable of all modalites except cardiac and has very good image quality. Click here for pricing and availability.

SonoSite,Micromaxx,SonoSite Micromaxx,Logiq 400CL,Logiq ultrasound,GE Ultrasound,Sonosite Ultrasound

Special price alert: '07 GE Logiq 7 with 4D, shared services, LCD flat panel. Only one available.

GPS Medical is offering a "BT07" GE Logiq 7 with 4D and LCD Flat-Panel Monitor, shared services (all applications) with CrossXBeam and SRI for $62,000 with a 4D transducer and two standard 2D transducers (such as a convex and linear or sector). This is the latest version of software for this machine, released in 2007. They only have one GE Logiq 7 System at this price and it won't last until the end of the week. You can read about the system here on the GPS Medical website, where we reviewed the Logiq 7 and its excellent 4D capabilities. The next-best shared-services ultrasound with 4D will run you more than $100,000 on the used market, and you'll have a lot of trouble finding it. This system is ideal for the family physician, OB/GYN, Internal Medicine doctor, and many others.  This is a demo ultrasound unit and is on special until it is sold. Contact GPS Medical for the GE Logiq 7 ultrasound with 4D and LCD monitor if you're interested. This system will probably be gone by Wednesday.

ultrasound,diagnostic ultrasound,GE Logiq ultrasound,GE Logiq 7,4D ultrasound,GE 4D ultrasound,Voluson,GE ultrasound,refurbished ultrasound

Vivid 7 Dimension 06 Expert, Vivid 7 Dimension 07 Pro, and Vivid i prices fall for Q2

As expected, to make quarterly numbers, prices have fallen on the GE Vivid 7 Dimension 06 Expert ultrasound console and the GE Vivid i portable compact ultrasound. Both systems are for cardiac and vascular use. The catch is that the systems need to be committed to by June 28. Also available is the Vivid 7 Dimension BT07 Pro with flat panel monitor at its lowest price ever.

 

Vivid i,Vivid 7,Vivid 7 Dimension,cardiology,cardiac ultrasound,portable cardiac ultrasound,Vivid 7 BT06

Philips IU22 refurbished ultrasound with 4D price drop for quarter end

Another quarter-end price drop appears, this time on a 4D ultrasound machine, the Philips IU22 ultrasound machine with 4D. Priced to move for inventory purposes at the end of the quarter. The Philips IU22 is one of the more hard-to-find ultrasounds on the refurbished market today and is known for its excellent image quality. We haven't tested its 4D here, but users say it's a capable machine, specifically for general 4D applications (mother-baby bonding pictures) in which diagnostics are not a priority. IU22 special.

4D ultrasound,Philips IU22,Philips ultrasound,refurbished philips iu22

Acuson debuts P10 Pocket Ultrasound

This week at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) in Seattle, SIemens showed off its new Acuson P10, which is the smallest ultrasound ever made.

The Acuson P10 is REALLY small and designed for quick point-of-care scans, typically for a quick screening as it boots in only about 5 seconds and is designed to fit in a lab pocket. Not your every day ultrasound. Here's a list of features from the product brochure:

• Hand-held personal imaging tool
• Fits in a lab coat pocket
• Visual reinforcement of exam findings
improves patient communication
• Optimized form factor, functionality,
and price to complement the physical
exam
• 1.6 lbs total weight
• ~ 5-second power-up
• Excellent image quality
• Easy to use – simple, intuitive user
interface
• Stores images and video clips for
permanent record-keeping
• Improved interaction with patients
• 4-2 MHz phased array transducer ideal
for trauma and cardiac applications

The Acuson P10 is an interesting tool that they're also touting as an extension of the stethescope and designed as an extension of the physical exam. Pretty cool, although much of what it's designed for does not appear to be reimburseable.

The Acuson P10 is going through clinical trials right now and has yet to be released for sale.

From an Acuson historical perspective, the choice in naming is interesting as the XP10 was its flagship, groundbreaking product throughout the 1980s and much of the 1990s. This Acuson P10 (less the X) is its newest groundbreaking product.

...OK, so it's not that interesting, but I thought I'd note it anyway.

compact ultrasound,portable ultrasound,hand carried ultrasound,acuson,ultrasound,siemens,emergency medicine,anesthesiology,cardiology,Acuson P10,P10,pocket ultrasound

The portable ultrasound market

A mutual fund manager contacted me this morning regarding SonoSite ultrasound. He was interested in what I'd written and GPS Medical's take and sales of SonoSite systems. The conversation led me to finally write something about this market and where its going.

As a fund manager, he was interested in ensuring long-term growth in this market and whether GE would simply swallow SonoSite. A good question. I told him good things about SonoSite and GE, and that the key between them is the market focus.

For SonoSite, I feel the key is the SonoSite operating system and its overall durability. The machine boots in 8 seconds and you can drop the probes. For Point-of-Care situations for which the SonoSite is designed, it solves a need: a fast, simple machine that is easy to use, images well, and doesn't mind getting a little banged up. Oh, and of course, the machine needs to have a good image, which SonoSite does.

GE also benefits from an excellent operating system, but in a completely different way. For GE portable ultrasounds, the keys are versatility, a known brand, and similar quality to its popular Logiq, Vivid, and Voluson products. GE uses a version of Windows XP on its systems and has a more complex user interface. This allows for much more versatility and Windows XP gives its engineers a way to port code from its Logiq and Vivid systems to a laptop version.

In addition, GE has solutions for nearly all modalities in a portable ultrasound, wheras SonoSite has its limited capabilities when it comes to the broader markets. GE's problem with SonoSite's market is their systems are slower to boot and not nearly as durable.Of course, SonoSite has designed it that way... the way SonoSite acheived its competitive advantage is to understand its market and provide the best product it can. A fast-booting, durable, easy-to-use ultrasound system.

So what is the future? Well, its definitely in compact ultrasound, the fastest-growing market in ultrasound. But who will be the champion?

It seems SonoSite caught most manufacturer's asleep behind the wheel. SonoSite used its own proprietary operating system before a truly viable Windows platform was available. With WIndows 2000, GE joined the market, and realized its vast marketsize GE then did things in the GE Ultrasound way: it released a bunch of products with small differentiations between them (Vivid i, Vivid e, Voluson i, Voluson e, Logiq e, Logiq i, Logiqbook XP, Logiqbook, and who knows what else in the coming months). SonoSite has stuck to its guns in providing a durable, fast, solid machine. SonoSite systems have good image quality, but are relatively basic compared to their GE counterparts. Philips/ATL has nothing (SonoSite was a spinoff from ATL), Siemens has the outstanding Acuson Cypress for the cardiology market and released released a palm-top/pocket-like machine that is decidedly not as versatile. Zonare and others are working in the market and it'll be interesting to see how those companies grow. For now, it's SonoSite and GE for the mass appeal, adding the Cypress ultrasound for cardiac and vascular applications.

My concern is whether SonoSite's Operating System could also be its achilles heel. With such a huge installed base, can SonoSite build and diversify, or will it always be exactly what it is. If so, I'm sure GE has a plan as does Siemens, Zonare, Ultrasonix, blah blah blah... and what ever happened to Biosound Esaote, the original leader of this market?

For now, though, it appears most manufacturers are far behind the curve and I told the fund manager that SonoSite would be a good bet for the immeditate future. I can't believe Siemens hasn't tried to port its Antares system down to a smaller model or any of its other Windows XP-embedded systems. Until then, it's free money for SonoSite and GE.

portable ultrasound,compact ultrasound,SonoSite,logiqbook xp,hand carried ultrasound,mobile ultrasound

SonoSite "Big-Ass Sledgehammer Impact Test" and The Logiq i themesong

I had to laugh this morning when I stumbled across an old video from SonoSite announcing the release of one of its handheld, laptop sized ultrasounds. While the video itself is tongue-in-cheek and pokes fun, the interesting part is that it was made circa year 2000. Now in 2007, GE has released its own video for the Logiq i... basically announcing nothing more than a laptop-sized ultrasound, which is something they've been manufacturing since the early 00's. The two contrasting videos tell an interesting tale: who's in touch and who's not. GE spends a lot of marketing dollars on a video that offers nothing more than a bad song and an announcement of a laptop ultrasound without highlighting its features (you could put any laptop-sized ultrasound in that video and it would still make sense). Seven years earlier, SonoSite produced an internal comical video that actually provides more content and information about its ultrasound even though it pokes fun at itself. Don't get me wrong, the Logiq i is a really impressive system and it shows that GE is very advanced technologically, however, why would GE spend so much money on something that does nothing more than announce a laptop ultrasound?  Maybe next time they can have a music video on color Doppler. See the Logiq i video here. I don't even want to fathom what that music video cost and who got fired over it.

NRM: AAA screening saves lives: study

In its upcoming journal, The Canadian National Review of Medicine will publish an article (excerpt below) of the fast-growing section of ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms. This has become a popular request for information at GPS Medical, and a fast-growing field for facilities looking to add another dimension to their practice. We're also seeing many of the stand-alone imaging facilities add this to their suite of offerings. The study cites that it can reduce mortality from about 75% down to 5% with an elective surgery made prior to the rupture.

At GPS Medical, we're building a resource for family physicians looking to add ultrasound to their practice. AAA screening is just one reason why it can be an essential addition to the family practice. Look for our website in the coming weeks. If you have questions, you can call us at 866-347-7633 x 202. Ask for Jerry who handles these requests for information.

Quoted from http://www.nationalreviewofmedicine.com/issue/2007/06_15/4_patients_practice02_11.html:

NRM: AAA screening saves lives: study

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with cheap ultrasound exams could slash the death rate in half, according to a new study in the May 15 Annals of Internal Medicine.

AAAs have always been a huge issue, but as baby boomers hit old age the incidence is set to explode. Deadly if they rupture, they have virtually no symptoms so most patients don't even know they've got them until it's too late.

Experts have wondered for years if screening is the answer, but the sheer volume of cases — over 5% of people will have an AAA by the time they hit 65, and the incidence keeps growing as they age — made it seem unfeasible. But the Annals study adds to a growing body of literature supporting widespread ultrasound AAA screening in dramatically reducing deaths — and costs.

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More on the Siemens Antares and Logiq 7 ultrasound machines

It's been a busy week here, but I wanted to get back to the ergonomics on the Antares ultrasound after spending some time with it. I've included some pictures below and a bit of an editorial discussion of my opinion of the Antares. Some of you have asked about it compared to the Logiq 7, so I try to include that where possible. You can add your comments to this below or you can email me.

The ergonomics on the Siemens (also known as Acuson) Antares are quite impressive, and I'd have to say they really went on a limb on the design. For example, take a look at the user interface (the gpsmed and gpsmedical text is my own post-production addition):

The keyboard retracts underneath the user interface, out of the way... At first, I didn't really like it, until I started playing around. Don't be afraid of it as I was (I thought it would be flimsy and difficult to type on). The convenience of it is that you really don't have to shift your body position to type as you do with most other ultrasound systems. It was a daring move by Siemens, but I'll venture that most users end up favoring the keyboard hidden.

The rest of the control panel is similart to a lot of this generation's ultrasounds: all the buttons have multiple functions that are context-driven (the system knows when the button should act one way or the other), and they're designed around your hand. Oddly enough, the Antares is almost intimidating at first because there seem to be too few controls. Some of that is because the keyboard is gone, but the other is that so much is done on-screen. They simplified this ultrasound, then simplified some more. As dumb as it sounds, it's still intimidating at first... but it was very easy to pick up once you understand its overall workflow process... ie: about 10-20 minutes of digging around and you're quickly learning and enjoying it (this is a good thing).

You'll find that your hand doesn't need to move far to make an adjustment, and it takes very little time to get-to-know these controls. Selections you make and any image adjustments are made real-time much like the Logiq 7 (although they're quicker on the Antares). I thought it was a bit easier on the Antares, but kudos to both manufacturers on this one. It's easy to use.

The big difference here, however, is that the Antares ultrasound machine doesn't favor a right-handed person as most other machines do. Look at its balance in the picture above. In fact, the text you see on the keyboard (besides my own) is on an overlay. This allows for reconfiguration for left or right-hand use in the TRUE sense of the word... not just saying "reach farther, lefty". It has complete balance for lefty or righty use. Very cool and something that is nearly universally ignored (I'm right-handed, but two of our technicians are left-handed). Kudos to the ergonomics team on this ultrasound (it was created by an independant group, elemental8 )

This keyboard can be raised or lowered independently of the monitor, which is a 19-inch flatscreen LCD with excellent resolution. It has an articulating arm and can move up, down, left, and right very easily. Please note that I am speaking of the Antares with the flat-panel display that was just recently released on the version 4.0 system. Previously it had a CRT that was less friendly, but still a solid system. The new display really makes this thing shine (and it's not a crappy flat-screen like they tried to put on the Sequoia a few years back... that thing was terrible).

The Logiq 7 ultrasound is now being sold with the articulating arm and flatscreen, but the user interface on the system will still feel clunky when compared to the Antares. And when you include these less-considered features in addition to the speed in which the Antares can swap applications and make adjustments, I can't help to lean more towards this Antares for most people. I like the touchscreen concept, but the Logiq 7 has a slow reaction time that can be annoying. The Antares has all the information on the monitor without losing any true real-estate on the imaging monitor. Plus, a lot of our customers aren't in love with GE. Siemens doesn't seem to really offend any of our customers, and Acuson has a great history with us.

I'll add more stuff later, please email me if you have any questions. Thanks,

-Brian

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Siemens Acuson Antares with 4D

I just spent some time with a bunch of Siemens equipment, and we've decided to include it in our lineup. The two systems we're most impressed with are the Antares and the new X300. I spent a couple hours with the Antares, unfortunately my video camera was at home, but I got some shots of it and I'll be posting my thoughts this week.

After my post of the Logiq 7, questions came in and recommendations were made that I give the Antares a good look. I did, and these two systems compete well head-to-head. As it stands, it's a close call, but for overall performance while you're scanning, I think I prefer the Siemens equipment. It has a huge articulating flatscreen, better user interface, and is overall VERY fast during the scan... no touchscreen delays, and it's also built for on-the-fly adjustments that are actually easier and better than the Logiq 7. The 4D is capable and will pass for any Obstetric office looking to add 4D to its lineup. Seriously... don't fall for the frame-rate hype and all that crap, it's over-stated, believe me! This seemed to be about as fast as the Logiq 7 anyway. But if you're an OB, is one frame per second for a 4D babyface image really worth $10,000 or more? I think not... particularly because in all the exams I've been in, not a single patient has mentioned frame rate.

I'll have more comments and pictures up after the long weekend.

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Video up on the Logiqbook and SonoSite

if you'd like to see the brief video on the SonoSite and Logiqbook XP, we've just uploaded it to the website. Click here.