United Medical Instruments - Diagnostic Ultrasound Blog!

Fly Thru Technology from Toshiba is innovative and forward-thinking, combining other imaging technologies found on larger and more expensive modalities.   According to a press release from Toshiba America, it is described as follows:

 

Compact ultrasound, portable ultrasound machine, hand-held ultrasound system….. regardless of which name you use, the general category is still the same: small, laptop-sized ultrasound machine that, in most models, packs as much punch as its cart-based brothers. According to our guru in the ultrasound industry, Harvey Klein, portable ultrasound machines are defined as “compact ultrasound systems…..weighing 14 pounds or less, including handheld, hand-carried, and laptop machines.” Others don’t put the weight specification as a defining characteristic, but instead think of it as moveable between locations.

The main selling point being that as point-of care demands increase, the portable ultrasound machines can easily be used in the Emergency Department, small physician practice or sports medicine clinic, wherever imaging needs to be brought to the patient, avoiding the need for the patient to be moved. But the question is, which machine is right for you?

Some physicians still believe that a full-sized 100 pound ultrasound machine is the only device that will yield the imaging results required to make a diagnosis. In many cases that’s just not true. Yes, 3D/4D technology requires more processing power that 2D imaging, and there are certain features that still can only be found on the cart-based ultrasound system. However, for many diagnostic imaging needs the portable ultrasound machine is the perfect solution – with its ease of use, comparable image quality, needle guided software, and affordable pricing.

At United Medial Instruments, Inc. we offer both new and used portable ultrasound machines. A quick breakdown follows:

GE Logiq e

A 10-pound, fully shared service, easy to use machine with the following stand-out features:

• Panoramic Imaging

• Split Screen – show two images side by side while live scanning

• 3D imaging

• Needle Visualization

Siemens Acuson P300

A 26-pound, workhorse portable ultrasound machine for a variety of clinical markets including: OB/GYN, Cardiovascular, general imaging and musculoskeletal ultrasound. Stand-out features are:

• Panoramic imaging

• Speckle reduction and compounding

• Intra-operative and laprascopic transducers for interventional procedures, including an exceptional 18MHZ high frequency probe

Toshiba Viamo

An 18-pound laptop ultrasound machine that shines in all clinical markets from Cardiovascular to OB/GYN to Musculoskeletal. Stand-out features are:

• Advanced Dynamic Flow – allows for directional color Doppler – see low flow every time

• Application-specific calculations

• Flexible modes with either tablet and touch-screen or keyboard

What are you waiting for?! Contact us today to schedule your FREE online virtual demo of one of these new compact ultrasound machines, visit our website to learn more, http://www.umiultrasound.com/  or give us a call, 877.490.7036.

Compact ultrasound, Portable ultrasound machine, hand-held ultrasound system….. regardless of which name you use, the general category is still the same: small, laptop-sized ultrasound machine that, in most models, packs as much punch as its cart-based brothers. Recently I sat down with sonographer Grace Smith, RDMS (AB, OB/Gyn and RVT), ARRT – RT(R), owner of NWI Mobile Ultrasound to get her perspective on compact ultrasound machines.

Question: What is your background with ultrasound and experience level with both cart-based and portable ultrasound systems?

Answer: I have been a sonographer for a decade now, registered in OB, Abdominal, and Vascular, and have worked in the hospital setting for 5 years, including hospitals such as Johns Hopkins.   I was the Program Director for ultrasound at Sanford-Brown College, and most recently have started my own mobile imaging company. While working in the hospital settings, I used a full-sized ultrasound system. However, I have seen excellent technology changes in portable ultrasound systems that make them comparable to the larger hospital-based systems.

Question: In your experience do you see the portable ultrasound market growing?

Answer: Yes, it’s definitely a growing industry. Unfortunately, there are many physicians who are not aware of the excellent image quality portable units provide.   Some portable ultrasound machines are better than others, i.e. more powerful imaging, but in general, when compared to the larger systems, they hold their own.

Question: What are your thoughts on the SonoSite machines compared to the Toshiba Viamo portable ultrasound system?

Answer: I’ve used both systems in my mobile business and although the SonoSite has great image quality it lacks some features that the Viamo has. Our company provides sonograms of the heart (echocardiograms), abdomen, OB/GYN, Vascular including extremities, small parts, musculoskeletal and nerve blocks so we really need an ultrasound machine that can do everything well. We found this to be the case with the Toshiba Viamo and we especially like how user-friendly the system is with its unique touch-screen capability.

Question: It sounds like you have really embraced the laptop ultrasound market. What advice would you give to anyone looking to buy a portable ultrasound machine?

Answer: Well, as sonographers, we are required to go to school and complete the education and skills needed to acquire great diagnostic images. For physicians, I would suggest hiring a trained sonographer or acquiring the necessary education and scanning skills to get quality diagnostic images. This also includes learning the physics of ultrasound. Only trained personnel should scan patients.

To learn more about NWI Mobile ultrasound, please visit their website www.nwimobileultrasound.com. To discuss our portable ultrasound solutions, give us a call at 877.490.7036 or visit our website at www.umiultrasound.com and request a FREE online virtual demo!

Prevention is certainly one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle and having access to care is critical in ensuring potential illnesses are caught early.  Regardless of what is happening in healthcare today from a government perspective, one area to be proud of is the passing of the stipulation for women to have Well-Woman care without a co-pay or deductible.  This is a section of legislation that the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) worked with US Congress, the Institute of Medicine, and the US Department and Health and Human Services to see this pass.

According to their press release: “Today, our nation affirms the importance of a woman’s ability to access needed preventive care,” says ACOG President James T. Breeden, MD. “An annual well-woman visit is a fundamental part of medical care and promotes prevention practices, recognizes risk factors for disease, identifies medical problems, and establishes the often life-long patient-physician relationship. This annual visit provides an excellent opportunity for ob-gyns to counsel patients about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and minimizing health risks.  The new law ensures that important services, including preconception care, screening and counseling for intimate partner violence, and lactation support, are covered by employer health plans.

To read the full article click here.

To learn which ultrasound machines United Medical Instruments carries for Women's Health, visit our site.

Women with dense breast tissue are at a disadvantage when it comes to cancer screening which can be

detrimental because those with dense breasts are also at higher risk. Dense breast tissue consists of a lot of glands, ducts, tissues and fibrous with less fat that other breast tissue. In the case of mammograms abnormalities are not always detected. However, when ultrasound is included there is a better chance of visualizing lesions. Ideally, the ultrasound system will have clear resolution, high frequency transducer, such as the VF10-5 found on the Siemens Acuson X300 ultrasound machine, as well as biopsy capability in case a needle guided procedure is required during the exam.

London company announces educational tool to assist healthcare professionals with learning and understanding anatomy when performing musculoskeletal ultrasound related procedures. The company, Primal Pictures, launched an online and DVD educational resource called 3D Anatomy for MSK Ultrasound: Lower Limb.

According to the report by "Medical Diagnostic & Therapeutic Ultrasound Devices Market (2012 - 2017) - Global Trends & Competitive Analysis", the portable ultrasound system market and MSK clinical market are both growing quickly as this modality becomes more affordable and patients are realizing results from joint injections.

Here is a snippet off the press release from Primal Pictures:

Primal Pictures has launched 3D Anatomy for MSK Ultrasound: Lower Limb. This online and DVD resource provides medical practitioners with images and content to aid in the interpretation of ultrasound imaging used to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions of the hip, knee and foot. It is also used as a learning tool for faculty and students in ultrasound and radiology technology programs. Developed to support the rapidly growing use of MSK ultrasound, it is the latest tool from the award-winning publishers of the most complete and medically accurate 3D model of human anatomy.

"More and more practitioners are using ultrasound imaging to help diagnose musculoskeletal problems, and told us they wanted a tool that offers them visual guidance, clinical support and patient education," said Peter Allan, Managing Director of Primal Pictures.

To read more about this product, visit their website! www.primalpictures.comTo learn more about the MSK ultrasound machines we carry at United Medical Instruments, visit MSK Ultrasound.

In June, 2012 United Medical Instruments finalized negotiations with Toshiba America Medical to partner with them to increase distribution of the Toshiba ultrasound systems both cart—based and portable, to the physician market. United Medical Instruments (UMI) has been an industry leader selling ultrasound systems, transducers, and service for over 15 years. The company focus is in the private physician market because there is flexibility to act as a consultant with the customer, work within their budget and guide them to the right ultrasound system to meet their needs.

Toshiba America Medical is a KLAS award recipient in the areas of breast ultrasound and cardiovascular ultrasound applications. Recently their Aplio 500 ultrasound machine received recognition from University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio who is using their ultrasound –CT fusion technology to provide more accurate and better care for patients.

"Toshiba's Aplio 500 ultrasound system and Smart Fusion improve visualization during liver biopsies, giving our team the ability to see CT and ultrasound images side by side on a single screen," said Dr. Nami Azar, assistant professor, Case Western Reserve University School and a radiologist at its primary affiliate, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Division of Abdominal Imaging. "In a retrospective review, Smart Fusion has shown the potential to reduce radiation dose by lowering the number of CT procedures needed. It also has the potential to decrease costs compared to CT-only guided biopsies."

We are pleased to be working with Toshiba and if you'd like to speak with a representative please call us at 877.490.7036 or if you'd like to request a  FREE Virtual Demonstration  of an ultrasound system from the convenience of your office, click here.