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!

Guidelines Established by American College of Cardiology for Appropriate Use of Ultrasound for Peripheral Vascular Testing

As reimbursement cuts continue to be made, determining if and when a diagnostic test is necessary is becoming more prevalent. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) collaborated with 10 other medical organizations to develop a set of guidelines to assist clinicians with their decision making process for diagnostic testing. The group focused on determining testing appropriateness for vascular ultrasound and functional testing for patients with suspected or known non-coronary arterial disorders.

Ultrasound is a cost-effective diagnostic tool that provides information to physicians needing to evaluate vascular blockages and disease in areas such as arteries of the neck, kidneys, abdomen, and lower extremities. In addition to be used as a screening measure, ultrasound is also used for determining the status post peripheral vascular procedures, such as arterial bypass, surgical removal of plaque (endarterectomy), or stenting.

The team used a rating scale coupled with timeframe intervals. According to the press release "The group found arterial vascular testing to be "appropriate" in about half of the clinical situations evaluated. Overall, vascular studies were deemed appropriate when clinical signs and symptoms were the main reason for testing. For example, Dr. Mohler explains it is reasonable to order a lower extremity vascular study for a patient who reports calf pain upon walking that resolves with rest. Tests that were conducted in patients with existing atherosclerotic disease or to establish a "baseline" after a revascularization procedure were also considered appropriate based on ratings."

The panel also looked at areas where testing would not be useful and found that one in five uses of vascular testing were deemed to be "inappropriate". Some examples are:

• Ordering an ultrasound of the carotids or neck arteries in someone at low risk for heart attack or stroke.

• Screening for kidney artery disease in someone with peripheral artery disease with well controlled high blood pressure (hypertension) on one medication

• Choosing to perform an abdominal ultrasound in a patient with non-specific lower extremity discomfort

• Ordering a mesenteric artery ultrasound (arteries that supply the small and large intestines) as an initial test to evaluate the patient with chronic constipation or diarrhea

• Having current ultrasound technology in a clinician's facility is essential for careful diagnosis. To learn more about our recommended Toshiba Viamo portable ultrasound machine for vascular procedures, click here.

As physicians struggle with the need to diversify patient services while managing their cash flow, one company has implemented an innovative program to help customers demo ultrasound equipment, online, before committing to a major purchase – a program which has increased customer satisfaction by ensuring the ultrasound machine meets their needs.  Providing customers with ultrasound system demonstrations is not a new concept, all the large manufacturers like Siemens, Toshiba, and SonoSite typically go on-site to customer offices’ or hospital departments to demonstrate the equipment prior to purchase. Demoing a system is a great opportunity for customers to engage with a clinical person to ensure the ultrasound machine is going to meet their expectations: See image quality, verify software features for their clinical exams, and ask questions to a clinical expert. In these economic times, a private physician cannot risk spending thousands of dollars on capital equipment and have it not meet his or her needs.

 

United Medical Instruments, Inc. is a multi-vendor ultrasound reseller, selling both new and used ultrasound equipment, and now they offer its customers a new program to evaluate systems prior to purchase. It’s called UMI Interactive™ and it’s the first program of its kind where physicians and sonographers can evaluate ultrasound equipment prior to purchase.

Purchasing new or used ultrasound machines from a reputable ultrasound reseller is a good solution for those working with a budget. But on the flip side, there isn’t enough money built into these transactions to allow for onsite ultrasound system demonstrations. But with the UMI Interactive™, customers have the ability to schedule a convenient demo time and work directly with one of the registered staff sonographers to participate in live scanning and verify the system features and image quality meet their requirements.

To learn more about this program and schedule an online demo, click here. Explore United Medical Instruments, Inc. by visiting their website.

As the industry for compact ultrasound systems continues to grow, physicians who want to purchase their first ultrasound or trade out a bulky cart-based unit for a laptop sized one, have plenty of options.  Although buying new has its rewards, such as a 5 year warranty from SonoSite, this is a recession after all, and many people, physicians included, are on a budget.  According to imaging trend watcher Harvey Klein, PhD, with Klein Biomedical Consultants, "The compact ultrasound market continues to be the largest segment of the overall ultrasound market in the U.S."  Just like buying a used car, there are risks, but here are 4 tips to buying refurbished or used ultrasound equipment to help you mitigate potential issues during your buying process:

1. Commitment to Quality

What is their process for repair and warranty work?  What is their process for refurbishing the ultrasound equipment? Whether it's just an additional transducer you need or a fully loaded laptop ultrasound system, do they just paint the nicks and send it out the door or is there a comprehensive checklist including safety points that are reviewed?

2. Scope of Resources

How many people work at the company, is it a broker working from his house?  Or will you receive post sale support in the form of onsite training, continued lifetime online training for new staff?  Do they repair the equipment in-house or source it to another company?

3. Price

This is a tricky area and one where you need to make SURE you are comparing apples to apples, not an apple to a grape.  If it seems too good to be true, guess what?  It is!  Make sure you have a quote that details which features are enabled on the system you are going to purchase and that if you have requested a linear transducer for vascular access you are looking at two identical descriptions - there are multiple linear probes from SonoSite for example and they are different.

4. References/Reputation/Relationships

This is either an area you can start with, asking colleagues for references, or end with.... check the website, are there testimonials from past customers?  Can you talk with a customer about their experience?  Online resources such as Dotmed.com post feedback about resellers, be educated about who you are working with.

Get on board and join the millions of physicians who are using portable ultrasound for applications ranging from vascular to MSK to Family Practice.

Get the facts today about buying used or refurbished ultrasound machines - download our Guide today!