A quiet revolution is occurring in diagnostic ultrasound, the results of which are benefiting all ultrasound practitioners. Smaller, portable machines are becoming available, image quality is dramatically improved, real-time imaging is now possible, and solutions are being found for those patients that were previously difficult to image.
Developments in digital electronics and transducer technology, for example the use of Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) means that one super-chip can now replace several boards of electronics. This means that size, power consumption and cost are reduced, as well as reliability improved. These benefits ensure that more computing power can be packed into a standard size machine, or the same performance can be compressed into a smaller machine. This is epitomised in the most recent example of a high-performance portable scanner the new SonoSite portable scanner. The miniaturisation achievable with digital electronics makes it possible to have good B-mode image quality and power Doppler in a relatively inexpensive hand-held unit.
Whittingham TA. New developments in ultrasound. Reflections 5: Number 1.
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