What Does a Portable Ultrasound Machine Do?
Ultrasound machines use high-frequency sound waves to capture images of organs and other structures inside the body. When the sound waves are transmitted through the skin, they are reflected back and an image can be created. Portable ultrasound machines perform the same task, but they have a smaller form. In a hospital, an ultrasound technician can move a portable ultrasound machine from room to room for patient imaging. Portable ultrasounds are common in specialty practices because they require less space and are more affordable than conventional ultrasounds. What does a portable ultrasound do? Just about everything that their full-size counterparts do. Here are some of their most common uses.
GE LOGIQ e Portable Ultrasound Machine
Abdominal and Transabdominal Echography
Portable ultrasound machines are often used to provide a first look investigation to help clinicians diagnose the source of abdominal pain and dysfunction. Scans can be used to view the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, spleen, blood vessels, and biliary trees.
Women’s Health
Ultrasounds have become synonymous with ob/gyn clinics and the studies performed during pregnancy to determine gestational age, fetal size, and growth. Pelvic ultrasounds can also be used to diagnose pain, abnormal bleeding, or causes of infertility. Portable ultrasounds are used to guide breast biopsies and can be used as an investigative tool to help clinicians determine whether a cyst is a solid mass or filled with fluid.
Vascular and Vein Health
Vein clinics and vascular specialists use portable ultrasound machines to measure blood flow in arteries and vessels throughout the body. Ultrasound technology is key in locating blood clots, blockages, and reflux.
Pain Management
Pain management clinics often use portable ultrasounds to determine where nerve blocks, epidurals, and other injections should be placed for optimal results.
SonoSite Edge Portable Ultrasound Machine
Nephrology
Renal ultrasonography is so common that it is considered a subspecialty with its own training and certification. Portable ultrasounds are used as a guide for kidney biopsies and hemodialysis catheter insertion. They are also used for diagnostic studies of the kidneys and lower urinary tract.
Orthopedics
Like pain management, many orthopedic specialists use ultrasound in order to guide injection placement. They may also use portable ultrasounds for diagnostic purposes.
Cardiology
Portable ultrasounds are utilized in echocardiography to provide in-depth assessments of heart health. Together with ECG leads, this type of study allows clinicians to measure cardiac dimensions and make a detailed analysis of complex motion patterns. Portable ultrasounds can also be used as a tool to prevent heart attacks by measuring the Intima Media Thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery.
Endocrinology
In an endocrinology practice, portable ultrasounds are used to guide biopsies and fine needle aspiration. Thyroid ultrasound can detect a number of significant endocrine conditions and disease, including cancer, cysts, goiter, thyroid disease, and autoimmune disorders.
Philips CX-50 Portable Ultrasound Machine
Learn More About What Portable Ultrasound Machines Do
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