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May 14, 2012

New Version of GE's Vscan for Portable Ultrasound Faster, Easier to Use



As a doctor not even 10 years ago, your only choice for ultra-sound was a large machine that was considered portable as it was “wheelable” everywhere. But it was still pretty big.  In some situations all there was room for was the device, you and the doctor. Most women have fond memories of this device because they saw the first photos of their unborn child on it.

But today there’s a new option and providers can use it at bedside, in the office or even as you’re getting out of your car.

The new version of GE Healthcare’s portable ultrasound, Vscan, is a pocket-sized visualization tool that gives clinicians images at the point-of-care, with new extended battery life, a more intuitive user interface and improved reporting capabilities.

Company officials say the new version provides up to 50 percent more scan time compared to the earlier release, and now has fingertip control and faster workflow, with accelerated time to scan an image as well.

Improved contrast resolution gives crisper images of abdominal and OB exams, allowing for more convenient and improved documentation to aid in patient evaluation and management.

“GE Healthcare has a long history and strong expertise in ultrasound, and our goal with Vscan has always been to bring our technological capabilities in ultrasound to physicians at the point-of-care,” said Agnes Berzsenyi, general manager, global primary care – Ultrasound, GE Healthcare. “The features of this release will allow Vscan to be used more efficiently in daily practice, helping physicians make timely decisions that ultimately impact patient care.”

Vscan is used not just for fetal/OB scanning but also for ultrasound imaging, measurement and analysis in abdominal, cardiac (adult and pediatric), urology, pediatric, selected peripheral vessels and thoracic/pleural motion and fluid detection, according to the press release.

Ultrasound technology is the use of energy generated by sound waves of 20,000 or more vibrations per second. Patients prefer it for its noninvasiveness, and because it can be done relatively quickly but it can’t be used for every diagnosis. Sometimes more precise scans must be obtained and CT scans or MRIs are used. 

And it’s something of a pup in the medical world, only around since the 1950s, although some trace it to Lazzaro Spallanzani, who in 1790 experimented with bats and found that they maneuvered through the air using their hearing rather than sight.




Edited by Braden Becker
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