Are hand-held ultrasound devices ready for prime time?

There are growing numbers of specialists practising ultrasound independently of radiology departments, termed point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). It is becoming increasingly integrated into standard clinical assessment by clinicians in order to improve patient care in different healthcare settings. Ultrasound machines have become more advanced and compact, with many potential clinical applications to accommodate such practice. There are now sophisticated hand-held ultrasound devices with advanced software packages and capabilities. However, safety, governance, administration, infrastructure, quality control, education and research surrounding POCUS are lagging behind the rapid emergence of this exciting field of clinical imaging. In this article the focus is mainly on whether hand-held ultrasound devices could one day replace traditional cart-based POCUS systems.

To access the full article as a pdf please sign up to our newsletter.

The content on this page is provided by the individuals concerned and does not represent the views or opinions of RAD Magazine.