Handy ultrasound: This new device on the market, the Acuson P10, is a handheld ultrasound machine that weighs less than two pounds. It's being marketed as a new way to detech artery blockages in the neck, a sign of heart attacks that might be coming. (Photo courtesy of Siemens Medical Solutions)Dr. Bones McCoy may have had some nifty gadgets to do quick diagnoses on the Starship Enterprise. One of his gadgets my soon be coming to a clinic near you.
Doctors are now able to buy a miniature ultrasound device. It weighs less than two pounds and can be simply held in one hand. Marketers describe it as a fast, easy way to do initial screenings for heart and circulatory problems.
By using the Acuson P10, medical professionals can quickly see if there are any blockages in arteries around a patient’s neck. When there are blockages there, there are very likely blockages in arteries around the heart, which can lead to heart attacks.
The first symptoms of heart trouble, in about one-third of cases, are a heart attack. So doctors are hoping this quick, easy scanning process could help eliminate a lot these difficult ways of finding heart problems. Women with heart problems are especially prone to not showing any physical signs of heart disease.
This is all a good thing, right?
Some critics aren’t so sure. Non-specialists using the equipment may over react to what they’re seeing, some doctors warn, and send patients on for costly, unnecessary treatment. Drug companies are promoting the new devices heavily, which some skeptics point out may be a way to get more patients prescribed on their medications.
The American Heart Association is among a group of cardiology concerns that say conventional ultrasounds are a great way to find coronary problems but are not convinced the new, smaller scanners are effective. Several medical groups are currently working to draft guidelines on who should use, and what types of patients should be scanned with, this new technology.
Also, few medical insurance companies have agreed to provide coverage on such treatments. And there are reports of some non-medical professionals setting up shop in malls to give people quick scans.
What would like to see develop with this mini-ultrasound technology? Does it need more regulation or research? Is it an idea ahead of its time? Or is this just the latest version of medical hoaxes? Share your thoughts here at Science Buzz.
I can see some veterinary (or animal owner) uses for this instrument - e.g., peripheral vasculature of tendons and ligaments in horses, pregnancy diagnosis/ numbers of fetuses in dogs.
How much does the instrument cost at present.
That's a good question and I meant to put that in the original post. They're selling for around $10,000 and are marketed by Seimans.
wht the this is alot of money i say how about u?
They are sold by Siemens and can be purchased online at www.pocketultrasound.com but only for qualified medical professionals.
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