Clinical Verification of the Handheld Ultrasound Device

Ultrasound visual diagnosis device

The stethoscope is an essential diagnostic tool for clinicians. Through the function of amplifying sound, it helps doctors judge the abnormality of the heart, lung and other organs. Today, the advent of handheld ultrasound devices with functions of sound amplification, image display, and remote transmission has gradually become a routine diagnostic tool in the hands of doctors. What people often say is "seeing" the doctor, and it will become the real medical treatment through the handheld ultrasound device in the hands of the doctor. In order to be different from the "stethoscope" used by the doctor, the handheld ultrasound device is also called the "Sonovuscope".

U.S. experts commented on handheld ultrasound devices as follows: "In the eyes of surgeons, time is life. The sooner the doctor diagnoses injuries and diseases, the greater the probability of patients' survival. The portable ultrasound machine can greatly improve diagnostic efficiency. And it allows doctors to use it anywhere, whether it is a large hospital with advanced equipment or a small clinic in a remote village." Professor Hu Dayi, director of the Heart Center of Peking University People's Hospital, predicted: "There will be two things in the doctor's pocket, except for the stethoscope, they will also bring a small ultrasound device when they are seeing the patient". Now, the emergence of domestically-produced handheld ultrasound devices with excellent price and quality has made Professor Hu Dayi's prediction a reality. At present, the medical resources and medical system in China are highly concentrated, but the direction of medical services is to face the grassroots people, especially those in remote areas. The promotion of medical development can only rely on the advancement of medical science and technology and medical services, and the improvement of ultrasound technology will be more reflected in the diagnosis and assistance of clinicians. With the continuous launch of the clinical ultrasound machine, the National Health and Family Planning Commission has gradually launched education and training on clinical ultrasound applications, including handheld ultrasound devices, in order to improve the professional skills of clinicians and enhance their "soft power" in health testing and diagnosis, which can alleviate the currently uneven distribution of medical resources and insufficient medical equipment in remote areas, and promote the fairness and universal access of medical services.

Research in cardiovascular medicine with the handheld ultrasound device

Foreign scholars have studied the application of the doppler ultrasound probe in routine examinations of cardiovascular patients and explored their health economic value.

Methods: 385 newly admitted patients in the Department of Cardiology were subjected to routine examinations with handheld color Doppler ultrasound and ordinary color Doppler ultrasound devices. Then observe the difference in time cost and economic cost between the two and evaluate the relationship between different costs and effects.

Results: The results of handheld color Doppler ultrasound devices are more consistent with those of ordinary color Doppler ultrasound devices. The average time between patients' admission and the examination of handheld color Doppler ultrasound device was 2h14min, and the average time from the examination of an ordinary color Doppler ultrasound device to admission was 43h28min.

Conclusion: The result of the handheld color Doppler ultrasound device is basically the same as that of an ordinary color Doppler ultrasound device. If it is applied to outpatient and emergency screening, it can save time and cost.

Comparative study of the handheld ultrasound device in ICU

In a comparative study conducted by the PLA General Hospital, critically ill patients have received both examinations by handheld ultrasound device and conventional ultrasound device, and the examination indicators included cardiac systolic function, cardiac cavity size, valve structure and function, pericardial effusion, and inferior vena cava diameter. Each examination is completed by a fixed ICU physician and an experienced sonographer, and the examiners do not know the examination results of the device they use in advance. Record the time required to complete the examination. The results of a total of 128 patients that were enrolled showed that the evaluation of abnormal wall motion, myocardial contractile function, pericardial effusion, and inferior vena cava width by handheld ultrasound device were consistent with those of TTE.

Conclusion: the handheld portable ultrasound device can provide fast and reliable cardiac examinations, and they can be used as an effective method for ICU physicians to evaluate the cardiac function of critically ill patients.