New Ultrasound Technology

I am glad that people here in Texas are working with others in Israel to develop new was of making a piezo-electric crystal.  This novel way of making a new transducer is not really novel.  I have been following this technology for years.  Cheers for the Texans and the Jews!  Let's hope it will increase diagnostic accuracy and through-put.  Here is the article.  Great stuff y'all.

Improved Ultrasound Imaging Coming Soon

Mar. 5, 2013 — Ultrasound technology could soon experience a significant upgrade that would enable it to produce high-quality, high-resolution images, thanks to the development of a new key material by a team of researchers that includes a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Thanks folk's  Please credit the people in Israel and Texas.

Here is the link.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130305131257.htm

Times Are Changing (Editorial)

I was talking in mail with a buddy in Israel about tech stuff, and listening to the banter on the web.  I realized we are facing a shortage of trained sonographers.  We are a profession.  Granted, nurses, and doctors face the same.  Our technology has outpaced our workforce.  Many people are losing jobs, or benefits because of the turmoil in the world.  Notice to the left of my comments the transducer held in the picture?  A curve-linear.  Do you do a carotid or thyroid study with a belly probe?  We need well trained sonographers to take care of the sick in our communities.  I challenge teachers to get rough with the legislature to fund health care, and fight for the rights of the sick.  I am an seasoned sonographer, but I knew I made the correct decision when I decided to forgo X-Rays for sonography.  Ultrasound is economical, safe, and cost effective.  Let's get out and train new sonographers to deal with issues that are basics. Medical health care is a basic right everywhere.  We have the technologies.  We need to train people to use it. Thanks for reading.  I try to stay off of the soap box. Bless All.

Healthcare Revolt

An interesting article has been posted by a friend of mine in the middle east.  I am currently asking him to become a contributor for Sonographers Blog.  This stuff is great.  Let's get down to it.  Obama care is here.  I am suffering from it.  Many of my friends are suffering from it.  I am not sure what the mindset of America was in the elections, but he got his way.  I have never seen a doctor issue a prescription for an X-Ray screening at an airport.  Last I heard, X-Rays are prescription.  Did Janet really think this was going to work?  Think the ACR would sink to her edicts?  Yes they did.  They said OK for the x-ray machines.  Last I heard the X-Ray machines are history in airports.  Now they use the sub-millimeter micro wave machines.  What ever. Soon, we will all be under scrutiny.  Thanks to my friend I will post something that is earth-shaking in terms of medical care.  Be well, and pray. Gizz

Dr. Ryan Neuhofel, 31, offers a rare glimpse at what it would be like to go to the doctor without massive government interference in health care. Dr. Neuhofel, based in the college town of Lawrence, Kansas, charges for his services according to an online price list that's as straightforward as a restaurant menu. A drained abscess runs $30, a pap smear, $40, a 30-minute house call, $100. Strep cultures, glucose tolerance tests, and pregnancy tests are on the house. Neuhofel doesn't accept insurance. He even barters on occasion with cash-strapped locals. One patient pays with fresh eggs and another with homemade cheese and goat's milk. 

BTW  I attended College  in Lawrence. KS  I was on a scholarship for music.  I can still play music. without an I-phone.  Go Jay-hawks
Here is the link.  Bless you Gershom

http://reason.com/archives/2013/03/13/the-obamacare-revolt-physician-fight-bac?goback=.gde_35964_member_223626115

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Sonographer Question Answered: Editorial

I was on the Yahoo echocardiography group today looking at stuff, and I noticed a question that was posted to the group.

I will post the question from an anonymous person:

There is a book being sold on eBay with the title 'Performing echocardiographic studies using machines of Major Manufacturers'.
In the description it is written that the book describes working with 11 different US machines. Has anybody used this book, is it a good book? As I am new in echo I think it can be very helpful for me.

thanks

Thank you for the question.

Here is what I wrote back.  Please do not call me an Archie Bunker, but I really feel that a sonographer must be one with the machine.  It truly take a few moments to know the equipment to do the job.

"Sounds like a book that I would not buy.  As a sonographer of 34 years, I find the ultrasound machines of most manufacturers come with operations manuals that most people put in cabinets next to gloves and T-spray bottles.  Most ultrasound machines can be mastered in doing a couple of examinations on real patients when they are booked heavy and furious.  Most people who are new to ultrasound shudder at seeing all the buttons.  A firm understanding of ultrasound physics and knobology can go a long way towards mastering even the most arcane ultrasound machine.  Granted, an new machine can intimidate even seasoned sonographers, but playing with the machine can bring helpful insights to work flow, and wonderfully diagnostic images.  Now PACS is another animal completely.  Pacs is where I have problems. The transfer of images to a work group is always a challenge to the Per-Diem sonographer.  It is helpful to have the PACS ADMIN or another knowledgeable person on site when learning to transfer images to the PACS.  Peace, TJW"

Dedication to the art of ultrasound is job one.  Knowing a machine is part of the process.

Ultrasound Useful In Line Placement In Children

Kids are precious.  When they get sick; really sick we need access for intravenous medications.  I teach line access to pediatricians around the globe.  I was recently in Grand Rapids MI to teach the wonderful doctors there at Helen DuVois how to find a vein on a child.  It is often a life or death decision.  Sure, we can always put in an IO line.  But a vein is preferable.  Great to be back online BTW.








The procedure is the insertion of a central venous catheter, a type of intravenous line that gives direct access to the largest vein in the body. Insertion requires aiming a needle deep into the body to puncture the vein and create a pathway for the catheter to be threaded inside. If placed improperly, the needle can cause complications. Until now, pediatric surgeons have usually relied solely on their knowledge of anatomy to aim the needle in the right place, in spite of strong evidence from adult medicine showing that watching the needle's progress with ultrasound imaging is a faster and safer method than using only anatomical landmarks to guide insertion.

By adopting a technique that's already widely used in adult medicine, pediatric surgeons could save many children from complications associated with a common but risky hospital procedure. That's the conclusion of a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.


Thanks to Stanford and Sonoworld

http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2013/march/dutta.html

Oooops

A couple of days ago I noticed I would be prompted to log in to Google to access my blog.  I thought that was funny.  I tried it on multiple computers.  Same thing.  It seems the Google reset the default for readers to "Author Only".  Yes there is a button for that for those of you Vanity Fair people.  I reset the switch.  I do apologize for this, though I had nothing to do with it. Perhaps it was a coding prank, or a cosmic ray.  We are back now.  Bless you people who love medical matters.