VScan: another Star Trek tool becomes real

[Dr Mordrid]

Monday GE announced the release of VScan; a new portable ultrasound imaging device that lets physicians carry ultrasound tech in their pockets. Shades of Dr. 'Bones' McCoy's little scanner, all it needs is to be cordless. Vscan received clearance from the FDA in the U.S. and is getting the CE Mark from the EU. Also pending is a Medical Device License from Health Canada. So far it's cleared as a prescription device for ultrasound imaging, measurement, and analysis in the clinical applications of abdominal, cardiac (adult and pediatric), urological, fetal/OB, pediatric, and thoracic/pleural motion and fluid detection.

Doc McCoy would love it.

I can remember the first full size ultrasound body scanners - about the size of a refrigerator, monochromatic (no Doppler) and with the image clarity of a London fog. Before that all we had were brain midliners; all they could do was estimate the position of the falx cerebri to see if there was a displacement from disease or intracranial bleeds. Very rudimentary.

Then again I was there for the first CT scanners too; brain only and 8" paper cased floppies & reel-to-reel for storage. Talk about feeling old.

[VJ]

Very cool! Probably will come with a hefty price tag (I know some prices of other ultrasound equipment from my brother's father in law, a private radiologist.

Then again I was there for the first CT scanners too; brain only and 8" paper cased floppies & reel-to-reel for storage. Talk about feeling old.

Maybe you can answer: why does an mri scanner have to make so much noise? It sounds like something heavy is dropped every few seconds... It is not a nice environment to be in (narrow tube with air blowing in your face), and then that noise... I assume it has to do with how the magnetic fields are generated, but would like to know...

[Evildead666]

A very large switching current.
Its the switch you hear AFAIK....(like a large photo with a very very powerful camera...)

I was thinking that a wireless connection could interfere with the ultrasound device ?
Unless of course the frequencies were waaaaaay away from each other, and the ultrasound device has a fixed bandwidth receiver...

[Dr Mordrid]

AFAIK the ultrasound interface is like USB: power + a serial data line. If you used packets with a checksum and ID header interference would likely be minimal. The data rate isn't really that high, probably less than that of a newer model cordless telephone.

MRI: The noise is indeed caused by magnetic coils that switch on and off during the scan. The banging is because they're switched on and off rapidly, causing a vibration. These coils measure the outbound RF signal from water molecules that are snapping back after being forcibly aligned by the cryo magnet. Water molecules align in this way because they're polar, like a little magnet.

[VJ]

MRI: The noise is indeed caused by magnetic coils that switch on and off during the scan. The banging is because they're switched on and off rapidly, causing a vibration.

But what bangs against what? Because there is this permanent, bang every couple of seconds... I find many sources saying it has to do with the rapid switching, but I fail to understand why rapidly switching a coil results in the banging. I understand it can cause vibration, but I'd imagine that to be more of a constant rumbling...

[Dr Mordrid]

Ever been around an AC magnet or circuit that made a 50/60 cycle hum?

Similar effect, but with several magnets, much stronger fields and at a much lower frequency, so you get banging.

[VJ]

Ah, I'm getting it... I just didn't expect it to cause that much noise...
Thanks!

[KRSESQ]

I wonder if it could see through the wall of a 90 year old safe to see the tumblers?

Kevin

[Marshmallowman]

rapidly switching currents in small coils/windings is how most speakers work

[VJ]

rapidly switching currents in small coils/windings is how most speakers work

Yes, but it doesn't bang (luckily ;-)) and has this conus to generate/shape the sound.