Background:
The handheld ultrasound looks like a probe/transducer however it can be used as a complete ultrasound system when it is connected with a tablet or phone. Comparing to the traditional large stationary ultrasound, it is more portable, and cost-effective. It also carries out powerful functions such as real-time compound imaging technology. Even in high-risk cases, handheld ultrasound allows doctors to obtain rich and quick diagnosis information , which fundamentally improves the doctor’s diagnosis process of diseases and the way of caring for patients.
Therefore, “handheld ultrasound” is also called “the stethoscope of the new era” and recognized by more and more people. Below is the guide for handheld ultrasound machines.
Some Main Handheld Ultrasound Players:
GE V-scan Extend
We will not classify it as a handheld ultrasound as defined in this article, it cannot be connected with a 3rd party mobile devices since it has its own, due to this, the image area is small comparing to use a tablet. However, the V-scan is commonly seen in the market so we’d like to share some information here. The pros of the design are very stable and you do not need to find other mobile devices however it is not as convenient as other handheld ultrasounds, also, it cannot be completely disinfected. It has good image quality though and GE brand represents good quality, I’d like to score 3.5/5 on this product, the pricing is somewhere around 6,500 USD (2020).
Butterfly IQ
The butterfly IQ ultrasound becomes more and more popular because of its 3-in-1 design, one probe for convex, phased array, and linear. Also, the price is very aggressive so it gives a good solution for someone who needs multiple probes but with a limited budget. It has rich features and nice image quality. However, it is not good enough with some limitations, for example, it does not have a dedicated biopsy kit, it only comes with a 1-year standard warranty, you have to pay the annual membership fee if you did not buy a lifetime one, for the veterinary market, it does not have PW, etc. The most important part is, the image quality is good for quick scanning but is not good enough for a REAL diagnosis.
So it is definitely a helpful tool for quick scanning, but I would reserve my comment on the traditional ultrasound scanning. The score is 3.5 out of 5. Pricing for the system is 1,999 USD (2020) + 420 USD/year membership fee, or 2,999 USD (2020) for a lifetime membership.
Philips Lumify
Lumify’s price has been dropped a lot when more and more players in this market. It has good image quality, especially for cardiac imaging, it is probably one of the best handheld ultrasounds for 2D cardiac imaging. The only thing I am not happy with the device is the design, it only has 3 probes available ( convex, linear and phased, not 3 in 1), also with the pluggable cable, the connector becomes fragile. Lumify also does not have PW. The pricing was around 10,000 USD but it drops to 6,000 USD (2020), ballpark price. 3.5 out of 5 for all applications should be a decent score; for cardiac, I will give 4.0 out of 5.
Clarius
The Clarius is from Canada, it looks a bit bulky for a handheld ultrasound system, the weight is about 540g. Clarius offers a wide range of transducers, such as linear, convex, phased array, even endocavity, up to 7 options, if you are a big fan of handheld ultrasound with different needs, you must consider this product. However, I am not a fan of the wireless ultrasound machine, as the network bandwidth is crucial for image transmission. If the network is slow, it creates an image lagging problem, the frame rate becomes terrible. Maybe you can use Bluetooth but I am not sure if it works well. The battery is replaceable but it can only last 1 hour after a full charge. Also, Clarius seems not waterproof, which makes the disinfection become challenging, during the COVID-19, disinfection is more important than ever. Pricing is from 4,900 USD to 6,900 USD (2020). I score it at 3.0/5.0, when considering the brand name and the design, I just feel it is a bit pricy.
CHISON SonoEye Handheld Ultrasound
The CHISON SonoEye handheld ultrasound machine is ideal for quick and flexible use in every application, it has a handy size and the weight is around 130g. The CHISON SonoEye can work on both IOS and Android systems, with the cable connecting design, the image transmission is very stable, framerate is also good.
The SonoEye supports B mode, Color mode, M mode, and PW mode, various probes from linear, convex, micro-convex, phased array, and repro probe. The image quality is comparable to cart-based systems which means the system can be truly used for diagnosis, not only for a quick scanning purpose. Here are some images taken from the SonoEye.
It is worth mentioning that the CHISON SonoEye has some exceptional features that most other brands do not have.
1. The CHISON SonoEye is extremely easy to use, the workflow is streamlined and the interface is intuitive, you can learn to use it in few minutes. With the unique button probe design (3 programmable buttons), you can operate the system with one hand.
2.The SonoEye has an IPX7 waterproof level, tailor to easy cleaning and disinfection.
3. The SonoEye has some useful software like Ultra Remote and Lung software, the Ultra Remote allows you to share the live images with remote devices for telemedicine; the Lung software can be used to monitor lung condition, the SonoEye is very helpful to fight against the COVID-19.
I’d like to give a 4 score on the SonoEye because of its portability, capability and reliability. If you like the SonoEye, contact us today for a quote!
We hope this guide for handheld ultrasound machines is useful, and it can help you make the right decision. There is no perfect product, only the one suits your need best.
The above blog only represents personal views, and we have the final right of interpretation.