Some Big Trends Emerging

Portability , e.g., hand-carried units (HCU's), is one of the continuing trends in ultrasound.


"Machines are getting smaller and more robust," writes Keith Rubenstein, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing of MedPro Imaging, Inc..

"[A company that is] able to offer most of the compact technology in the marketplace - either new or refurbished - is a wonderful value proposition to the end user," he notes. " A new premium system from a year ago that may have sold for well over $100K, may now be acquired for less than $80K, thus providing a significant cost savings for keeping a department outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment," he explains.

Philips has three new ultrasound systems on the market: the HD9 with 3D/4D applications for women's health, the CX50 CompactXtreme for echocardiography, and the HD15 for multi-disciplinary applications. All units feature PureWave technology - high-quality crystals embedded within the transducers that relay sharp images. The high-end units are priced at $130,000 to $210,000, with lower-end units priced from $30,000 to $70,000.




The notable aspect of the CX50 CompactXtreme is its portability - it is mobile and can be housed on a cart, carried by hand, or packed in a travel case for use in remote destinations. This portability mirrors the larger trend of the ultrasound equipment industry - and, as observed by market insiders, the demand for such HCUs is up and projected to keep growing in spite of the contracting economy.

Ultrasound equipment manufacturers are responding to this "one-size-fits-all" demand.

"We feel that the big trend will be in products that have features with 'clinical diagnosis' benefits, e.g., advanced applications for cardiology (3-D wall motion-tracking), where you can see the heart and make the diagnosis quickly and efficiently," says Bill Kenny, U.S. Product Manager of Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc., in Tustin, CA. Mr. Kenny has been in the ultrasound industry for 22 years and has seen his share of trends.

"Instead of purchasing two pieces of equipment, [customers] are purchasing a premium product to get all of the advantages," according to Mr. Kenny.

Toshiba's current offerings include the Aplio and Artida, with a price of $220,000 to $280,000. The Aplio has visualization technology that provides enhanced imaging of calcifications, which can be used for ultrasound-guided breast biopsies. The Artida offers "3D Wall Motion Tracking," which assesses cardiac functioning to aid in physician diagnosis.

More Industry Reports