What makes a good ultrasound machine

If you need the very best image quality, and all the latest features and price is not as important then the premium general imaging ultrasound segment is for you. Let Ultrasound Supply recommend the best system for you! What to expect from a premium general imaging ultrasound machine:. Key reasons the GE Logiq E9 is recommended:. Key reasons the Philips iU22 is recommended:. The best high-end general imaging ultrasound machines:. The high-end general imaging ultrasound category is very similar to the more expensive premium category, but with the removal of a few top of the line features and probes in order to create a lower-price point with nearly the same power.

What to expect from a high-end general imaging ultrasound machine:. Key reasons the Philips Affiniti 70 is recommended:. Key reasons the GE Logiq S8 is recommended:. The best midrange general imaging ultrasound machines:. The most common ultrasound machine segment is the midrange general imaging ultrasound machine. What to expect in the midrange general imaging ultrasound machine:. Key reasons the Philips Affiniti 50 is recommended:.

Key reasons the GE Logiq S7 is recommended:. Key reasons the GE Logiq P6 is recommended:. The best economy general imaging ultrasound machines:. General imaging ultrasound machines do not require as many high-end features as ultrasound machines optimized to other applications. What to expect in the economy general imaging ultrasound machine:. Key reasons the GE Logiq P5 is recommended:. Key reasons the Philips ClearVue is recommended:. Key reasons the Siemens Acuson X is recommended:.

The best portable general imaging ultrasound machines:. General Imaging or GI portable ultrasound machines vary in price and features from the high-end to the economy. What to expect in the portable general imaging ultrasound machine:. Key reasons the Philips CX50 is recommended:. Key reasons the GE Logiq e is recommended:. Search here. Register or sign in.

CART Close. Indeed, a doppler will be more useful in medical professions where the diagnostic is the final goal, contrary from a profession where the ultrasound is done in the purpose of orientating the treatment. The doppler is totally useless if you use your ultrasound as a biofeedback BFB , for instance : the perineum rehabilitation.

Once you have an idea of your budget, do not rush on the first device encountered, neither on the one you used during your training.

First, it is better to try as much devices as you can. There are enough different designs in different brands to get an idea of what would suit you the best in your practice. Be aware of the sales representatives in your region.

Appart from some that could be able to resells their own mother they are essential in your purchase and in the after-sales follow up or updating your machine. Do not hesitate to ask for a period of probation or for a temporary rental the time to make your decision. No matter the pression or the deadlines given by your supplier.

There are only marketing tricks and nobody can force you to buy. Although it is also important to calculate in your budget some additional cost such as a new software or an eventual second probe etc …. You should not forget to think about the warranty and consider if it is not better to purchase a brand new machine with a 2 years warranty instead of choosing a second hand machine cheaper but without any warranty.

In case of the machine dies surprisingly, you would only have your tears as consolation. Nowadays, the best way to contact a reseller is through the website of the manufacturer, the representatives are all useful and most of the time would let you borrow a machine for a trial , the length of time being variable. Think about your main use and the place s where you work. Usually, a bigger ultrasound will give you a better image quality. However, it will be complicated to transport it, except if you have a big van or a buss as a vehicle.

Think about the space you have and the one your machine trolley included will take in your office. If you opt for ultraportable models, quality and lack of functionality are often missing. This current tendency to ultra-portable is strongly developed for the diagnosis of emergencies or in cardiology emergency but for the musculoskeletal use performance remains poor.

In other words, feel free to play around, you can always start over by reselecting the preset. Make adjustments with your left hand usually the opposite for lefties. Many factory presets are poorly set up. Instead, look for any preset associated with superficial imaging such as small parts, breast, venous, peripheral vascular, thyroid, nerve, default, and different user settings user 1, user 2, user 3, etc.

Go through these a few times so you have some reference points. Take a note of your favorites. For purposes of the next steps, choose one and stick with it. Note: Calculations are affected by the presets you choose. Getting started, everyone must know these basic controls.

The gain knob will likely be your most-used imaging control. This adjusts the overall brightness of the ultrasound image. With the exception of SonoSite and many tablets, each machine has slide controls grouped together. They adjust gain in specific areas of the image near-, mid-, and far-field. The best way to see what a control does is to slide one of the controls all the way to the right, then all the way to the left while looking at a live image. When you receive the ultrasound, the TGC controls appear as they do in the image on the left, in a straight line down the middle.

Most techs adjust these to left-of-center for the nearfield top , and slowly move to right-of-center as image quality decreases deeper in the image. The idea is to have lower gain in the nearfield, and higher gain deeper in the image where image quality is weaker. SonoSite users: The general equivalent of TGC are two separate gain knobs that control nearfield gain and farfield gain.

These are two often-overlooked image optimization features. Focal zones allow you to have multiple focus points. As you increase the number of focal zones, your frame rate will decrease and the image will refresh slowly. Adjusting the frequency allows you to increase resolution at the expense of penetration, or increase penetration at the expense of resolution.

Because most transducers are broadband, adjusting the frequency will typically display a frequency range, not a single frequency.

These settings are used for superficial imaging. Try the different settings in each image you take. Other machines will show a specific frequency or range of frequencies. In this case, use lower frequencies when you need penetration in the image. Use higher frequencies when you are looking at superficial imaging. High frequencies provide the best resolution, but you lose penetration. Low frequencies provide the best penetration at the expense of image resolution.

Many ultrasounds come with a feature that automatically optimizes the gain and overall contrast of the image. This feature analyzes the tissue in the image and attempts to provide you with the most optimized image.

Now that you have an overview of approximate prices for the categories, we would like to attach a few words to each. Used equipment is a very broad category. Options and configurations will be the same as the previous owner had, you have no choice in the matter. However, at other companies, all used ultrasound machines for sale have been cleaned and tested by professional technicians. Basically, high quality is ensured, and this is where you will find great value for money. Might be surprising, but this can be a broad category too.

With general refurbishment the seller has put the system through a process, that may have cosmetic and functionality aspects. For instance, cleaning and painting, parts replacement, and installing options. However, it might not contain much. New systems are of course brand new, there is not much more to say about that.

Zero risks but at a higher price. Hopefully, you are now a little more aware of what kind of ultrasound you need and how much it cost. And of course, you can always reach out with questions. Now there are only a few extra aspects to consider, for you to pick the right model. You can read about each in the bars below.

Most ultrasounds come with general options , but if you do more specialised examinations, you typically need to add those specific options. This is what licenses are, they open for the software for those extra functionalities. In some cases the software need to be added, rather than just opened. It can be for certain obstetric or cardiac options, for instance 4D.

So, check the licenses and options, make sure that you have what you need, and ask if you are in doubt. The port is where the ultrasound probes are plugged into the ultrasound machine.

Not all ultrasound probes have the same connector type, so it is important that the ultrasound and probes are compatible. Furthermore, if you do several types of examinations you also need more probes, and it often eases workflow that there are enough ports that they can all remain plugged.

Number of ports can differ per ultrasound model, so make sure you check that you have enough for the probes you want. Age of ultrasound equipment is not necessarily important. However, it can be, if your country has restrictions for import, or if you need state of the art new options that simply do not exist on older models.

Year of manufacture is also linked to software version and hardware version which is again linked to the options and probes. However, if you need something specific, both software and hardware are sometimes upgradable.

Ultrasounds differ in what power they need. They can be compatible with either V or V. What you have access to in your country should determine the power supply of the ultrasounds or if you should get a transformer.

The user language of the system can depend on where it was bought from. If you specifically want English, or another language, make sure that you state this. Then there will be no surprises when you turn on your system for the first time. Condition of used ultrasound machines can vary, even of systems of the same age.

It can depend on service and the general wear and tear. If it is only the cosmetic condition and you would prefer that it looks up to date when it reaches you, consider having it painted by the reseller. Then you will get an ultrasound machine that looks almost brand new.

Last but not least there can be a number of peripherals, or accessories, that you might need on top, when you purchase a used ultrasound machine. This include biopsy kits, printers and probes. To send and receive the signal and use your ultrasound system, you need probes, also called transducers.

The first, important point is that not all probes are compatible with all ultrasounds, so make sure you get the right one. And ask our team if you are in doubt.