Development of Pocket-sized Hand-held Ultrasound Devices Enhancing People’s Abilities and Need for Education on Them

Abstract

Today, ultrasound devices (US) for medical and healthcare uses are undergoing a revolutionary transition from conventional cart-based US to pocket-sized hand-held US (phUS) in terms of size, performance, cost, and portability. Each type has its best area of application. For example, while cart-based US is essential for elaborate and precise diagnoses in laboratories, phUS is ideal for quick point-of-care applications and data-sharing via a network inside and outside medical institutions because it is handy, portable, and networking. The remarkable progress in electronics technologies has indeed made these devices ever smaller, smarter, and more affordable, leading to their growing proliferation in Japan. As we believe this irreversible trend will quickly spread into other parts of the world, we feel a pressing need to establish an education system, rules, and guidelines for governing US (especially phUS), first domestically and then globally.