Abstract
In order to gather information about the probes used for breast ultrasound and the number of years of equipment usage, questionnaires were distributed 6 times to medical technologists participating in the JABTS co-sponsorship breast ultrasound seminar in 2010. There were 268 respondents, and the number of machines was 514, including multiple models at some facilities. Analog models more than 10 years old (n=18) accounted for 3.5% of the equipment, models more than five years old (175) accounted for 34.0%, and full digital equipment manufactured within the last five years (312) accounted for 60.7%. Among the probes, the linear type using a frequency of 10MHz or higher (436) accounted for 84.8%, the annular array type (12) accounted for 2.3%, and the non-linear type or probes using a frequency of less than 10MHz (59) accounted for 11.5%. Many facilities used fully digital equipment and linear-type probes with a frequency of 10MHz or higher. However, a few facilities failed to meet the equipment standards stipulated in the guideline, and continued to use dated equipment or a low-frequency probe, or a probe designed for blood vessels, even if the frequency was high. The maintenance management of ultrasonic diagnostic equipment is important, and should be undertaken as a component of inspection duties. Item maintenance and inspection should be performed daily, but before and after power-up. Inspections should be carried out annually or monthly, and also at the time of purchase. Reports from the Japanese Society of Sonographers would also be helpful.
