While the technology behind ultrasound has been around for decades, it was never very portable until recently. With the emergence of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices, such as cart-based models and laptop-carrying models, the technology has become more accessible for patients and doctors as its portability has increased. Handheld ultrasound has further driven ultrasound innovation to new reaches of patient care.

What is a handheld ultrasound?

A handheld ultrasound machine falls under the umbrella of POCUS. It can be carried in one hand and placed in a caregiver’s pocket when not used. This portability allows physicians and nurses to scan patients at the bedside and in remote locations around the globe, increasing access to healthcare for all.

A handheld ultrasound machine functions, for the most part, in the same way as any other ultrasound machine. The underlying technology is the same: It uses high-frequency vibrations to capture images inside the body for healthcare insights and, ultimately, diagnostic answers.

What can handheld ultrasound be used for?

The images that a handheld ultrasound machine produces helps doctors and nurses diagnose a wide range of medical conditions, from pregnancy to heart disease, from cancer to internal injuries. Physicians can use a handheld ultrasound to administer pain medicine for nerve blocks, to place an IV, or to determine a patient’s bladder volume post-surgery.

One of the biggest benefits of a handheld ultrasound machine is its portability, which allows caregivers to perform procedures without the need for extensive wait times or additional testing because an ultrasound exam can happen at the immediate time of need rather than after. Unlike traditional ultrasound machines, which can be bulky and difficult to move, handheld ultrasound devices can be taken to the patient’s bedside, or wherever the patient is if they are unable to move. As a result, handheld ultrasounds are being rapidly implemented in intensive care units, rural locations, and even on the battlefield.

What are common handheld ultrasound types?

There are a few handheld ultrasound models that exist within the POCUS space, namely cMUT and pMUT devices. These two underlying technologies each have their pros and cons, but pMUT is the newer of the two technologies and has the potential for higher growth and faster iteration. Unlike traditional handheld ultrasound probes, cMUT- and pMUT-enabled devices allow for a broad range of imaging. Instead of needing a probe based on the body part being imaged, one probe can image nearly everything.

Learn about Exo’s pMUT-based ultrasound machine, Exo Iris™. It is the first pMUT device to emerge on the ultrasound market in the United States.

As the innovation behind handheld ultrasound continues to evolve, both in image quality and miniaturization, so too will its use cases expand into new areas of medicine. Improvements in portability and ease of use will translate to handheld device ubiquity.

The future of handheld ultrasound

When looking into the crystal ball of ultrasound use's future, handheld ultrasound will undoubtedly play an important role, especially for populations where accessibility is key. Rural locations and under-resourced populations could benefit from more affordable and portable medical imaging, and handheld ultrasound is a good candidate to meet their needs.

To learn about Exo’s handheld ultrasound, Exo Iris, visit our page here.

Buy Exo Iris here.