Critical Advances for Democratizing Ultrasound Diagnostics in Human and Veterinary Medicine

doi:10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110222-095229

Review

. 2024 Jul;26(1):49-65.

doi: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110222-095229. Epub 2024 Jun 20.

Critical Advances for Democratizing Ultrasound Diagnostics in Human and Veterinary Medicine

Ahmed El Kaffas¹, Jenny M Vo-Phamhi¹, John F Griffin², Kenneth Hoyt^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
² Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
³ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA; email: hoyt@tamu.edu.

PMID: 38166185
PMCID: PMC11238906
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110222-095229

Review

Critical Advances for Democratizing Ultrasound Diagnostics in Human and Veterinary Medicine

Ahmed El Kaffas et al. Annu Rev Biomed Eng. 2024 Jul.

. 2024 Jul;26(1):49-65.

doi: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110222-095229. Epub 2024 Jun 20.

Authors

Ahmed El Kaffas¹, Jenny M Vo-Phamhi¹, John F Griffin², Kenneth Hoyt^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
² Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
³ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA; email: hoyt@tamu.edu.

PMID: 38166185
PMCID: PMC11238906
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110222-095229

Abstract

The democratization of ultrasound imaging refers to the process of making ultrasound technology more accessible. Traditionally, ultrasound imaging has been predominately used in specialized medical facilities by trained professionals. Advancements in technology and changes in the health-care landscape have inspired efforts to broaden the availability of ultrasound imaging to various settings such as remote and resource-limited areas. In this review, we highlight several key factors that have contributed to the ongoing democratization of ultrasound imaging, including portable and handheld devices, recent advancements in technology, and training and education. Examples of diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) imaging used in emergency and critical care, gastroenterology, musculoskeletal applications, and other practices are provided for both human and veterinary medicine. Open challenges and the future of POCUS imaging are presented, including the emerging role of artificial intelligence in technology development.

Keywords: diagnostic imaging; global health; point-of-care ultrasound; ultrasound.

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Figures

**Figure 1**
Examples of (a) cart-based and (b) handheld point-of-care ultrasound imaging systems.

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References

1. Díaz-Gómez JL, Mayo PH, Koenig SJ. 2021. Point-of-care ultrasonography. N. Engl. J. Med 385(17):1593–602 - PubMed
1. Sippel S, Muruganandan K, Levine A, Shah S. 2011. Review article: Use of ultrasound in the developing world. Int. J. Emerg. Med 4:72. - PMC - PubMed
1. Duggan NM, Jowkar N, Ma IWY, Schulwolf S, Selame LA, et al. 2022. Novice-performed point-of-care ultrasound for home-based imaging. Sci. Rep 12(1):20461. - PMC - PubMed
1. Ito GNW, Rodrigues VAC, Hümmelgen J, Meschino GSPG, Abou-Rejaile GM, et al. 2022. COVID-19 pathophysiology and ultrasound imaging: a multiorgan review. J. Clin. Ultrasound 50(3):326–38 - PMC - PubMed
1. Bennett CE, Samavedam S, Jayaprakash N, Kogan A, Gajic O, Sekiguchi H. 2018. When to incorporate point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into the initial assessment of acutely ill patients: a pilot crossover study to compare 2 POCUS-assisted simulation protocols. Cardiovasc. Ultrasound 16(1):14. - PMC - PubMed

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[1] Díaz-Gómez JL, Mayo PH, Koenig SJ. 2021. Point-of-care ultrasonography. N. Engl. J. Med 385(17):1593–602 - PubMed

[2] Díaz-Gómez JL, Mayo PH, Koenig SJ. 2021. Point-of-care ultrasonography. N. Engl. J. Med 385(17):1593–602 - PubMed

[3] Sippel S, Muruganandan K, Levine A, Shah S. 2011. Review article: Use of ultrasound in the developing world. Int. J. Emerg. Med 4:72. - PMC - PubMed

[4] Sippel S, Muruganandan K, Levine A, Shah S. 2011. Review article: Use of ultrasound in the developing world. Int. J. Emerg. Med 4:72. - PMC - PubMed

[5] Duggan NM, Jowkar N, Ma IWY, Schulwolf S, Selame LA, et al. 2022. Novice-performed point-of-care ultrasound for home-based imaging. Sci. Rep 12(1):20461. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Duggan NM, Jowkar N, Ma IWY, Schulwolf S, Selame LA, et al. 2022. Novice-performed point-of-care ultrasound for home-based imaging. Sci. Rep 12(1):20461. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Ito GNW, Rodrigues VAC, Hümmelgen J, Meschino GSPG, Abou-Rejaile GM, et al. 2022. COVID-19 pathophysiology and ultrasound imaging: a multiorgan review. J. Clin. Ultrasound 50(3):326–38 - PMC - PubMed

[8] Ito GNW, Rodrigues VAC, Hümmelgen J, Meschino GSPG, Abou-Rejaile GM, et al. 2022. COVID-19 pathophysiology and ultrasound imaging: a multiorgan review. J. Clin. Ultrasound 50(3):326–38 - PMC - PubMed

[9] Bennett CE, Samavedam S, Jayaprakash N, Kogan A, Gajic O, Sekiguchi H. 2018. When to incorporate point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into the initial assessment of acutely ill patients: a pilot crossover study to compare 2 POCUS-assisted simulation protocols. Cardiovasc. Ultrasound 16(1):14. - PMC - PubMed

[10] Bennett CE, Samavedam S, Jayaprakash N, Kogan A, Gajic O, Sekiguchi H. 2018. When to incorporate point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into the initial assessment of acutely ill patients: a pilot crossover study to compare 2 POCUS-assisted simulation protocols. Cardiovasc. Ultrasound 16(1):14. - PMC - PubMed

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Critical Advances for Democratizing Ultrasound Diagnostics in Human and Veterinary Medicine

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Critical Advances for Democratizing Ultrasound Diagnostics in Human and Veterinary Medicine

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