Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Oct 2;16(1):45.
doi: 10.1186/s13089-024-00392-3.

Comparison of 6 handheld ultrasound devices by point-of-care ultrasound experts: a cross-sectional study

Ariadna Perez-Sanchez  1 , Gordon Johnson  2 , Neysan Pucks  2 , Riya N Soni  3 , Terry J S Lund  4   3 , Anthony J Andrade  4   3 , Minh-Phuong T Le  5 , Jessica Solis-McCarthy  6 , Tanping Wong  7 , Arsal Ashraf  4 , Andre D Kumar  8 , Gisela I Banauch  9 , James R Verner  10 , Amik Sodhi  11 , Meghan K Thomas  12 , Charles LoPresti  13 , Hannah Schmitz  14 , Abhilash Koratala  15 , John Hunninghake  16 , Erik Manninen  16 , Carolina Candotti  17 , Taro Minami  18 , Benji K Mathews  10   19 , Ghassan Bandak  20   21 , Harald Sauthoff  22   23 , Henry Mayo-Malasky  24 , Joel Cho  25 , Nick Villalobos  16 , Kevin C Proud  21   26 , Brandon Boesch  27 , Federico Fenton Portillo  28 , Kreegan Reierson  10   19 , Manpreet Malik  29 , Firas Abbas  30 , Tim Johnson  31 , Elizabeth K Haro  21 , Michael J Mader  32 , Paul Mayo  24 , Ricardo Franco-Sadud  33 , Nilam J Soni  4   3   21
Affiliations

Comparison of 6 handheld ultrasound devices by point-of-care ultrasound experts: a cross-sectional study

Ariadna Perez-Sanchez et al. Ultrasound J. .

Abstract

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has emerged as an essential bedside tool for clinicians, but lack of access to ultrasound equipment has been a top barrier to POCUS use. Recently, several handheld ultrasound devices ("handhelds") have become available, and clinicians are seeking data to guide purchasing decisions. Few comparative studies of different handhelds have been done. We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing 6 handhelds readily available in the United States (Butterfly iQ + ™ by Butterfly Network Inc.; Clarius™ by Clarius Mobile Health; Kosmos™ by EchoNous; TE Air™ by Mindray; Vscan Air™ SL and CL by General Electric; and Lumify™ by Philips Healthcare). A multi-specialty group of physician POCUS experts (n = 35) acquired three standard ultrasound views (abdominal right upper quadrant, cardiac apical 4-chamber, and superficial neck and lung views) in random order on the same standardized patients and rated the image quality. Afterward, a final survey of the overall ease of use, image quality, and satisfaction of each handheld was completed.

Results: Thirty-five POCUS experts specializing in internal medicine/hospital medicine, critical care, emergency medicine, and nephrology acquired and rated right upper quadrant, apical 4-chamber, and superficial neck and lung views with 6 different handhelds. For image quality, the highest-rated handhelds were Vscan Air™ for the right upper quadrant view, Mindray TE Air™ for the cardiac apical 4-chamber view, and Lumify™ for superficial views of the neck and lung. Overall satisfaction with image quality was highest with Vscan Air™, Lumify™, and Mindray, while overall satisfaction with ease of use was highest with Vscan Air™. The 5 most desirable characteristics of handhelds were image quality, ease of use, portability, probe size, and battery life. Ultimately, all 6 handhelds had notable advantages and disadvantages, with no single device having all desired qualities or features.

Conclusions: The overall satisfaction with image quality was rated highest with Vscan Air™, Lumify™, and Mindray TE Air™when acquiring right upper quadrant, apical 4-chamber, and superficial neck and lung views. No single handheld was perceived to be superior in image quality for all views. Vscan Air™ was rated highest for overall ease of use and was the most preferred handheld for purchase by POCUS experts.

Keywords: Handheld ultrasound; POCUS; Point-of-care ultrasound.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

ADK has received consulting fees from Caption Health and research funding from Vave Health. NV has received speaking fees from Fujifilm Sonosite. TM was a consultant for projects funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency and Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry in collaboration with Fujifilm Sonosite from 2020 to 2023 and AA Health Dynamics from 2023 to 2024. MKT is the medical director for the Medical University of South Carolina and Butterfly, Inc. partnership but does not receive any funding directly from Butterfly, Inc. APS, GJ, NP, RNS, TJSL, AA, JSM, TW, GIB, JRV, AS, CL, HS, AK, JH, EM, CC, BKM, GB, HS, HMM, JC, KCP, BB, FFP, KR, MM, MPTL, FA, TJ, MJM, PM, RFS, NJS, declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study Flow Diagram. POCUS, point-of-care ultrasound. A4C apical 4-chamber, TV tricuspid valve, LVOT left ventricular outflow tract, MV mitral valve
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A) Abdominal Right Upper Quadrant View ratings of image quality by handheld (5 domains displayed were rated on a scale from 0 to 3); B) Abdominal Right Upper Quadrant View acquired from the same standardized patient showing kidney, liver, and diaphragm from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ +™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A) Cardiac Apical 4-chamber View ratings of image quality by handheld (5 domains displayed were rated on a scale from 0 to 3); B) Cardiac Apical 4-chamber View acquired from the same standardized patient in mid-diastole with the mitral and tricuspid valves open from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ +™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™; C Cardiac Parasternal Long-axis View acquired from the same standardized patient in early systole with the mitral valve closed and aortic valve open from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ + ™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A) Cardiac Apical 4-chamber View ratings of image quality by handheld (5 domains displayed were rated on a scale from 0 to 3); B) Cardiac Apical 4-chamber View acquired from the same standardized patient in mid-diastole with the mitral and tricuspid valves open from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ +™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™; C Cardiac Parasternal Long-axis View acquired from the same standardized patient in early systole with the mitral valve closed and aortic valve open from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ + ™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
A) Superficial Neck and Lung Sliding View ratings of image quality by handheld (5 domains displayed were rated on a scale from 0 to 3); B) Superficial Neck Views acquired from the same standardized patient displaying the thyroid, common carotid artery, and internal jugular vein from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ +™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™; C) Superficial Lung Views acquired from the same standardized patient showing the pleural line from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ +™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™. Mindray lacks a linear probe and was excluded from the comparison of superficial views of the neck and lungs. The Mindray images in sections B (panel E) and C (panel E) are only displayed for demonstration purposes
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
A) Superficial Neck and Lung Sliding View ratings of image quality by handheld (5 domains displayed were rated on a scale from 0 to 3); B) Superficial Neck Views acquired from the same standardized patient displaying the thyroid, common carotid artery, and internal jugular vein from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ +™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™; C) Superficial Lung Views acquired from the same standardized patient showing the pleural line from 6 handheld devices: A Butterfly iQ +™, B Clarius™, C Kosmos™, D Lumify™, E Mindray, and F Vscan Air™. Mindray lacks a linear probe and was excluded from the comparison of superficial views of the neck and lungs. The Mindray images in sections B (panel E) and C (panel E) are only displayed for demonstration purposes
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Mean Ratings of Handhelds by Ease of Use and Image Quality
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
A) Overall Satisfaction with each Handheld Device; B) Overall Comparison Rankings of Handhelds by POCUS Experts; C) Purchasing Decision of Handheld to Carry in Pocket by POCUS Experts
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
A) Overall Satisfaction with each Handheld Device; B) Overall Comparison Rankings of Handhelds by POCUS Experts; C) Purchasing Decision of Handheld to Carry in Pocket by POCUS Experts
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
A) Overall Satisfaction with each Handheld Device; B) Overall Comparison Rankings of Handhelds by POCUS Experts; C) Purchasing Decision of Handheld to Carry in Pocket by POCUS Experts
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Comparison of Handheld Devices from December 2021 and January 2024. Mean ratings of ease of use and image quality are shown for Butterfly iQ +™, Kosmos™, Lumify™, and Vscan Air™ from 2021 and 2024. Mindray and Clarius™ were not included in the 2021 comparison study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Dancel R, Schnobrich D, Puri N et al (2018) Recommendations on the use of ultrasound guidance for adult thoracentesis: a position statement of the society of hospital medicine. J Hosp Med 13(2):126–135 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cho J, Jensen TP, Reierson K et al (2019) Recommendations on the use of ultrasound guidance for adult abdominal paracentesis: a position statement of the society of hospital medicine. J Hosp Med 14:E7–E15 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Franco-Sadud R, Schnobrich D, Mathews BK et al (2019) Recommendations on the use of ultrasound guidance for central and peripheral vascular access in adults: a position statement of the society of hospital medicine. J Hosp Med 14:E1–E22 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Soni NJ, Franco-Sadud R, Kobaidze K et al (2019) Recommendations on the use of ultrasound guidance for adult lumbar puncture: a position statement of the society of hospital medicine. J Hosp Med 14(10):591–601 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Maw AM, Huebschmann AG, Mould-Millman NK, Dempsey AF, Soni NJ (2020) Point-of-care ultrasound and modernization of the bedside assessment. J Grad Med Educ 12(6):661–665 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources