After just becoming commercially available on Monday, the latest ultrasound tool from GE Healthcare (Little Chalfont, UK) is already being used – in a big way. The company said its Vscan device is being used at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver to support physicians treating athletes, visitors and trainers.

The point-of-care imaging device is roughly the size of a smartphone, GE said, and houses "powerful, ultra-smart" ultrasound technology that provides clinicians with an immediate, non-invasive method to help secure visual information about what is happening inside the body. The pocket-sized device is portable and can easily be taken from room to room to be used in many clinical, hospital, or primary care settings, the company noted.

Arvind Gopalratnam, a GE spokesman, told Medical Device Daily that the device is also being used in Whistler, Canada where all the mountain events are taking place.

"Considering the injuries that occur in so many different areas here at the Olympics . . . this will really help the physicians and the doctors providing medical support to the athletes and visitors to the Olympic games because of its size it will help improve access for patients," Gopalratnam said.

He said the portability of the device makes it possible for the doctors to take the technology to the patient – either in a hospital setting or in the field – rather than bringing the patient to the technology.

"GE's goal is to improve the quality of care by increasing access to important healthcare technologies, and this pocket-sized visualization tool will help do that with its portability and high image quality," said Peter Robertson, general manager of GE Healthcare Canada. "Vscan is a non-invasive tool that can help physician's perform more focused physical exams and provide additional information with immediate visual validation, which may help speed diagnoses, reduce patient wait-times and improve physician workflow."

The ability to take a quick look inside the body using Vscan may help clinicians detect disease earlier, GE said. This may prove invaluable in today's busy practice environment including primary care physicians and those specializing in cardiology, critical and emergency care and women's health, as well as hospitalists, the company added.

According to GE, Vscan offers the image quality that until recently was only available with a console ultrasound. Vscan leverages GE's high-quality black and white image technology and color-coded blood flow imaging in a device that fits into a pocket and weighs less than one pound at 3 inches wide and 5.3 inches long.

GE said the device also features an online portal that provides Vscan users with training tools for the product and basic clinical applications with sections about imaging technique, anatomy and troubleshooting; an intuitive user interface that can be controlled using the thumb; a battery charger station and battery life of one hour scanning – good for up to 30 patients based on average of 2 minutes per scan; voice annotation; a USB docking station; a link to a PC for organization and export of data; and gateway software with services tools and remote diagnostics.

"Vscan may help change frontline healthcare practice – improving patient management during the physical exam by providing immediate, non-invasive, visual information inside the body," said Ross Brown, MD, manager of the Whistler Polyclinic. "We are thrilled to have access to this new ultrasound innovation at the Whistler Polyclinic to help deliver outstanding healthcare support to the range of individuals visiting the Olympic competitions."

Vscan is a prescription device for ultrasound imaging, measurement and analysis in the clinical applications of abdominal; cardiac (adult and pediatric); urological, fetal/OB; pediatric; and thoracic/pleural motion and fluid detection, as well as for patient examination in primary care and in special care areas.

The Vscan imaging device has received FDA 510(k) clearance, the CE mark by the European Union, as well as the Medical Device License from Health Canada and is now commercially available in the U.S., Europe, India and Canada.

Amanda Pedersen, 229-471-4212;
amanda.pedersen@ahcmedia.com