http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/external/search.hosted.ap.org/wireCoreTool/Search?SITE=WILAC&query=Acuson

>Miniature ultrasound machines are starting to make their way into
>ordinary doctors' offices, where they may someday be as common as
>stethoscopes and EKGs. A pocket-sized one weighing less than 2 pounds
>hit the market last week...

>The portable ultrasound devices are changing [evaluations and access].
>SonoSite Inc. of Bothell, Wash., came out with one in 1999. It was
>followed by GE Healthcare, a suburban Milwaukee unit of General
>Electric. They mostly are used in emergency rooms...

>$10,000 Acuson P10
 ...

>Siemens Medical Solutions, the Malvern, Pa.-based unit of the German
>company Siemens AG, initially will sell the device for traditional
>heart imaging
 ...

Just a few years ago the cheapest portable unit was $40,000.

I don't think it will be all that long before these show up in regular
veterinary and physicians' offices (albeit with training or with an
arrangement with a radiologist who reads transmitted results).

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5754]