Ultrasound scanner goes portable

It may no longer be necessary for a person needing an ultrasound scan to go to the radiology department. The hand-carried ultrasound machines can be taken to the person in need.

Making this possible is SonoSite, a US-based firm which is the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. It has set up an Indian subsidiary and opened branches across the country.

What is significant is that the scanner takes very little time to reboot as it runs on VxWorks rather then the Windows OS and has a four-hour battery life, said Pavan Behl, Country Manager, SonoSite India. "This is important in mission-critical situations," said Behl.

SonoSite products which include Micromax and Titan. While Micromax costs Rs 14 lakh to Rs 18 lakh, Titan costs Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh. The device could cost in India almost twice of what it costs in the US, he said.

The firm says it will focus more on critical and emergency care. To ensure that the machines are not misused for sex-determination tests, SonoSite sells only to clinics or hospitals that comply with the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act.