Sonosite MicroMAXX Portable Ultrasound
The Sonosite is a state-of-the-art laptop-sized portable ultrasound device. It weighs less than 4kg and can operate on AC power or internal lithium ion batteries for about 2 hours.
The RFDS in Western Australia has used portable diagnostic ultrasound since 1983, mainly on flying clinics for obstetrics and antenatal screening. However until recently, the equipment was bulky, heavy and relied on mains power to operate, so it could not be used in flight.
The Sonosite has much higher image resolution, a large 10 inch colour screen and a greater range of features including colour Doppler and interchangeable transducers for different clinical applications. We have two types of transducer:
- The C60e is a 5-2 MHz 60-mm broadband curved array with scan depth upt to 22 cm and is suitable for general abdominal and obstetric scans.
- The L38e is a 10-5 MHz 38-mm broadband linear array with scan depth up to 9 cm and is suitable for small parts, breast, vascular, nerve, musculoskeletal, and superficial work such as inserting lines and locating foreign bodies.
SonoSite products have proven reliability and durability in conventional medical settings as well as more challenging environments, such as rescue operations and patient transport. Extensive quality testing includes "drop testing" and the MicroMaxx is backed by a five-year warranty.
Portable ultrasound has two roles in the RFDS. The first is for our clinic work, particularly obstetric ultrasound during antenatal checks, but also providing the capacity for a diverse range of purposes such as investigation of small lesions or foreign bodies, assessing aortic aneurysmal size, or confirming the presence of gall stones or ascites.
The second and newer role is during emergency aeromedical retrievals. Portable ultrasound can be used to conduct abdominal scans such as FAST (Focussed Abdominal Screening in Trauma) to determine the presence of blood in the abdominal cavity, to confirm the presence of a pneumothorax or haemothorax prior to chest drainage, and to assist in vascular access such as siting arterial and central lines with ultrasound guidance.
We have an additional Sonosite MicroMAXX for our Rural Women's GP program, for antenatal and general practice purposes.
Approximate price A$50,000, including transducers. Additional transducers A$10,