Real-Time Ultrasound is the Wave of the Future

There will soon be three options for veterinary ultrasound imaging: 1) refer the case out to a radiologist or cardiologist, 2) have the radiologist or cardiologist come to your clinic for the ultrasound, and 3) have a sonographer perform the study while a radiologist or cardiologist remotely reads the case via real-time technology.

“Wait, what is that third option?” you ask.

Real-time ultrasounds are streamed over the internet from a sonographer — who travels to the DVM’s hospital — to a specialist, who reviews the images from their location, using real-time streaming. (Note: Real-time ultrasound should not be confused with the failed model of still image ultrasound transmission that results in missed information.)

Benefits of this service are many.

Combining the hands and skills of sonographers with the extensive knowledge of radiologists and cardiologists, DVMs can offer their clients a quality service at a lower cost, since the specialist no longer needs to travel to their hospital. Furthermore, the DVM has access to a larger pool of specialists, and the specialists’ report turnaround time is significantly faster. In many cases a report is sent to the DVM even before the sonographer has left the building.

Critical care veterinarians will have the added bonus of speaking with someone over the phone while both parties are looking at images. This will also allow for the radiologist or cardiologist to answer questions or help out with image interpretation.

Real-time ultrasound is unique to our company and is a service that we have been performing for the San Diego Humane Society every week for the past two years, and later in 2012 will be available to local veterinary practices.

The ability to perform the ultrasound will be limited to critical care veterinarians and sonographers, but the hope is that it will be an option for DVMs in the future. Our ultimate goal is for real-time ultrasound to one day allow for specialists from all over the country to consult on cases in the general practitioner’s hospital as the exam is being done.

So, as we say goodbye to 2011, we can also say goodbye to the old way of still ultrasound transmission and make way for for a new wave… real-time ultrasound.