October 2, 2007 - Siemens Medical Solutions launched the world's smallest and first pocket ultrasound system, the ACUSON P10, which is a little larger than a common PDA.
The device weighs 1.6 pounds, and fits easily into a lab coat pocket, the company says. It is intended for complementary initial diagnostic care and triage, particularly in cardiology, emergency care and obstetrics.
"Instead of having to rush the patient to the technology, the P10 system brings the technology to the patient," said Eyal Herzog, M.D., FACC, director of the Cardiac Care Unit at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York, and an ACUSON P10 system beta site user. "This can save critical minutes, especially when a patient is in cardiac distress or with trauma patients, who have multiple injuries. The application flexibility and portability of the P10 pocket ultrasound system mark significant changes in the way diagnostic and emergency care are administered, changes that could alter the face of the physical exam and, ultimately, lead to better patient outcomes."
The ACUSON P10 system can be used by physicians and medical personnel in intensive care units, ambulances and medevac helicopters. Siemens says it can also be used to detect conditions that may be clinically significant, but have previously required expansive or invasive diagnostic testing in asymptomatic patients. The pocket ultrasound device has FDA 510(k) clearance.
The hand-held ACUSON P10 system can be used for earlier, faster screening and triage decisions. Its emergency applications include FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) to detect fluid, determining cardiac activity and pericardial effusion as well as detecting abdominal aortic aneurysms and performing pelvic exams.
In addition to cardiac and emergency care, the ACUSON P10 system offers applications in other medical specialties, such as obstetrics, where it can be used in labor and delivery.
For more information: www.pocketultrasound.com
April 05, 2024 
