by , Senior Reporter | March 16, 2017 A team at Augusta University in Georgia is working on a portable 3-D ultrasound device that can examine the optic nerve to determine if a patient has sustained significant cranial damage. Ultrasound can’t directly look into the brain because bone and distance are deterrents to the ultrasound waves. The new ultrasound device can assess the thin, flexible sheath that protects the optic nerve to detect subtle changes that signify evaluated pressure inside the skull. 1st FDA Approved Handheld Wireless Ultrasound Probe.Currently being used to fight COVID-19 in Wuhan China, South Korea, & within the USA.Features include Lung Ultrasound Scanning, & PACS Compatibility. ( CONTACT US TODAY TO RESERVE INVENTORY ) The inertial measurement unit technology used in drones, guided missiles and iPhones can add a third dimension to portable 2-D ultrasound. An accelerometer to measure motion and a gyrometer to gauge position, and the IMU technology puts images taken from different angles together to form a true 3-D angle. The researchers believe this device would be especially useful for athletes. The baseline can be compared to what the sheath looks like after athlete sustained a hit to the head to determine if they can go back to the game or further evaluation is needed. Ultrasound exams can be performed at the bedside, but they're not performed on the field because the current transducers and processing equipment required for this sort of detail are expensive, not readily portable and not designed for the eye. Augusta University has patented the concept of using 3-D ultrasound to detect brain injuries. The researchers received a one-year $350,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health, and are working with the biotech company URSUS Medical LLC to build the device. They hope to have a prototype within a few months and then begin testing it on optic nerve sheath models and later on cadavers. If those tests yield positive results, they will go on to test the device on living humans. Their long-term goals are to compare the 3-D ultrasound images with CT and MR images, and build a 3-D transducer from scratch. They also want to eventually explore other potential applications for the device, such as screening breast masses and skin lesions.
Researchers at Augusta University in US, Georgia are developing a portable 3D ultrasound device to examine the optic nerve for cranial damage. While ultrasound can't look directly into the brain because bone and distance deter ultrasound waves, the new device examines the sheath that protects the optic nerve for distortions that indicate increased pressure in the skull. By using an accelerometer to measure motion, and a gyrometer to gauge position, the Inertial Measurement Unit technology takes images from different angles to form a 3D model of the brain.