Royal Philips introduced VISIQ into the India market during the Philips Innovation Summit in Bangalore. VISIQ is the first Philips ultrasound system which combines various features such as high performance and simplicity into a compact single miniaturised solution. Reportedly, it allows clinicians to increase access to quality diagnostic scans for Ob/Gyn patients, especially in labour rooms and remote areas.
This compact ultrasound device can be easily taken wherever care is needed. It wakes from sleep mode to scan-ready in seconds, and can scan continuously for 2.5 hours on a single battery charge. VISIQ apparently delivers the same image quality of premium ultrasound system, allowing expectant parents to clearly see their unborn child’s fingers and toes on the tablet’s screen.
VISIQ’s touchscreen gesture controls are familiar to anyone who has used a smartphone or tablet, and allow users to capture images, take measurements and share data easily. In addition, VISIQ offers many of the same automatic image optimisation features found on Philips’ premium EPIQ systems, as well as built-in Wi-Fi for DICOM data transfer to hospital or cloud-based PACS.
“VISIQ marks a new vision for Philips, allowing clinicians to take ultrasound where it has never been possible before,” said A Krishna Kumar, Vice Chairman & MD, Philips India. “From small clinics to community medicine programs, care workers now have access to ultrasound in the field to provide pre-natal scans to expectant mothers in remote areas who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this type of innovative technology – helping reduce maternal mortality.”
“Having used many other ultrasound systems, I find VISIQ so handy. I could carry it anywhere I need it: to the bedside, the labor room or even the operating theater. The way it works is also quite simple, and we could easily train people to use it. The other big advantage is the use of Doppler. We don’t have to send patients to the scan room and try to extract information afterwards; we can just use this simple machine and take immediate decisions. So the patient and the doctor will be happy because everything is happening fast,” said Dr Shashikala Bhat, Ob/Gyn at the TMA Pai Hospital in Udupi, India.
At the heart of the VISIQ system is a smart transducer that fits comfortably into the user’s hand. It comes with single probe solution, 2D B&W pulse Doppler and colour Doppler. Philips has used advances in miniaturisation to integrate a sophisticated broadband digital beam former and powerful image acquisition module into the transducer. VISIQ targets OB/GYN and abdominal applications. In addition to its utility in labour and delivery room it has potential application in other areas like point-of-care and critical situations like calamities and accidents.
EH News Bureau