Ultrasound moves ahead-farther, faster, and finer

By: Jane Lowers, supplement editor

It's conventional wisdom in radiology that technologies incubate for several years, then undergo quantum leaps of advancement. Across the board, the contributors to this Advanced Ultrasound supplement affirm that this may indeed be one of ultrasound's renaissance periods.

New uses for harmonic, contrast-enhanced, Doppler, and high-frequency techniques appear in the literature monthly, giving MR and CT a run for their money on many fronts. Three-dimensional ultrasound is also coming into its own, slowly moving beyond its home in obstetrical imaging. Depending on how it is defined, the fourth dimension of time has been mastered as well. These new options have expanded ultrasound's role in interventional procedures, allowing imagers to more accurately guide biopsies, ablations, drainages, and more.

In the articles that follow, our authors present the most promising uses of the technology available to clinical practice. How soon the applications they describe become a part of daily life for radiologists depends on many factors, most notably money. A budget for the latest equipment is only part of the issue-without reimbursement, the most crystal-clear contrast-enhanced image may be unrealistic. As sonologist Dr. Roy Filly notes in comments on page 32, these new technologies and applications also require a champion whose evangelistic fervor can inspire radiologists to break practice habits and try something new.

Watching technology move from possibility to reality is fascinating, and ultrasound is pushing fast and hard on many fronts. The applications that become part of daily clinical practice have the potential to reshape not just ultrasound practice but radiology as well.