GE shows off Vscan pocket-sized, ultra-smart ultrasound

GE’s drive to miniaturize technologies in order to make them more mobile couldn’t be better illustrated than with the breakthrough Vscan technology that GE’s chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt unveiled during his talk October 20 at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. Roughly the size of a smart phone, it houses powerful ultrasound technology that can potentially redefine the way doctors examine patients. By giving doctors a view into the body from the palm of a hand, GE believes that Vscan could one day become as indispensable as the traditional physician’s stethoscope in patient exams.

Small is big: Jeff Immelt is seen here unveiling the new Vscan technology to the audience at tonight’s Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco.

Pocket-sized technology like Vscan has the potential to help redefine the physical exam and improve patient care by enhancing a doctor’s ability to quickly and accurately make a diagnosis. For critical care clinicians, Vscan can offer an immediate look beyond patient vital signs with the potential to identify critical issues, like fluid around the heart, which could be a sign of congestive heart failure. And for cardiologists, Vscan provides a dependable visual evaluation of how well the heart is pumping at a glance, so they can treat patients more efficiently.

Calling Dr. McCoy to sickbay: The handheld ultrasound can reduce the need for specialist referrals, which in turn can lower healthcare costs.

The Vscan debut followed Jeff’s announcement earlier in the evening about the potentially game-changing computerized system that will give real-time clinical data and treatment options to doctors. GE’s next step in developing Vscan is to work with 12 leading clinical sites throughout the world to help determine how the technology will impact patient workflow and focused exams in primary care, critical care and the cardiology practices. The ultimate goal is to develop a structural protocol for Vscan exams.

Check back tomorrow morning to see a video in which Mike Barber, Vice President of healthymagination, gives a Vscan overview from GE’s healthymagination technology showcase, which is underway in New York City.

* Read coverage on cnet.com
* Read coverage on finance.sharpnews.info
* Read coverage on venturebeat.com
* Register to watch live streams of the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco.

Read our recent stories from the new healthymagination technology showcase:
* “A breakthrough decision support solution for docs”
* “Tackling access with Brivo imaging technologies”
* “The business of bringing healthymagination to market”
* “At the showcase: Health by design and window tweets”
* “Scintillating tech: The world’s 1st high-def CT scanner”
* “Healthymagination tech showcase kicks off in NYC”
* Read the announcement about Jeff Immelt’s press event tomorrow at the showcase