Paul L. Carson PhD, Presenter: Research collaboration, General Electric Company Research collaboration, Light Age, Inc

1) Understand the roles of medical physicists and other providers of ultrasound system QC, performance evaluation and user education. 2) Gain an understanding of the longer term potential of medical ultrasound to aid in medical physics planning and training.

A very brief overview is given of the innovations that have led to current medical ultrasound systems and QC thereof. A clear connection to clinical performance/cost effectiveness has not been established, but the ratio is improving. To aid in medical physics planning and training, more distant (beyond 10 years) and less robust predictions are ventured than in Dr. Hangiandreous’ talk. The reduction in artifacts and improvement in resolution will be surprisingly large. It is posed that ultrasound will be headed toward almost ubiquitous use in personal hands as well as those of medical personnel, for monitoring and control of chronic conditions, for direct treatment and for precisely localized drug delivery and enhancement of radiation therapy. Medical physicists who can help keep the computer controls integrated, the systems properly calibrated and the users properly trained will find a substantial role in society.

http://media.rsna.org/media/abstract/2014/13010884/RC221A sec.pdf

Carson, P, Ultrasonography Perspective .  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/13010884.html