8
SAFETY OF ULTRASOUND
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) has addressed the concerns relating
to the safety of ultrasound and has issued the following statement as of March 1993:
Diagnostic ultrasound has been in use since the late 1950s. Given its known benefits and
recognized efficacy for medical diagnosis, including use during human pregnancy, the AIUM
herein addresses the clinical safety of such use:
"No confirmed biological effects on patients or instrument operators caused by
exposure at intensities typical of present diagnostic ultrasound instruments have ever
been reported. Although the possibility exists that such biological effects may be
identified in the future, current data indicate that the benefits to patients of the prudent
use of diagnostic ultrasound outweigh the risks, if any, that may be present.”
VIASYS Healthcare's policy is to always use as low an ultrasound power as practical. The level
of ultrasound power emitted by the
Elite
is not adjustable. Prudent use on the operator’s part
would include minimizing the length of time that the patient is undergoing the ultrasound
exposure.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
The
Elite
is not for invasive use, not for use near or on non-intact skin and not for
use near the eyes. The
Elite
5 MHz and 8 MHz probes are not intended for fetal use.
OPERATION
Remove the probe from the main unit by grasping the probe and pulling it straight up and away from
the unit. Turn on the unit by pressing the
On/Off
button. All sections of the liquid crystal display (
Elite
200 and 200R) will illuminate to ensure they are working properly.
1. Make sure the probe cable is connected at both the probe and the main unit.
2. Apply gel to the face of the probe and begin the Doppler examination.
3. Adjust the volume on the main unit as needed, by sliding the slider up to increase the
volume or down to decrease the volume.
4. When finished with the exam, turn the unit off by pressing the
On/Off
button.
5. Refer to cleaning instructions to clean the probe.