Converting a 2D Ultrasound Machine to 3D for Just $10

It’s no secret that medical devices and machines are expensive. We’re not talking about the cost of a new BMW here, we’re talking about the cost of a house (or many houses in some cases). Part of that cost is justified—a lot of research and development goes into high-tech medical machines. But, how much of it is just the same monetary bloat we see elsewhere in the healthcare industry?

Ultrasound machines are a great example of this: 2D ultrasound machines cost something like $50,000, while 3D ultrasound machines can cost upwards of $250,000. But, as engineers and doctors from Duke and Stanford have just demonstrated, a 2D ultrasound machine can be converted to 3D for just $10. So, where is that extra $200,000 going?

The key to the conversion is sensing the orientation of the ultrasound probe. The probe itself takes 2D scans, but by measuring the orientation of that probe within 3D space, the scans can be compiled to form 3D ultrasound images in software. That’s accomplished with a simple $10 microchip; details are light on the actual hardware used, but it’s almost certainly just a gyro and accelerometer like you have in your phone.

That chip is attached to the ultrasound probe with an inexpensive 3D-printed sleeve, and lets doctors gather 2D scans that are then stitched together to create 3D scans like those found on the more expensive machines. This breakthrough is fantastic for potentially reducing overall healthcare costs; but, it makes you wonder: couldn’t the manufacturer of the ultrasound machines have done this on their own?