Ultrasound Bioeffects and NCRP On Needed US Exposures: The Status of Current

This presentation will provide an overview of the bioeffects issues associated with ultrasound imaging. It is important to realize the potential risks since current ultrasound systems can have higher outputs under certain imaging situations than in the past. The goal here is to provide the essential information for understanding the MI and TI and how these display indices can be used to limit ultrasound exposure and thus reduce the potential for bioeffects. Although there is the potential for bioeffects from ultrasound, there is insufficient data to establish any causal relationship between ultrasound as used in medical imaging and any specific biological effect. At the same time, it is essential to balance the potential risks against the clear benefits of ultrasound imaging. There are numerous benefits for ultrasound particularly in terms of cost and patient compliance. There is little doubt of the impact ultrasound has had in clinical practice and it is the most rapidly expanding among imaging modalities. Many users are unaware of recent changes in acoustic outputs associated with a relatively new market approval method. In the past, the FDA regulated ultrasound scanners by placing specific limits on the output based on the levels output by systems available as of 1976. The operator was provided little information by systems concerning the output (perhaps only a relative scale). It was expected, as it is to this day, that ultrasound would be used in a prudent fashion. Benefits vs. Risks BENEFITS (Almost too numerous to count!!!