Philips and Usono tested the Lumify portable ultrasound device in combination with the new ProbeFix Dynamic during the Marathon Eindhoven. The combination enables the monitoring of moving muscles using ultrasound. During the marathon, four participants used the latest version of the ProbeFix Dynamic.
Ultrasound is a proven method of using sound waves to image muscles, among other things. The important thing here is to keep the ultrasound machine as still as possible to ensure the quality of the images taken. This presents challenges in practice. For instance, a patient never lies completely still, which affects the quality of the images. Also, this traditionally makes ultrasound unsuitable for imaging moving muscles.
ProbeFix
Usono is a Dutch company founded by three TU Eindhoven (TU/e) alumni. The company has developed a device called ProbeFix, which allows the head of ultrasound systems to be fixed in a certain spot for a longer period of time. This provides all kinds of advantages. For instance, the head is kept very still, which improves the quality of the images taken. It also eliminates the need to manually hold the head in a particular spot, which improves comfort for doctors and allows longer images to be taken. In addition, patient comfort is also increased, as the patient no longer needs to lie completely still and can therefore - to some extent - move more freely.
In addition to the ProbeFix, Usono has developed the ProbeFix Dynamic. This is a modified variant of the ProbeFix specifically aimed at imaging moving muscles. With the ProbeFix Dynamic, Usono targets multiple applications, such as imaging athletes' muscles during training and monitoring muscles during recovery exercises. The product is combined with a portable ultrasound system, which allows muscles to be viewed at any location.
Lumify from Philips
An example of such a portable ultrasound system is Lumify from Philips. This Dutch company argues that ultrasound diagnostics do not always require the highest quality ultrasound equipment. In some cases, it is especially important to be able to diagnose quickly and on location. To make this possible, Philips offers Lumify. This portable ultrasound system can be connected to an Android smartphone or tablet. The images taken by the ultrasound device can be viewed directly on a mobile device via a dedicated app. iOS is currently not supported.
During the Eindhoven Marathon, Philips and Usono combined the Lumify portable ultrasound system with Usono's ProbeFix Dynamic. This allowed the companies to take a ten-second ultrasound film of the upper leg muscles of four participants every kilometre. Because both systems are lightweight and portable, runners can carry the ultrasound equipment with them relatively easily during the marathon.
Impact on the human body
Using the images captured, Philips and Usono aim to better visualise the impact of intense exercise on the human body. "The results will tell us more about the processes that take place in the body during intensive exercise," said Richard Lopata, associate professor at TU/e. Benjamin Tchang, CEO of Usono, added: "If this test turns out positive it will open up a multitude of research opportunities in the clinical field."
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Philips (photo)
Source: Usono
