4D Ultrasound

Many of our customers are asking for 4D Ultrasound for Obstetrics. Unfortunately, at this time, our supplier ESAOTE does not release yet their 4D ultrasound system (although we know that they already have a product with that feature).

What is the use of 4D Ultrasound in Obstetrics? To date, there are still no widely accepted clinical indication as to why use 4D ultrasound imaging in obstetrics. Although the machine, which consists of an ordinary ultrasound machine with capability to drive a volume probe to sweep to a target such as fetal face, has been in the market for 10 years, there are still no accepted purpose for it. I am sure though that given more time, all ultrasound machines will sport that 4D feature, I am also sure that specific meaningful applications will also be discovered. But not yet, now.

So why are customers buying 4D Ultrasound? Well, it is simply because mothers (and fathers) -to-be ask for it!

However, in the USA, some agencies issued warning letters on the use of ultrasound without clinical indication. I found sites about the use of 4D Ultrasound in the internet are as follows:

from Medgadget: A womb with a view

which provided links also to other sites as follos:

from Houston Cronicle: Using prenatal ultrasounds as keepsakes grows more popular... and controversial

from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): FDA Cautions against ultrasound keepsakes medical images.

Although the FDA says it is not good to use ultrasound for non-diagnostic purpose, I wonder why it did not ban the manufacture of these 4D Ultrasound machines, when there is really no diagnostically indicated use for such equipment, yet?

At least in the Philippines, medical practitioners (Radiologists and Obstetricians) are the ones performing 4D-Ultrasound, which is therefore in a better controlled situation than in many places in the USA where even ordinary people can put up a business offering fetal photography.