About 40% of patients want their primary care doctors to have access to handheld ultrasound devices for quick use when needed during appointments, according to a consumer survey commissioned by GE Healthcare.
However, another survey commissioned by the company revealed general practitioners didn't feel strongly about integrating new technologies into their practices, proving that the two groups aren't seeing eye-to-eye when it comes to new innovations.
One survey included 500 general practitioners from New York, Florida, California, Illinois, and Texas who completed a six-question survey over the phone. The consumer study included 1,000 adults in the U.S. who answered questions online.
On a positive note, about 37% of doctors currently were using the tools or were interested in using them.
Those who used them said the devices made a difference at their practices. About 60% of handheld ultrasound users felt it positively impacted their practices, and 85% of doctors who use the tool feel it will impact the healthcare industry.
Technology use appealed to most patients. About 50% of consumers think their doctors should make use of the latest medical technology, such as handheld ultrasound, if it is affordable, according to the consumer survey.
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
