In a trauma center you're always worried about internal bleeding, is there fluid in the abdomen some place, is there a ruptured liver, whatever the trauma may be. Ultrasound, theoretically, can be used as a first line-imaging device. It's not invasive. We're evacuating information on people instead of evacuating the person. A permanent workstation was set up at Walter Reed to read and evaluate ultrasound images sent back from Mount Everest, Bauer said.
Special equipment enables radiologists to read the ultrasound images.
With an ultrasound machine you have a probe or transducer that allows you to gain the image, Bauer said. The workstation takes this data and allows the radiologist to hold this virtual probe. As you move it, it shows you the corresponding ultrasound in the patient at the battlefield. Every angle you move the probe, you're seeing an image for that particular scanning. We've also proven the data we acquired has clinical value.