Patent ID: 6962566

Claim:
An ultrasound diagnostic instrument comprising: a) a handheld module including a display, manual controls, and system circuitry for processing signals for display; b) a transducer assembly coupled to the system circuitry for providing electrical signals from ultrasound waves for processing; and c) an electrocardiograph (ECG) module coupled to the handheld module by a cable and including leads for receiving ECG signals from a patient and ECG signal processing circuitry for applying ECG signals to the handheld module through the cable; wherein said handheld module further comprises circuitry for performing spectral Doppler analysis and allowing for simultaneous ECG readings to be overlaid on a spectral Doppler display; wherein the signal processing circuitry of the ECG module includes first amplification and filtering circuitry for signals from the leads and second amplification and filtering circuitry for processing signals from the first amplification and filtering circuitry for application to the handheld module, the first and second amplification and filtering circuitry being electrically isolated whereby a patient is electrically isolated from the handheld unit.