Linear B Mode breast scanner
date: label: date made
content: about 1956 - about 1958
label: date made
content: about 1956 - 1958
name: label: Associated Name
content: University of Minnesota
label: maker
content: Wild, John J.
notes: label: Description
content: This is a ultrasound breast scanner prototype created by John J. Wild and colleagues. It was based off an earlier, successful breast scanner model. This current model has two transducers set in the middle of the instrument, as opposed to just one like earlier models. It creates a linear image as opposed to a sector (pie-shaped) or radial (360-degree) image. This is also a hydraulic machine. Earlier electronic instruments became very hot after use. The hydraulic power was used in this model to correct the overheating.
label: Description
content: It is unclear whether this model was ever used clinically.
label: Description
content: John Wild and John Reid constructed a multi-purpose clinical display unit in 1951 to be used with multiple short range and hand-held instruments. The display unit, not collected here, was comprised of a power source, oscilloscope, amplifier, and any other technology required for specific body imaging. Most instruments collected in this accession group were created to be portable, hand-held, and connected to the electronic display unit for use. The objects were hand-held and designed for specific body parts because the crystals' low frequency (15m/c) required the transducer to be within 4cm of the tissue to produce a clear image. The display unit also included a camera to capture ultrasound images produced on the oscilloscope. John Wild imagined the opportunity for "mass-screenings" using this portable display unit and small, hand-held attachments and envisioned their use for the regular screening of common cancer sites. Before this portable, hand held device was invented, Wild and Reid created machines in which a woman would lay across a water bath with her breasts submerged in water. Tube-like transducers were placed at the bottom of the water bath. Wild and Reid abandoned this type of machine in favor of their multi-purpose clinical display unit with hand-held echoscope instruments specifically designed to connect to the unit and to image different body parts. An earlier model of a hand-held imaging device was used in 1951 but produced only A-mode images. The success of this and other early imaging machines encouraged Wild and Reid to develop a two-dimensional breast and body-surface scanner, with which the pair successfully identified cancerous breast tissue. This later scanner is building on these earlier instruments from the early 1950s.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Minnesota, Minneapolis
topic: label: Subject
content: Breast Cancer
label: Subject
content: Ultrasound
label: Subject
content: Radar
label: Subject
content: Imaging
label: Subject
content: Diagnostic Equipment
label: Subject
content: Medicine
label: Subject
content: Women's Health
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Cancer
label: See more items in
content: Cancer: Diagnosis
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Ellen L. C. Wild and Valerie C. Wild
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2015.0300.10
label: accession number
content: 2015.0300
label: catalog number
content: 2015.0300.10
objectType: label: Object Name
content: delete
label: Object Name
content: dual transducer ultrasound breast scanner
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: copper (wire material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 13.5 cm x 54.5 cm x 5.75 cm; 5 5/16 in x 21 15/32 in x 2 1/4 in