From Hitachi Medical Corporation (HMC), sales, marketing and service in the US by Hitachi Medical Systems America Inc.;
Powerful, flexible, and fast, the HI VISION™ 8500 - EUB-8500 diagnostic ultrasound scanner combines leading edge technologies with user-oriented operation for exceptional imaging and functionality.
Available exclusively on the 8500, SonoElastography provides a new perspective on the physical properties of tumors and masses by determining and displaying the relative stiffness of tissue.

From Hitachi Medical Corporation (HMC);
The HI VISION™ 6500 - EUB-6500 high resolution digital ultrasound system offers advanced clinical imaging, enhanced operating efficiency, and remarkable clinical flexibility, all in robust and versatile configuration that simply represents a better clinical solution in a variety of real-world, real-work arenas.

Interventional ultrasound, also known as ultrasonography, encompasses a range of invasive or surgical procedures guided by ultrasound imaging. While its widest application lies in intravascular ultrasound imaging for measuring atherosclerotic plaque, it has proven valuable in various medical fields.
In urology, ultrasound-guided interventions are employed for treatments like high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in prostate conditions. The precise imaging provided by ultrasound aids in targeting the affected area and delivering therapeutic energy effectively.
In intraabdominal conditions, endoscopic ultrasound is frequently utilized. This technique combines ultrasound imaging with an endoscope to visualize and evaluate structures within the gastrointestinal tract, allowing for precise diagnoses and targeted interventions.
Ultrasound-guided procedures play a significant role in several medical specialties, including liver sonography, obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound, and thyroid ultrasound. These procedures involve interventions such as RF thermal ablation or biopsies, which are guided by real-time ultrasound imaging.
For instance, in liver sonography, ultrasound guidance is crucial for performing biopsies or RF thermal ablation, a technique used to treat liver tumors by delivering localized heat to destroy the abnormal tissue. The real-time imaging allows for precise needle placement and monitoring during the procedure.
In obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound, ultrasound-guided procedures, such as biopsies, can be performed to obtain tissue samples for diagnostic purposes. Additionally, ultrasound guidance is valuable during interventions like amniocentesis or fetal blood sampling, enabling accurate and safe procedures.
Thyroid ultrasound procedures often involve ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), which allows for the sampling of thyroid nodules for cytological examination. The ultrasound image helps guide the needle into the targeted area, ensuring accurate sampling and minimizing potential complications.
Overall, ultrasound-guided interventions provide minimally invasive and precise approaches to diagnosis and treatment. The real-time imaging capabilities of ultrasound contribute to enhanced accuracy, safety, and patient outcomes in procedures like biopsies, injections, and drainage.

See also Transurethral Sonography, Endocavitary Echography, and B-Mode Acquisition and Targeting.

The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland surrounding the beginning of the urethra in front of the rectum and below the bladder. The prostate can become enlarged (particularly in men over age 50) and develop diseases like prostate cancer or inflammation (prostatitis). A large tumor can be felt by a rectal examination. The most effective way of detecting the early signs of prostate cancer is a combination of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a prostate ultrasound examination.
An abnormally high level of PSA can indicate prostate cancer or other prostate diseases such as benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostatitis. The transrectal sonography is an important diagnostic ultrasound procedure in determining whether there is any benign enlargement of the prostate or any abnormal nodules.
The imaging is performed with a rectal probe, yielding high resolution. High resolution 3D ultrasound provides reliable and accurate determination of the size and the location of cancer. Additionally, ultrasound elastography is a technique in development to improve the specificity and sensitivity of cancer detection. Ultrasound is also used to detect whether cancerous tissue is still only within the prostate or whether it has begun to spread out and to guide a diagnostic biopsy or ultrasound therapy.

See also Brachytherapy, and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

Most usual ultrasound machines are 2D real-time systems. This types of ultrasound scanners allow to assess both motion and anatomy, including the motion of heart valves, the movement of intestines and lungs and also to guide interventions, like for example a biopsy or a laparoscopic ultrasound.
A standard real-time scanner consists of a mobile console with the monitor on the top and rows of small containers at the bottom to accommodate a variety of scanner probes. The linear, curved or phased array transducers are usually equipped with multiple crystals or in some cases with a moving crystal. A real-time scanner may be e.g., a mechanical scanner or electronic array scanner.

See also Musculoskeletal and Joint Ultrasound.