Adelaide Brooks

Mobile ultrasound shifts ultrasound exams from fixed hospital imaging departments and delivers them at the patient’s side, so individuals no longer need to travel to a hospital or imaging center for many common studies. While ultrasound itself has been a foundation of safe, non-invasive imaging for a long time, the ability to move ultrasound into patient rooms, nursing facilities, homes, and other non-traditional settings is a more recent shift that reflects the broader healthcare trend toward greater access, convenience, and timely decision-making.

The history of mobile ultrasound is closely tied to advances in device miniaturization and portability. In the beginning, ultrasound machines were big, fixed consoles built to stay inside dedicated imaging departments. With ongoing improvements, companies were able to shrink and simplify the machines, producing transportable units that transitioned into increasingly portable designs. By the 1990s, "laptop-style" ultrasound units became more common, and as battery-powered systems matured, ultrasound could be performed with far fewer constraints tied to room setup and wall power. These developments helped make bedside ultrasound a routine part of care in emergency departments, critical care units, and other high-intensity clinical settings.

As technology matured in the late 1990s and 2000s, battery-powered units, laptop-style scanners, and eventually handheld and wireless devices turned ultrasound into a mobile, on-demand tool, while digital connectivity made it easier to share and interpret images remotely.

During the late 2000s and throughout the 2010s, mobility was pushed to a new level by the arrival of handheld probes, wireless ultrasound platforms, smart device–based displays, and simpler tools for transmitting images electronically. As these tools matured, they powered not just point-of-care ultrasound at the bedside, but also a broader mobile diagnostic service model that sends technologists into the field to perform on-site exams, upload images securely, and support radiologist review and reporting. The net effect was that mobile ultrasound shifted from being mainly about the device itself to becoming a full service solution designed around the real-world needs of patients and the operational realities of facilities.

The benefits of mobile ultrasound begin with speed and clinical responsiveness, because when imaging can happen where the patient already is, care teams can avoid delays associated with transport, scheduling bottlenecks, and off-site referrals, leading to faster answers and more timely decisions.

Mobile ultrasound also improves safety and the patient experience, particularly for individuals who are frail, medically complex, or have limited mobility, by reducing risks such as falls, discomfort, agitation, and exposure to unfamiliar or infectious environments that can accompany transport to outside imaging facilities.

For organizations focused on access and efficiency, mobile ultrasound helps close gaps for people who face barriers such as limited transportation, physical limitations, or facility constraints, by bringing imaging directly to homes, long-term care communities, and other non-traditional settings.