Ultrasonic imaging technologies in perspective.

Ultrasonic imaging is a mature and widely used medical diagnostic technology but it is also a field of intense research activity. Innovations are viewed with differing perspectives by the stakeholders- users, industrialists, regulators, and researchers and research funders. The more important recent developments include advances in transducers, scanning schemes, coded excitation, three-dimensional, high-resolution and high-speed imaging, contrast agents, harmonic, elasticity and strain imaging, point-of-care devices, computed tomography, thermoacoustic, photoacoustic, acousto-optic and Hall effect imaging. Viewed from diverse perspectives, the assessment of ultrasonic imaging technologies is intellectually challenging. This is a general problem, which demands a multidisciplinary approach. An emerging, integrated, context for such assessment is presented. Given the straitened economies around the world, the need to articulate value for each and all stakeholders is becoming increasingly important.