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Radiology now. Ultrasound--current status and prospects.

The comparatively recent introduction of electronic storage of grey scale images on commercial ultra-sound scanners has greatly increased their diagnostic potential beyond the confines of the pregnant uterus to include liver, pancreas and other organs. The proliferation of ultrasound scanners, both at home and abroad, has not been matched by an increase in teaching and training programmes, and consequently a significant proportion of scanners is being operated by untrained staff who cannot capitalize on the full potential of the equipment. It has also to be accepted that present scanners require a high degree of operator expertise to obtain satisfactory images, and a full medical knowledge of the anatomy and pathology of the area under investigation is essential if the maximum diagnostic information is to be obtained and incidental abnormalities detected and correctly interpreted.