Self-administered medical ultrasonic imaging systems

A medical ultrasonic transducer guiding system, comprising:

• a moveable guidance platform configured to enable an ultrasonic transducer to be repositioned in multiple positions about a patient's body;
• wherein said platform is in the form of a portable belt that is strapped to the patient's body;
• said platform additionally comprising sensors that detect the position of said ultrasonic transducer and produce output describing said position of said ultrasonic transducer;
• at least one processor and positioning software that receives said output from said sensors and directs the position of said ultrasonic transducer;
• wherein said platform contains at least one guidance track for said ultrasonic transducer that enables said ultrasonic transducer to be repositioned in a plurality of different locations about said patient's body in response to repositioning commands from said positioning software;
• said system further comprising image reconstruction software to enable echo information obtained by said ultrasonic transducer to be assembled into at least one image representing the interior of said patient's body;
• wherein said positioning software directs said ultrasonic transducer to be repositioned in multiple locations about a patient's body, and wherein said image reconstruction software assembles at least one image representing the interior of said patient's body;
• and
• wherein said system is electronically connected to a network, and in which said at least one image representing the interior of said patient's body may be viewed by a remote user, who may be a skilled user.

A medical ultrasonic transducer guiding system for unskilled users, comprising:

• a moveable guidance platform configured to enable an ultrasonic transducer to be repositioned in multiple positions about a patient's body;
• wherein said platform is in the form of a portable belt that is strapped to the patient's body;
• said platform additionally comprising sensors that detect the position of said ultrasonic transducer and produce output describing said position of said ultrasonic transducer;
• at least one processor and positioning software that receives said output from said sensors and directs the position of said ultrasonic transducer;
• wherein said platform contains at least one guidance track for said ultrasonic transducer that enables said ultrasonic transducer to be manually repositioned in a plurality of different locations about said patient's body in response to repositioning commands from said positioning software;
• wherein said positioning software drives at least a sound output device to issue verbal commands to direct said unskilled user to manually reposition said ultrasonic transducer;
• said system further comprising image reconstruction software to enable echo information obtained by said ultrasonic transducer to be assembled into at least one image representing the interior of said patient's body;
• wherein said positioning software directs said ultrasonic transducer to be repositioned in multiple locations about a patient's body, and wherein said image reconstruction software assembles at least one image representing the interior of said patient's body;
• and
• wherein said system is electronically connected to a network, and wherein said at least one image representing the interior of said patient's body may be viewed by a remote user, who may be a skilled user.