Shared Service Ultrasound Machines

The Best Shared Service Ultrasound Machines

Shared service is not an application but the recognition that multiple applications will often be needed in the same ultrasound machine. If you work at a multi-specialty clinic, in a hospital, or an imaging center, chances are that several physicians each with different specialties are going to need diagnostic ultrasound scans. Rather than purchasing a specialized ultrasound machine for each, it is much more convenient and cost-effective to purchase a shared service ultrasound that can do it all.

View any of the categories below to see the top 2-4 recommended shared service ultrasound machines in that category. All machines in a category will have similar minimum features. The price range in a category will generally but not always be similar. The price fluctuates on the brand recognition of an ultrasound machine (well-known brands carry a higher price) as well as the condition of the system. (Brand new machines have higher prices than refurbished or used shared service ultrasound machines.)

Often the best value in a category will be a refurbished ultrasound system from a well-known brand. The feature set is the same as other competing machines in the segment but the price is much lower. If you know what segment you’re looking for choose one below and click to see what shared service ultrasound machines are recommended in that feature range:

Categories of Shared Service Ultrasound Machines

Premium: The most advanced, top-of-the-line systems, but also the most expensive.
High-end: Most, but not all of the features of the premium segment at a lower cost.
Midrange: The most commonly purchased systems with some premium features.
Economy: Basic systems with less advanced technology but at the lowest price.
Portable: Range from High-end to Economy, but less expensive than consoles.

The Best Premium Shared Service Ultrasound Machines:

Recommended systems: Philips Epiq 7 & Epiq 5, GE Logiq E9, Philips iU22

Premium shared service ultrasound machines are meant to showcase the latest technologies and provide the absolute best image quality for even difficult patients in every possible application. Medical professionals who require the very best image quality and features across all applications where the price is not an obstacle will want to choose an ultrasound machine in this segment.

Philips has long held an advantage in shared service with the Philips iU22 holding the top spot for cardiac-focused shared service ultrasounds. The iU22 has been upgraded and refined for nearly a decade. However, the GE Logiq E9 has now nearly matched the iU22 in cardiac performance and was always superior in 4D OB/GYN applications. In late 2013 Philips released its new Epiq 7 and is now phasing out the iU22 in favor of the Epiq 7 and 5. In the past, the iE33 and iU22 were differentiated by the iE33’s stronger cardiac focus. The Epiq line meanwhile does not have this distinction between the Epiq 7 and 5. The Epiq 7 is the more powerful unit, but the Epiq 5 is only missing a few probes and features from the 7. Both the Epiq ultrasounds are next-generation machines that are smaller, lighter, faster, and have bigger screens and touchscreens than the previous generation.

Probo Medical recommends the Philips Epiq 7, GE Logiq E9, Philips iU22, and Philips Epiq 5 as the best-shared service ultrasound machines in the premium segment. Even though the iU22 is surpassed by the new Epiq 7 and 5, the difference is great that the iU22 has no more value. On the contrary, the iU22 is being sought in record numbers because the price is becoming more affordable. Perhaps the best price to power ratio however goes to the GE Logiq E9 which matches the iU22 in cardiac performance while offering superior 4D for OB/GYN applications. If you want the latest technology, small size and are less focused on 4D then the Epiq 7 and Epiq 5 make the most sense.

What to expect from a premium shared service ultrasound machine:

The best image quality
Large ultra high-quality LCD monitor and tablet-like touch panel
The most advanced technology providing superfast processing speeds
Technologies like 4D strain, 4D TEE for advanced interventional procedures
A 2D Matrix transducer providing a sectional view and 4D echo
All cardiac disciplines supported: LVO, 2D & 4D strain, and pediatric
Repeatable, automatic LV function data with efficient 4D workflow
Powerful automatic image optimization and auto measurement
Semi or Automatic Quantification tools
Full cardiac measurement package and flexible reporting format

The Best High-End Shared Service Ultrasound Machines:

Recommended systems: Philips Affiniti 70, GE Logiq S8 & Philips HD15

High-end shared service ultrasounds perform similar to those in the premium category but with a few topless top, the line features to provide a more affordable price. Hospitals and Imaging centers that need to provide excellent support for multiple applications should consider the high-end segment as a way to save cost while still providing the best image quality.

Philips offers the best solution in this price range for more cardiovascular-focused shared service needs with the amazing Affiniti 70. It looks and performs almost exactly like the premium Epiq series and uses newer hardware than the Logiq S8 or HD15. The Logiq S8 offers a better 4D for OB/GYN and is light and portable for its category. The Philips HD15 is the previous generation and was replaced by the Affiniti 70, but it is a reliable performer still in demand as a refurbished machine with a lower total cost. If you are looking to save the most money while still acquiring a high-end shared service ultrasound then consider the HD15 the best option. If your practice needs strong 4D for OB/GYN applications with a bit of the rest then choose the Logiq S8. If your focus is cardiovascular with some of the rest then choose the Affiniti 70.

What to expect from a high-end shared service ultrasound machine:

Excellent 2D and Doppler image quality
Excellent image quality on a broad spectrum of patient body types
Most advanced hardware like a premium category but no xMatrix
Prioritized for workflow efficiency over research focused features
Fusion of ultrasound with CT, MRI, or PET/CT to find regions of interest
All cardiac disciplines supported: LVO, 2D & 4D strain, and pediatric
Automation for LV function such as 2D speckle tracking strain
Automatic image optimization and auto measurement
Highest level of productivity, intuitive customizable touchscreen
Ergonomic design, articulating arm, and well-designed control panel
Single crystal for better signal-to-noise ratio & improved axial resolution
4D convex and endocavitary transducers
Advanced vascular tools: Automatic IMT measurements and B flow
Strain-based and Shear wave Elastography
Auto or semi-auto quantification tools for cardiac

The Best Midrange Shared Service Ultrasound Machines:

Recommended systems: Philips Affinity 50, Philips HD11xe, GE Logiq P6 premium

Mid-range shared service ultrasound machines balance price and performance for physicians that perform exams in high volumes. A midrange shared service ultrasound system prioritizes image quality and productivity. Medical professionals that need to provide good image quality support for several applications while lowering acquisition costs should consider the midrange shared service ultrasound segment. This perfect balance between price and performance is the reason why midrange systems outsell any other class.

The midrange segment is crowded with overachieving ultrasound machines from multiple brands and pricing is competitive. Because of this, Probo Medical recommends three different options depending on your priorities. If the latest technology and the strongest cardiovascular performance are your priorities in a shared service machine then the Philips Affiniti 50 should be at the top of your list. The Affiniti 50 is the successor to the very popular HD11xe, which sold more units in the cardiovascular segment than any other system in the past decade. The Affiniti line is based upon the much more expensive Epiq line and much of the foundational hardware is shared between the two. This makes the Affinit 50 a tremendous value for the technology you are getting.

If your focus is more towards saving the most possible in the midrange segment, the now discontinued Philips HD11xe is an amazing choice at refurbished prices and offers the largest selection of probes of any system here. In addition, many high-end features like an articulating monitor arm and TEE support are supported in the HD11xe.

If your focus is stronger towards 4D for OB/GYN then the GE Logiq P6 premium has proven itself like the HD11xe. Though not as popular the P6 blends deep 4D transducer support with credible cardiac and solid GI support.

What to expect from a midrange shared service ultrasound machine:

Good to Excellent 2D & Doppler image quality
Perform all routine vascular exams though difficult patients may take longer
Cost effective platform balancing cost and performance
Usability and workflow good, but some limitation from sacrificing hardware
Full cardiac measurement package
Automation provided at a lower level than the high-end segment
4D for OB/GYN
TDI: tissue Doppler imaging, some interventional & pediatric cardiac support
LCD monitor smaller than 20”
Provides most cardiac scans needed in an echo lab or hospital practice

The Best Economy Shared Service Ultrasound Machines:

Recommended systems: GE Logiq P5 premium, Philips ClearVue 550

The economy segment for shared service ultrasound is somewhat limited in selection just as shared service for midrange is crowded. The reason for this is that it is expensive to create one ultrasound machine that can do it all, and in the process of cost cutting for the low cost category, very few shared service ultrasound machines can both cut costs and provide multi-application service.

Medical professionals who prioritize cost effectiveness over everything else and need a shared service ultrasound should especially consider the reliability and ease of use of a potential economy ultrasound machine. Systems that are too cheap will end up costing more money through increased maintenance and repair costs, downtime for repair and slower workflow that allows fewer exams in a day.

Probo Medical recommends the GE Logiq P5 premium as a very reliable option with the broadest range of transducers and 4D support (rare for this price range). The Logiq P5 is not the newest or most advanced but it does support many features traditionally left at the midrange level.

If you don’t need 4D, Philips makes the best cardiovascular, GI and OB/GYN focused shared service ultrasound machines in the economy segment. They are reliable, advanced and offer the best cardiovascular imaging by far. Which you select depends upon your budget. The ClearVue is a premium economy shared service ultrasound machine like the Logiq P5 premium.

What to expect in the economy general imaging ultrasound machine:

Acceptable to Good 2D & Doppler image quality
Perform all routine cardiac, vascular, general imaging and OB/GYN exams
Cost cutting platform that emphasizes price over features or image quality
Acceptable usability & workflow, but with limitations due to cost cutting
Cardiac and OB/GYN measurements
Auto IMT, AMM, and continuous wave Doppler
Very limited automation means longer exam times
Image optimization and auto measurement
TDI: tissue Doppler imaging, some interventional & pediatric cardiac support
LCD monitor smaller than 20”
Provides most cardiac scans needed in an echo lab or hospital practice
Occasionally: Auto Color, Stress Echo, Elastoscan, TDI or 4D for OB/GYN

The Best Portable Shared Service Ultrasound Machines:

Recommended systems: Philips CX50, Samsung HM70A, GE Logiq e

Portable shared service ultrasound machines put a lot of power into a small space, as they must provide support to multiple applications within the space constraints of a large laptop. Despite this there are several outstanding models able to do well in Cardiac as well as OB/GYN. Portable shared service ultrasounds typically are used in mobile imaging services, and by doctors or hospitals that want a single unit that can travel from room to room or location to location to do various types of studies.

Portable shared service ultrasound machines range in price and features from high-end console replacements like the Philips CX50 to midrange values like the Samsung HM70A to low priced workhorses like the GE Logiq e.

GE has more variety in its portable ultrasound lineup than any other brand, and the Logiq e is the most well known and best selling. It’s inexpensive, reliable and though it does not offer 4D the price for the performance is very good.

Philips only offers 2 portable ultrasound machines but its CX50 is the most advanced portable ultrasound currently available using both xMatrix and Single crystal probes normally used only with Premium systems.

Medison has been producing portable ultrasounds for a long time and now the first fully Samsung portable has come out as the successor to the successful Samsung Medison U6. It is the only shared service portable ultrasound that offers both cardiac and 4D for OB/GYN and it does both very well and at a midrange price.

What to expect from a portable shared service ultrasound machine:

Amazing to Good 2D & Doppler image quality
Lighter units with longer lasting batteries have the advantage
Up to date system architecture
The larger the selection of probes the better (4D is rare)
Compact size makes it perfect for operating room or small exam rooms
Image optimization and auto measurement to save time & decrease fatigue
Technology migration is common from the premium & high-end segments
Automation & simple workflow is important for “punkability” in a portable
15″ LCD monitor
All cardiac modes: Tissue Doppler Imaging, CW LVO, Stress Echo & pediatric
Auto image optimization, auto color & Doppler save time & decrease fatigue
Full cardiac measurement package