ABSTRACT
Ultrasonic imaging is an economic, reliable diagnostic technique. When taking into account absolute hospital operating expenses, X-ray and ultrasound have approximately the same price per examination. Other imaging techniques are roughly three times as expensive, except for catheterisation, which is twenty times as expensive. However, X-ray is a less desirable imaging technique than ultrasound, due to the negative ionising radiation eects. Therefore, novel ultrasound-based imaging techniques are being developed that may compete with other imaging techniques.1
