ABSTRACT
Recent advances in electronics and ultrasound technology have enabled the ultrasound industry to create small echocardiography machines, the size of a laptop computer.1-4 They are basically portable, compact, battery-operated, and inexpensive, and have become a very powerful tool in an emergency setting. Such instruments are primarily designed for focused use, and not for full examinations. However, the important information derived from such portable echocardiography permits faster clinical decisions than waiting for the formal, full echocardiographic examination, and its convenience allows early detection of potentially serious clinical conditions, leading to faster and more accurate treatment.
