Although good ultrasound images can be of considerable diagnostic value, they also contain a great deal of information that is normally lost. There are three ways, however, in which this hidden information can be extracted and used to considerable advantage.

Doppler: By measuring the Doppler shift of returning echoes, data are extracted to show the direction and speed of blood flow. Valuable diagnostic information is won by analysing the spectrum of these data.

Colour-flow: The Doppler data are colour coded and superimposed upon the ultrasound image to provide the user with real-time, easily interpreted information on the speed and direction of blood flow within a vessel.

Obstetrics
Endovaginal colour Doppler, with its ability to show foetal and umbilical blood flow, adds to the great importance of ultrasound in obstetrics. The Picus offers this detailed colour Doppler information, while at the same time retaining the highest quality grey scale foetal imaging.

Gynaecology
In gynaecology, colour and pulsed Doppler are finding their way into an ever-increasing number of centres, where heamodynamic changes in the uterus are providing important diagnostic information. In the infertility clinic, egg retrieval is being made easier and safer by the introduction of endovaginal colour Doppler imaging.

Urology
Angio Doppler provides useful information in kidney perfusion studies, while colour Doppler with the endocavity probe is improving prostate cancer diagnosis. A further important development is in male infertility studies, where colour Doppler is being used to measure penile blood flow.

Abdominal
There seems to be no limit to the number of new applications for pulsed and colour Doppler in abdominal ultrasound. Colour Doppler applications that have already proved to be of great value include focal hepatic lesions, gall bladder carcinoma and portal vein thrombosis, to name but a few.

Vascular and Small Parts
Continuous and pulsed wave Doppler have proved their value over many years in vascular flow studies. The addition of colour Doppler now completes the picture in applications such as chronic venous disease and studies of the intracranial arteries. Colon Doppler, with a high frequency probe, has found important applications in small parts scanning. Breast, thyroid and testicular colour Doppler scanning has been found to be part of particular importance.