Clarius Mobile Health, one of Canada’s leading medical technology companies, has received Health Canada’s approval for its third-generation product line of high-performance handheld ultrasound scanners that wirelessly connect to a clinician’s Apple and/or Android smart devices with an AI-powered application.
Now 30% smaller, lighter and more affordable, the new pocket-sized scanners are available across Canada with new features and revolutionary pricing that will put premium handheld ultrasound into the hands of more clinicians, according to a press release.
“As a Vancouver-based company, it’s especially gratifying to enable more Canadian clinicians to use our affordable and intuitive ultrasound scanners to make an accurate diagnosis, confidently treat patients, and safely guide procedures,” says Clarius President Ohad Arazi. “Our new Clarius HD3 is no bigger than my iPhone, yet it offers the same high-performance imaging as a traditional ultrasound scanner for a fraction of the cost. Plus, we’ve replaced complex knobs and buttons with artificial intelligence and touch-based controls, so it’s as easy to operate as your smartphone.”
While ultrasound is recognized as a safe imaging tool that enables clinicians to quickly see what’s going on beneath the skin, price and lack of specialty training have historically been barriers to widespread adoption
“Clarius scanners are already considered a leading choice among app-based ultrasound systems, which are now being used world-wide for rapid bedside diagnosis. With Clarius HD3, high-definition ultrasound imaging has reached unprecedented levels of affordability and usability,” according to the release.
Dr. Ulrike Dehaeck, one of seven specialists in obstetrics and gynecology practicing at the Vancouver OBGYN clinic, says that switching to Clarius from an old cart-based system has changed the way she uses ultrasound.
“Ultrasound is now more accessible and available for all of us to use. It’s so small, I often carry it with me between visits. It saves time for us and our patients because for some things that are amenable to bedside scanning, we can use Clarius to quickly confirm our clinical decision right there instead of sending a patient away for a departmental ultrasound,” Dehaeck said.
The new Clarius HD3 scanners were cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2021 and are available for purchase in a growing number of regions worldwide.
Clarius has introduced a new Clarius Membership bundle that makes the entry price lower and enables new users to fast-track ultrasound proficiency. Clarius HD3 scanners now start at CAD $3,965 with a $785 annual membership that provides access to all advanced software-as-a-service (SaaS), enhanced education options and unlimited exam management in the Clarius Cloud. A three-year standard warranty is included with enhanced warranty options available through Clarius Care.
New specialized software packages are also designed to make Clarius ultrasound easier to use for many specialty applications including advanced breast, aesthetics, musculoskeletal, obstetrics, primary/critical care, vascular and veterinary packages. They deliver dedicated presets, advanced workflows, comprehensive measurements, and fined tuned imaging, leveraging artificial intelligence and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) to deliver a complete handheld ultrasound solution.
Dr. Oron Frenkel, MD, an emergency physician practicing in Vancouver and Chairman of the Clarius Medical Advisory Board, believes point-of-care-ultrasound (POCUS) is at a transitional moment.
“Many of us trained with carts that were old school. They were good enough to get the image. Now we’re seeing app-based point-of-care ultrasound run on smartphones that all my colleagues already have. The integration with the computing power in the devices makes amazing images seamlessly available at our fingertips. The technology has advanced beyond what was conceivable even five years ago,” Frenkel said.
The entire Clarius HD3 line of ultra-portable scanners is built with the latest antenna technology for steadfast connectivity and operates on both iOS and Android devices. Octal beamforming technology delivers up to eight times faster frame rates and micron-level resolution compared to other handhelds. Clinicians can see Clarius high-definition wireless ultrasound in action by booking a virtual demo.
Physicians are invited to attend the Clarius Innovation Spotlight Canada 2022 event to see demonstrations of game-changing innovations from leading ultrasound innovators and to hear first impressions from several physicians.
For more information, visit clarius.com.
