A team of Georgia Tech researchers is developing an inexpensive, handheld device that uses Doppler ultrasound technology to quickly find veins.
The device is designed to overcome obstacles caused by burns, bruises and other physical conditions that delay nurses and doctors from locating veins to administer lifesaving drugs or solutions.
Doppler ultrasound consists of acoustical waves. Compared to static skin and tissue, blood is a moving substance, so ultrasonic waves reflected from blood vessels have different characteristics, providing critical 3-D information about a vein’s location.
As the vein finder is moved along a patient’s arm or leg, the transducer emits ultrasonic waves into the patient’s skin at a slight angle. The device can determine the direction of blood flow to distinguish arteries from veins. Once the device detects a vein, an alarm is triggered and medics insert the needle.
Once successfully adapted for humans, data processing and electronics will be miniaturized in a prototype for field-testing. The researchers envision the final product will be about the size of a fat fountain pen.