Zonare ultrasound system takes a four-month cruise

Zonare Medical Systems’ z.one ultrasound system has recently set sail on the U.S.S. Amsterdam, a flag ship of Holland America Line, which left Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan. 4 for its 114-day trip, around the world.

Under the direction of Carter Hill, MD, medical director of Holland America, the z.one system, based on zone sonography technology, will be used to diagnose passengers in need of medical attention during the cruise, according to the Mountain View, Calif.-based Zonare. The outcome of the four-month study could determine future use of ultrasound imaging on passenger cruises, the company said.

Hill said that when “medical emergencies arise during a cruise of this length, sometimes we must decide if we need to divert from our set itinerary to the closest port offering appropriate medical facilities…With advanced diagnostic technology available, such as the z.one system and trained providers, we should be able to make more informed decisions of these kinds as to whether we can treat a patient aboard and a diversion is unnecessary.”

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