Ultrasound ◼ miniaturization such as handheld ultrasound devices, ‘there are still challenges for development of US devices and applications to move forward into a subspecialty of clinical disciplines,’ said Chengzhong Peng, MD, Chief Physician at the Shanghai Tenth Peo- ple’s Hospital of Tongji University and the Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultrasound Diagnosis and Treatment. A special- ly designed ultrasound machine with new concepts is needed in developing specialty-oriented instruments. Tele-remote and 5G networks The world of point-of-care ultrasound is rapidly evolving, with the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelli- gence (AI), cloud computing, 5G networks, robots, and tele-remote technology, Dr Peng points out. This integration is transforming the specialized POCUS system into an intelligent terminal platform, with the potential to transform healthcare as we know it. Tele-remote ultrasound allows for remote real-time diagnosis and interventional procedures through high-precision synchronization via video, audio, text, and other multichannel communications. Using a remote robotic ultrasound system, expert doctors can use their own skill for remote ultrasonic scans and providing medical diagnosis based on real-time ultrasound imaging generated by robotic scanning. These advances are further driven by the advent of 5G technolo- gies, which play a crucial role in enabling long-distance, real-time, high-bandwidth, high-resolution, and low-latency requirements for remote ultrasound consultation and robotic operations. This has proven invaluable during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing remote assessment of patients' lung lesions and guidance during interven- tional procedures, thus conserving expert resources and minimiz- ing cross-infection risks. However, remote ultrasound is not con- ducted for large-scale clinical applications, and it can only be used as a basic screening tool for special situations at present due to the lack of unified standards for image acquisition, quality control, data transmission, and security. With the recent integration of artificial intelligence into diagnostic ultrasound imaging, POCUS aims to harness the power of this tech- nology for rapid image processing, standardization, and continu- ous workflow. The integration of AI in ultrasound equipment has led to built-in intelligent evaluation features, optimization of image quality, and smart screening, acquisition, analysis and data pro- © University of California, San Diego cessing. This has enabled ultrasound operators to bypass compli- cated image optimization and measurement procedures, focusing instead on clinical diagnosis and treatment. Ultrasound with AI technology has been applied in clinical prac- tice, such as minimally invasive intervention, thyroid, breast, mus- culoskeletal, paediatrics, and cardiac examinations, improving the accuracy of clinical ultrasound diagnosis. For example, a study pub- lished in Ultrasonics showed that the coincidence rate by AI-based ultrasound systems in the interpretation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules increased from 64% to 84%. However, there are still many challenges in AI ultrasound applica- tions. The huge quantity of data generated in the short term puts higher requirements on algorithms and computing power. Comput- ing power limitations need to be solved to ensure that the AI model can be effectively used on tablets and mobile phone platforms. A market worth $5.9 billion by 2030 Last, but not least, cloud computing is a new type of computing platform that has the advantages of low cost, high reusability, high performance, and easy expansion. Through the Internet, it accel- erates the integration of a large number of algorithmic formulas and storage resources, and then distributes them to specific users accordingly. Recently, with the application of mobile terminal devices such as mobile phones, tablets and computers, cloud com- puting technology has brought about new changes for ultrasound diagnosis. The ultrasound system on the patient side is responsible for collecting image data, while the mobile device on the doctor side displays the image data. This data can be transmitted in real time between the two locations, and remote consultations can be provided via 5G technology and cloud platforms. These technological developments have paved the way for next-generation POCUS devices that are highly portable, user-friendly, and accessible. Notably, handheld ultrasound sys- tems are experiencing rapid growth in the market. According to Strategic Market Research, the global Point-of-Care Ultrasound market valued at $3.24 billion in 2022 is projected to grow at a robust compound annual growth rate of 5.7% by 2030, reaching $5.9 billion. As this technology continues to evolve, it holds the potential to transform healthcare delivery and enhance patient care across the globe. RADBook 2024 93