Abstract: A portable ultrasound scanning system comprising a hand-held housing, ultrasound electronics of a complete ultrasound scanning system, including a beamformer and an image processing unit, contained within the hand-held housing. A first display comprises a touchscreen on the hand-held housing with a user input interface, at least partially presented on the first display. A probe containing a plurality of piezoelectric transducers is controlled by the ultrasound electronics and is connected to the housing via a cable. The ultrasound electronics are configured to receive signals from the probe and to convert those signals and provide converted signals to the first display to display a scanned ultrasound image on the first display. A second, larger, display is located remote from the housing. A connection arrangement is configured to selectively connect the second display to the ultrasound electronics, and automatically upon such connection, display the scanned image on the second display.

Abstract: A portable ultrasound scanning system for performing a diagnostic ultrasound scanning process of a patient. The system comprises a portable housing containing ultrasound electronics of a complete ultrasound scanning system including a beamformer that regulate and control operation of the scanning system. A user interface is accessible at the housing. A cable is attached at one end to the housing and at a second end has a connector. An interchangeable probe having a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements is interchangeably coupled to the connector for transmitting electrical signals between the ultrasound electronics in the housing and the transducer elements of the interchangeable probe.