Mobile ultrasound has reshaped diagnostic imaging by taking reliable ultrasound exams directly to the patient instead of forcing the patient to travel to a centralized imaging department. While ultrasound itself has been a mainstay of safe, non-invasive imaging for decades, the ability to move ultrasound into patient rooms, nursing facilities, homes, and other non-traditional settings is a more recent shift that reflects the broader healthcare trend toward improved accessibility, convenience, and timely decision-making.

The history of mobile ultrasound is closely tied to advances in shrinking the hardware and portability. Early ultrasound systems were large, stationary consoles, designed for dedicated imaging departments. As technology advanced, manufacturers steadily cut down size and complexity, creating transportable systems that could be wheeled from room to room and later evolved into genuinely portable devices. By the 1990s, "laptop-style" ultrasound units became more common, and as battery-powered systems matured, ultrasound could be performed with far fewer constraints tied to room setup and wall power. The shift toward smaller, portable systems paved the way for bedside ultrasound to become standard in emergency medicine, intensive and critical care, and similarly fast-paced environments.

In the late 2000s and throughout the 2010s, handheld and wireless devices, smartphone and tablet interfaces, and secure digital transmission helped mobile ultrasound take off, supporting both point-of-care exams and mobile diagnostic services.

In the late 2000s and through the 2010s, mobility took another leap forward with handheld and wireless ultrasound devices, smartphone- and tablet-connected displays, and easier digital transmission of images. As these tools matured, they powered not just point-of-care ultrasound at the bedside, but also a broader mobile diagnostic service model that sends technologists into the field to perform on-site exams, upload images securely, and support radiologist review and reporting. In turn, mobile ultrasound evolved from a focus on hardware to an integrated, end-to-end service that flexes to the everyday constraints of patients, providers, and care environments.

One of the most important advantages of mobile ultrasound is the ability to obtain imaging quickly at the patient’s side, which reduces delays from coordinating transport and waiting for centralized imaging slots and often supports faster diagnosis and treatment planning.

Mobile ultrasound also improves safety and the patient experience, particularly for individuals who are frail, medically complex, or have limited mobility, by reducing risks such as falls, discomfort, agitation, and exposure to unfamiliar or infectious environments that can accompany transport to outside imaging facilities.

PDI Health’s mobile ultrasound and sonogram services exemplify this approach by delivering exams in homes, care facilities, and correctional centers using portable imaging and streamlined reporting workflows, so that diagnostic answers move closer to where care actually happens.