Bladder Scanner Purchasing Considerations

Bladder scanners are ultrasound-based devices primarily used to identify patients who have urinary retention of various etiologies. The use of bladder scanners reduces the need for invasive bladder catheterizations, which in turn reduces the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)—a common healthcare-associated infection.

Available in handheld and console formats, bladder scanners are designed to allow rapid and easy automated data acquisition, and to provide reliable results. They typically have a reported accuracy of 15% of the actual bladder volume or better. Most models use 3-D data acquisition technologies (see Figure 1) to reduce both data acquisition time and the user-dependency of obtaining volume data. The use of 3-D data acquisition also has the potential to improve the accuracy of volume data and consistency between users.

*F****igure 1.***The typical method used to acquire 3-D data. When the user activates the scan, the transducer within the probe automatically acquires an image, then rotates 15° and acquires another image. This is repeated to acquire 12 individual cross-sections of the bladder that the scanner then uses to calculate the bladder size and volume of urine.

Bladder scanners are used in a wide range of settings, including private offices, clinics, hospital ICUs, postoperative patient care areas, and long-term care facilities. They can be hand carried or mounted on wheeled stands to...