Ultrasound Use Equipment Checklist

27 January 2023

Introduction

Download the checklist here: AXREM Used Equipment Checklist Final September 8th 2023

Background:

The Ultrasound Manifesto produced by AXREM in 2022 reported the
increasing demand for ultrasound services nationally, and the need for continued investment
in ultrasound equipment, training, and governance (1-2). Due to economic reasons, there has
been an increasing trend in purchasing refurbished ultrasound equipment to meet clinical
demand. However, there has been little guidance on how to best procure this equipment
while maintaining standards in governance and equipment performance (3-6).

Purpose:

The purpose of this ultrasound checklist is to increase the transparency of
the history and current condition of pre-owned ultrasound systems before purchase,
safeguarding potential buyers and sellers of used and refurbished equipment.
The checklist has been designed to allow potential buyers to make more informed
decisions, based on relevant information supplied by sellers, and is not in itself intended
to provide detailed guidance on the purchase of pre-owned equipment.

Design and Structure:

The current guidance was designed by AXREM in collaboration with
the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS), the Institute of Physics and Engineering in
Medicine (IPEM), and the Society of Radiographers (SoR). The document consists of three
checklists. The first checklist refers to ultrasound probes. The probes have been separated
from the rest of the imaging system because they are the most common point of failure and
are replaceable without any changes required to the ultrasound system. The second and third
checklists refer to the rest of the ultrasound system and post-sales support. The vendor of the
refurbished or pre-owned ultrasound equipment should complete the checklists to provide
confidence to purchasers that reasonable governance procedures have been followed.