Medical equipment
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Further information: Equipment (disambiguation)
Medical equipment is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions.
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[edit] Types
There are several basic types:
- Diagnostic equipment includes medical imaging machines, used to aid in diagnosis. Examples are ultrasound and MRI machines, PET and CT scanners, and x-ray machines.
- Therapeutic equipment includes infusion pumps, medical lasers and LASIK surgical machines.
- Life support equipment is used to maintain a patient's bodily function. This includes medical ventilators, anaesthetic machines, heart-lung machines, ECMO, and dialysis machines.
- Medical monitors allow medical staff to measure a patient's medical state. Monitors may measure patient vital signs and other parameters including ECG, EEG, blood pressure, and dissolved gases in the blood.
- Medical laboratory equipment automates or helps analyze blood, urine and genes.
- Diagnostic Medical Equipment may also be used in the home for certain purposes, e.g. for the control of diabetes mellitus
A biomedical equipment technician (BMET) is a vital component of the healthcare delivery system. Employed primarily by hospitals, BMETs are the people responsible for maintaining a facility's medical equipment.
[edit] Inventions
- 1895, X-ray, by Wilhelm Röntgen
- 1903, electrocardiograph, by Willem Einthoven
- 1956, endoscope, by Basil Hirschowitz
- 1958, ultrasound scan, by Ian Donald
- 1958, Pacemaker, by Rune Elmqvist
- 1973, CT (CAT) scan, by Godfrey Hounsfield and Allan Cormack
- 1982, artificial heart, by Robert Jarvik[1]
[edit] Notable medical equipment companies
- Abbott Laboratories
- Cameron Health
- Cardinal Health, Columbus, Ohio
- Boston Scientific
- Beckman Coulter
- Dräger
- GE Healthcare
- Getinge Group
- Heine Optotechnik
- Johnson & Johnson
- MAQUET
- Medtronic
- Mindray
- Philips
- REXMED
- St. Jude Medical
- Siemens AG
[edit] Safety standards
Main article: Safety standards
[edit] See Also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Medical equipment |
- Medical technology
- Medical device
- Durable medical equipment
- Home medical equipment
- Surgical instruments
- Medical test
- Medical grade silicone
[edit] References
- ^ The Running Press Cyclopedia: The Portable, Visual Encyclopedia.
