Portable ultrasounds

October 9, 2007

The latest peace-of-mind test. These devices are marketed to the general population to screen for carotid and coronary artery disease. Are companies just profiting from the public’s belief that more testing is simply better?

This ultrasound tech is certainly capitalizing on it:

Robert Rosner, an ultrasound technician in Fort Myers, Fla., sells screening to police, fire and other municipal workers and through doctor offices and health clubs. He charges $180 and offers a personal testimonial. At age 42, he scanned his own arteries and was surprised to see a 30 percent narrowing in one. A doctor put him on medications, and a couple of years later, the plaque was gone.