Stethographics, a company that creates computerized systems for recording and analyzing heart and lung sounds, has made availabile Handheld Stethograph (STG), a device that runs in conjuction with a Pocket PC.
The company said Handheld STG can be used as a phonocardiogram and is FDA approved for the recording, display and automated analysis of lung sounds. Running on Pocket PCs such as HP iPAQ and Verizon THERA, the Handheld STG is used in with a stethoscope. It allows healthcare professionals to record heart and lung sounds, display the graphic waveforms, and perform automated counting of wheezes, fine and coarse crackles. Waveforms can be displayed in the time domain, as time-expanded waveforms and in the frequency domain.
Also included with the Handheld STG is a desktop PC version of the program, which mirrors the features of the Handheld STG. This software provides the user with the ability to upload heart and lung sounds from the PocketPC to the desktop and then use the PC for archiving, printing, sharing and longitudinal studies. An additional feature of the product is an educational CD-ROM, ‘Learning Lung Sounds’, which teaches methods to improve the diagnosis and monitoring patients with lung and heart disorders.
