CheckMag | From clinics to remote villages: How Butterfly iQ brought ultrasound to expectant mothers worldwide

Ever heard of a handheld ultrasound machine? Well, the Butterfly iQ is just that! It's a portable device that lets doctors check on pregnancies right from their smartphones. 

Butterfly Network is the company that designed this portable ultrasound machine, making it easy for healthcare professionals to monitor pregnancies and do the job efficiently. The Butterfly iQ device was released in 2018, representing the first handheld ultrasound device powered by semiconductors. This move helped significantly reduce the size and lower the costs of ultrasound systems while increasing their capabilities.

The device is operated through a simple interface on compatible mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets, allowing healthcare providers to conduct scans virtually anywhere. Its benefits are numerous. Weighing much less than traditional ultrasound machines, it can easily fit into a practitioner's pocket. This allows for immediate access to ultrasound imaging in various settings—be it in a clinic, at home visits, or in emergencies.

Furthermore, the product uses the company's patented Ultrasound-on-Chip technology, which allows for high-resolution imaging with features like color Doppler capabilities for assessing blood flow. This is useful during pregnancy monitoring as it helps visualize fetal heart activity and assess placental health.

Clinical applications in pregnancy monitoring

The Butterfly iQ portable ultrasound device is very useful for a number of pregnancy monitoring tasks, including:

• Fetal heart rate monitoring: The device can assess fetal heart rates, providing critical information about fetal well-being during routine check-ups or in emergencies.
• Anatomical assessments: These help healthcare providers visualize fetal anatomy and assess growth patterns throughout pregnancy.
• Fluid assessment: The device can also evaluate amniotic fluid levels, which is vital for determining the health of both mother and fetus.

The latest model improves upon the original

The latest iteration, the Butterfly iQ3, introduced in 2024, boasts improvements in image resolution and processing power as well as battery life.

The Auto B-Line Counter automated tool determines the maximum number of B-lines visible in a single frame during lung scans, providing critical data for assessing pulmonary conditions.

Awards and recognition

Butterfly Network's contribution to healthcare has been recognized through various prestigious awards:

• Time's Best Inventions
• Fast Company's World-Changing Ideas
• CNBC Disruptor 50
• MedTech Breakthrough Awards.

Regulatory approval

Butterfly Network achieved critical regulatory milestones that enabled it to expand its market presence:

• FDA 510(k) Clearance: The original Butterfly iQ received FDA clearance in 2017, making it the first ultrasound-on-a-chip device approved for human use.
• EU MDR Certification: Recently, Butterfly Network secured EU Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR) certification for its Butterfly iQ+ products. This certification allows the company to release new features, including AI-enabled tools like the Auto B-Line Counter and Pulse Wave Doppler, to European customers.