Advantages
- Relatively inexpensive
- Widely available
- Can be performed by the bedside
- Non-invasive
- Non-ionising
- Safe in children and pregnancy
Disadvantages
- Operator dependent
- Cannot image lung or bone
- Not good for imaging obese patients or deep structures
- Specific issues with oesophageal probes:
- Contraindicated in patients with strictures or tumours
- Carry risk of bleeding (particularly in varices) or perforation