Butterfly iQ — Ultrasound Reviews

by Liberia Doc

Needs OB calculations for estimated gestational age. I work in Liberia and thought it would be a great overall diagnostic tool but twice have been blocked because ButterflyiQUltrasound stops working if it hasn’t been updated every thirty days. And I get no cellular data network or WiFi at the hospital I work at in a very rural area. So I have been blocked from providing care to patients because of this obligatory frequent update. I wish Butterfly could just tell about updates like other apps but still let you use the old app until you have a chance to update!

by Hoss Doc

I purchased this unit over a year ago and made it clear that I had no interest whatsoever in using their cloud storage. Nor did I need any updates, as the area of use & interest for this unit is very specific. I was told repeatedly that there was no need for me to purchase updates if I did not want additional capacity or cloud storage. Well now that the free cloud storage (which I have not used) is up the unit is virtually worthless. I cannot save images on my iPad as I could before. Completely misleading. If you want to buy the probe as a software as a service, that’s how they need to market it.
I’m going to have to buy a new ultrasound from another provider. The images are fine, the company now that’s another story.

by TheJoelC

I saw the write up about this in ButterflyiQUltrasound Store. I have has so many different ultrasounds for so many different things - a phlebotomist trying to find a vein to kidney stones and all sorts of other issues. Thought it oils be cool to be able to see my own ultrasounds. It is free O. Top of everything else. My iPhone can do LiDAR now, which I have used in my floodplain management, why not ultrasound. What they don’t tell you is you must purchase a noted device. Your phone is not the ultrasound as they imply. The needs to be made clear. And need a to be stated upfront.

by Hadi Khazaei MD, MS , OHSU USA

This is the first time , I could see the details orbit on myself. This was an exceptional experience . Holding the probe on my right hand and iPhone in my left hand , I did almost whole body scan on myself in my office. I also could do scan of my right eye by turning in my camera on my phone while doing B scan.
The images are clear but need interpretation, specifically orbital images are different from what we see in MRI images. We at Trying to set up a protocol for scanning of orbital Disorders. This was a dream come true to scan my own eye but needed lots of preparations 🤪.

by Lvartanian

I’m a veteran EM physician and US mainly FAST exam was just being taught when I graduated my residency in 1997. I truly love this device but since the company made me, and seems like I had no choice as an early purchaser, pay $400/hr.....I just ask in return for them to continue giving us video tutorials especially geared to our specialties. Once I see more educational tutorials as a subscriber, Butterfly will get 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

by Dra. T

Wonderful teaching and learning tool at a very reasonable price point. Portability is phenomenal. Image quality is great. Any possibility that you will be releasing a version of ButterflyiQUltrasound for the iPad mini? A bigger screen than the iPhone would be nice for teaching small groups (and I already have a mini). There should also be an option to buy the device without the Butterfly Cloud service. Also had issue with the probe heating and shutting down after 30 min of scanning using the cardiac preset.

by Cturtle97

The learning videos are very good. A tiny improvement in learning section should be to put the videos in order though. A few sections are out of order, aorta for example. The nerve blocks are a bit out of order also as some reference points not yet mentioned until later videos. Also showing actual blocks would be great for needle placement, sterile field, etc.

by TrblshtHuman

Have been using this for over a year.
Great for clinical/interventional radiologists.
It’s ease of use won’t compensate for lack of experience or practice.
It does generate artifact at low resolution which will mislead many, so don’t expect it to make you a better clinician if you don’t have a pretty solid grasp of relational anatomy in every dimension or US technique with a full size machine.
In my opinion it’s not a great tool to practice US either. Your pictures wont come out like the book if you don’t know what the variants look like. It definitely motivates and lowers threshold for accessibility, but has high potential to confuse learners than accurately teach (blind leading the blind).
The updates and subscription control on the system are cumbersome so even though you bought the probe, it sort of doesn’t really belong to you without a subscription.
It’s great on missions and in a pinch using it for diagnosis and intervention. But I can tell you first hand - it’s not for the masses and can be dangerous in inexperienced (and usually overconfident) hands.

by Murphybunch5

I love this technology and ButterflyiQUltrasound , you can adjust settings and look at any body part you want to! I immediately noticed the quality and great software attached to this device. So happy I got it

by KJB3iii

ButterflyiQUltrasound itself is wonderful and easy to use even as a novice. The educational resources available are also extremely helpful for someone who is new to the ultrasound world. Will highly recommend.

by PineTreeEDDoc

The US is fantastic and provides great images for diagnosis, procedures, and teaching. I’ve recommend this to all my partners (ED docs) and we’re using it in the prehospital environment too. However, I have 2 asks, 1 easy, one not so easy.
1. For vascular access presets, would you please add a digital centerline on the screen that can be turned on and off? It’s great to have probe markers but a corresponding line on the screen would be helpful.
2. Bluetooth model please. Wireless would make this the perfect device for every clinician to carry on their pocket.

by Libonation

Simple app design with easy and intuitive use. No heavily nested menus and buttons sized appropriately. (On iPhone XR)

One suggestion is when you “freeze” in Mmode, there’s no way to scroll back and forth to find an appropriate frame. This is available as a function in 2D and should be added to Mmode!

by Bradsako83

I use my Butterfly iQ at least 2-3 times a day in clinic, and have to come to value the sheer versatility of the settings. Easily the most bang for your buck in a primary care practice where you have to do a little bit of everything.

by Txpaindoc

I do pain management and have several offices in Texas. The Butterfly IQ gives me images for joint injections and spinal injections with pretty much equal clarity to my bigger GE and Terason units. Sure is nice throwing my IPad and the Butterfly IQ in my bag to travel rather than loading a full size machine several times a week

by Dr. M, MD

Wonderful clarity of images in a very intuitive interface. This will change the game of mobile ultrasound market in terms of quality, portability, connectivity, interface, and cost. Students love it, residents are begging for it, and faculty are demanding more access to this technology. A big boon for the bedside ultrasound community. Thanks

by NeuroDoc In Nashville

BiQ is a powerful, super practical, easy to use, easily portable clinical tool. Nice clear images, hyper-fast boot. So well designed! And, with a frequency range 1-10MHz, you will be ready for the most satisfying POC diagnostic bedside tool. I love it. My BiQ is my daily clinical care (ED, ICU, floor, anywhere needed) and education tool. It’s always in my pocket. You have to carry gel, and have towels to clean the patient and device -of course. Welcome to today’s medical practice!

by BahamaDoc

I have been using the Butterfly IQ since it’s been available. It has become an integral part of my practice, both inside the office and the hospital. The image quality and preset features combined with its potential is amazing.

His little yet, powerful and multifunction ultrasound has improved my practice more than any other single device

by DireMonk

The ability to literally have an affordable ultrasound in your pocket is revolutionary. I use this daily as a family practice physician and have recommended it to numerous colleagues as a great way to enhance you the physical exam and procedures. Recently, I had some difficulties logging on and had very rapid and effective customer services that fixed my problem within a day. I would highly recommend this to anyone considering getting an ultrasound!

by Jmlieberman

Just started using this. Ultrasound wasn’t even an option when I started back in the dark ages. I’ve just started with the device over the past few weeks using online tutorials and you tube videos to get used to it before taking a certification course. It’s great for what I’ve needed with just a basic knowledge - vascular access, basic cardiac function point of care imaging, finding abscess collections, looking at joints, looking at ganglion cysts, etc. Service and responsiveness to questions has been outstanding.

by WGBMD

Truly amazing product which for a fraction of the cost provides as good or better imaging, more conveniently, than units costing 50 times as much. All of this, and it fits in the pocket of your lab coat, is ready immediately as soon as it is plugged into your iPhone, and is able to permanently store images, with a subscription. This has enabled physicians to Obtain ultrasound images at the initial contact, shortening clinical decision making times and providing faster, more cost effective care for our patients.

by Ct-09

Unfortunately I found there’s no ability to extend warranty right after purchase of the device. And as I feared, it stopped working a year later at a time that I needed it to scan a patient . When it did work, the constant updates get in the way of using device when needed. I now have an expensive paperweight. Awaiting response from support- which sent a message that it may take days to reply.

by Shane Htet Han

Imagine having a professional team waiting to help you while you are making a good use of world's first hand-held, single-probe whole-body ultrasound system, conveniently in your palm with your phone? I am from Myanmar where specialist doctors are so scarce and hospitals are so far from majority or barely functional. I received POCUS training while working at MSF in a hilly remote area, which purpose was to train rural doctors with basic POCUS skills to help mountain people who rarely use currency. The short training was backed by telemedicine and it made a great change for five doctors and their patients.

Owning an ultrasound machine was merely a dream for poor doctors here... before Butterfly iq was born. This is actually not supposed to be using here in Myanmar but I believed it would help my clinical life and I ordered one with the help of a friend from US. Difficultly shipped to here and I downloaded ButterflyiQUltrasound using VPN app.

Now I connect the black blue beauty with my new iPad mini5 and instantly, I am in love.

Thank you, Butterfly Team! Wish you all be healthy, peaceful and Happy New Year!

by Exercise Menu.com

Understandably, images are not a clear as large 6-figure US units, but if you are a decent ultrasonagrapher, the images are impressive considering you have essentially three probes in your back pocket connected to unlimited cloud access and regular software updates that are pushed to the unit. The price is excellent, highly recommend for sports medicine soft tissue imaging. The unit is a staple in our clinic and athletic training room.

by FPgeriatric

I caution any older generalist out there mulling a purchase of this device. The learning curve is higher than you think, integrating it into one’s practice and getting paid for it is another thing Make a wrong call based on the data and this litigious society will have your skin. I saw it demonstrated at a meeting and got google eyed by it. Unfortunately all the extra work EHR generates for primary care now means my time for learning is sorely limited in trying to keep up with the paperwork. Specialty types love this thing and I’m not criticizing the quality. For them they can apply it every day. Me? I’d have to order a confirmatory test anyways although if one gets support from what the Butterfly is telling them, might make day planning easier. Butterfly has taken care of me and I dropped the financial lamentations from this review. Still a fanboy though.
Wished I was younger and a specialist