ODE TO THE PHILIPS IE33/IU22

The Philips iE33 and iU22 have been a significant part of my life for the past 13 years. When I started working on A cart iU22’s and iE33’s back in 2010, I knew absolutely nothing about the machine. This machine has been a big part of my third-party multivendor ultrasound service work life and career ever since. I have worked on over 200 of these machines over the years and have helped troubleshoot 200 more over the phone. On many occasions, I have had sonographers ask me if I am or was a sonographer because of how familiar I am with the system. I know everything about these machines, from settings, applications, networking, error codes, and error logs, I know it all and I cannot imagine my career without them. Sometimes I feel like I know these machines better than I know myself.

Over the years I’ve replaced every possible circuit board, bezel and cable. I’ve replaced Firewire cables to molex cables, video cards to SPD boards, and front casters to the bicycle cable that controlled the rear swivel on A/B/C/D carts. I know this machine just as well as I know my #1 Philips Wiha screwdriver. There have been many long nights wondering if I should’ve ordered a host instead of a SIP or a channel board instead of a NAIM, and there have been many channel board and video card “swappy roos.” I can’t count on my fingers and toes how many times I’ve told a sonographer to plug a qwerty keyboard into a USB port behind the DVD drive until I am able to show up and replace the keyboard cable and cable guide.

The iU/iE has a deeper meaning than just an ultrasound machine to me. It has been with me from day one and has been a big part of my ultrasound life ever since. I know other machines very well, but I know this one the best. I’m great on the Epiq/Affinity, CX50, Sparq, and I know all GE products very well. I’m good with the Samsung/Medison and I can handle Siemens products well, but this machine is my guy. I believe that if you can maintain A/B/C cart iU22’s and iE33’s, especially if they go mobile, you can take care of any ultrasound machine.

New ultrasound technologies really excite me as an ultrasound field service engineer and these technological advancements are the main reason why I love what I do so much. With that being said, I recognize that this machine should not stick around forever. Just like the ultrasound machines that came before it (HP Sonos 5500, ATL HDI 5000, etc), there is a day where the passing of the torch must happen to make way for the latest and greatest technological advancements.

The A/B/C carts were deemed EOL (End of Life) by Philips on December 31, 2021. Avante and I still support these machines in a limited capacity. The D/E/F/G/R carts were also deemed EOL by Philips on December 31, 2022, and we’ll continue to support these as well. I love these machines and still believe that they serve a useful purpose in the field. I will happily and willingly continue to work on these machines until there are no longer parts available to support them. And when that day comes, I might shed an inaudible, high frequency, 5 MHz, ultrasound tear and I will pour out a bottle of Transeptic Cleaning Solution Spray in its memory. LONG LIVE THE iE33/iU22!

Avante Health Solutions is committed to empowering the biomed community with outstanding training programs. We offer comprehensive hands-on ultrasound and diagnostic imaging training courses and capabilities that are designed to provide health care professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to operate and maintain imaging equipment,” Avante Marketing Communications Manager Carissa Diaz said. “By providing cost-effective, hands-on and practical training, engineers are immediately able to impact the bottom line of day-to-day operations.

For more information about Avante’s training capabilities visit these links:

• Ultrasound Training: avantehs.com/ultrasound/training
• Diagnostic Imaging Training: avantehs.com/imaging/training