Diagnostic ultrasound is changing dramatically because of the development of a variety of high resolution real-time scanning instruments. Until recently the standard instrument was the articulated arm contact scanner. Real-time scanners were viewed as adjunct instruments for specific and limited pur poses. The roles are reversing with real-time instruments more frequently accepted as the primary diagnostic tool and the contact scanner becoming the ancillary instrument for use mainly for viewing a large field that cannot be scanned with real-time instruments. Two recent editorials stated that...