Dr Hanny Stockman is a community gynaecologist based in Glasgow, Scotland. After a career as a hospital consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, she transitioned to community practice to help patients access care more quickly and reduce the impact of long hospital waiting lists. Today, she runs gynaecology and Termination of Pregnancy and Referral (TOPAR) clinics, focusing on early pregnancy scanning, postmenopausal bleeding, and ovarian cyst management. A long-time advocate of ultrasound as an adjunct to gynaecological examination, she now works with three Canon Aplio me systems across her service.
In this Q&A, Dr Stockman discusses how Aplio me has transformed her workflow, improved patient dignity, and the role she sees compact ultrasound systems playing in the future of diagnostic imaging and Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS).
What impact has Aplio me had on your daily imaging workflow, and how does it compare to other systems you’ve used?
The best thing is that I can use the transabdominal probe to scan a woman’s pelvis without her having to get half undressed. The dignity around that is so important – the patient experience is better, the flow of the consultation is smoother, and the rapport is stronger. I can get on and talk about treatment or contraception much more easily. The sensitivity and resolution of the Aplio me abdominal probe is excellent, so I don’t feel like I am compromising the quality of images. For me, that’s probably the most important aspect of Aplio me compared with other systems.
How would you describe the image quality of Aplio me, and what difference has it made to your practice?
The resolution of the image is better, so I can home in on a uterine cavity more clearly and more quickly. Having the system has encouraged me to revisit features I wasn’t confident with before, such as depth, gain, sector width, and Doppler. With Aplio me, it’s particularly quick and easy to sharpen the image, improve resolution, adjust the depth, and get the sector width right. That has boosted my confidence. Instead of making do with a poor image, I now spend time looking properly for what I want. In the past, I sometimes just accepted an image was poor and referred the patient for hospital-grade scanning. Now I can be more certain myself.
In what ways has the compact, portable design of Aplio me changed how and where you perform scans?
I’ve been made the lead for scan machines in this building. We actually have seven machines here, three of which are Aplio me systems. The portability and mobility are excellent. You can move the system closer, adjust it for height and position, and that makes a huge difference for posture. You’re not hunched up or straining your wrists when scanning. It means less risk of clinician injury and more comfortable, efficient scanning.
Can you talk about a specific case or scenario where Aplio me made a noticeable difference in diagnosis or patient care?
Recently in the clinic, I saw a patient with bleeding that made me suspect cancer in her uterus. Her body habitus made it very difficult to scan on the old system. With Aplio me, I was able to adjust the image quality enough to get a clear view of her endometrium and exclude cancer. That made a direct difference to her care and to my confidence in the diagnosis.
How intuitive did you find the system interface and controls when you first started using Aplio me?
One of the reasons we chose Aplio me is because it’s so similar to the previous Canon systems we’d been using. The panel layout is almost identical, so trainee doctors, nurses, and colleagues all adapted very quickly. There was no steep learning curve.
What role do you see compact ultrasound systems like Aplio me playing in the future of diagnostic imaging?
I’m hopeful and confident that if we all learn to use them correctly, we’ll be able to pick up endometriosis at first presentation. Endometriosis is a huge concern, and women are increasingly recognising pelvic pain as a potential sign. However, the average time to diagnosis has been about seven years. With the right sonography training and systems like Aplio me, we can reduce that dramatically and start treatment sooner. That’s a big step forward.
What feedback have you received from patients or colleagues about the use of Aplio me in practice?
My consultant colleagues are very pleased with the image quality. They feel more confident ruling out ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or confirming viability. They’re also more certain about the placement of intrauterine devices. Trainee nurses and doctors have said it feels very similar to what we used before, but they notice that the images are clearer, and they can be more certain about their findings. Patients, too, appreciate the speed and dignity of not always needing a transvaginal scan.
How does Aplio me support consistency and confidence in imaging, especially in time-sensitive situations?
Time-sensitive situations are a big part of my work – whether it’s excluding endometrial cancer or providing TOPAR care. With Aplio me, I can more confidently confirm the location and viability of an early pregnancy, which speeds up treatment. I expect if I audited my cases, I’d find fewer repeat visits are needed just to confirm findings. For patients, that makes a real difference, especially when time is critical.
What role does Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) currently play in your department, and how is it evolving?
It’s already a very useful first referral option for GPs. Women with menstrual problems can be referred, and we can make decisions around treatment and endometriosis much sooner, without long hospital waits. It’s also important for characterising ovarian cysts and making decisions around monitoring or referral on a cancer pathway. GPs already use ultrasound a lot, but if we had more confidence in POCUS at the community level, we could reduce the number of women being sent onto hospital waiting lists, where cancer exclusion targets are often not met.
Do you see a system like Aplio me supporting or enhancing your POCUS capabilities?
Yes. Endometriosis is a prime example. New treatments require certain diagnostic criteria, but the alternatives – MRI or laparoscopy – come with very long waiting lists MRI also places a burden on cancer diagnostic services. With Aplio me, we can diagnose endometriosis sooner and start treatment earlier. It’s also valuable in recurrent miscarriage, where 3D imaging of the uterus is essential. Aplio me allows us to provide that more confidently, again reducing the need for hospital referral. In gynaecology, it’s important to have a high-quality, easy-to-use system. Aplio me supports that.
What are some of the key challenges or limitations you’ve experienced with POCUS, and how could technology like Aplio me help address them?
The biggest issue is digital image upload. At present we’re still printing thermal paper images and manually storing them, which carries risks of lost data and governance issues. It also means we can’t share images across the city, so if a patient attends another clinic, their original scans aren’t available, and the work is duplicated. Aplio me is designed to make digital upload straightforward, and Canon has been very supportive in helping us explore that. However, we still need cooperation from NHS digital health systems to implement it. If we could do that, it would make a huge difference in sharing images, reducing duplication, and supporting continuity of care.