Though available commercially since the 1960s, ultrasound was not widely accepted until the mid-1970s, when additional advances in technology would contribute to better image quality.

The latest advances in ultrasound are 3D and 4D imaging. To create 3D images, an ultrasound system determines the volume of a subject - for example, a baby. The system then reconstructs the image in three dimensions. 4D Ultrasound gathers 3D volumes and instantly reconstruct them into moving images.