THE MISSION OF SONOWORLD
SonoWorld was launched in 1999 as a way to use the emerging Internet to provide free educational materials to ultrasound practitioners in developing countries around the world. As the founders explored ways to accomplish this mission, it became apparent that there was a global need for a centralized resource for information as well as educational resources, and that this could best be accomplished by creating a new education-focused virtual community for physicians, sonographers and industry. The global nature of the Internet and the possibility of reaching vast numbers of medical professionals who wanted to provide ultrasound services but lacked access to quality training resulted in a re-focusing of SonoWorld toward the larger mission of supporting quality patient care through provision of the resources needed for basic ultrasound education, free and on-demand. The founders and staff brought together a wide range of experience in clinical ultrasound, education, research, training and industry, and this expertise coupled with a passionate commitment to quality education drove the development of SonoWorld to what it is today.

SONOWORLD TODAY
SonoWorld has become the world’s largest single group of medical professionals involved in ultrasound. With more than 140,000 registered members and over 150,000 monthly visits SonoWorld reaches more ultrasound professionals world wide than any other communication channel. The site has also become the world’s largest single repository of ultrasound-related educational materials. With over 450 streaming video lectures by the most widely recognized authorities in the world, clinical cases, textbook chapters and a wide range of other educational and informational materials, all free and readily accessible from anywhere in the world, SonoWorld has become the destination of choice for basic education in ultrasound.

THE FOUNDERS
Edward Ray, President and Chief Executive Officer of SonoWorld.
Ed founded, and was Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer of Interspec, Inc. (Interspec) a developer, manufacturer, and marketer of diagnostic ultrasound imaging instruments, a public company. In 1994 Interspec merged with advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL), and Ed became President and Chief Operating Officer of aTL Interspec and a Director of ATL, which was subsequently acquired by the Philips Corporation. Following his retirement from industry, Ed became involved in numerous philanthropies and volunteer activities, one of which was the development of SonoWorld. Ed is also involved in the creation and development of innovative start-up ventures.

Barry B. Goldberg, MD, Chairman, Medical advisory Board, served as president of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), and is one of the most widely recognized world authorities on medical diagnostic ultrasound. He is also recognized as a leading researcher in ultrasound contrast agents. In 1977 Dr. Goldberg was appointed Professor of Radiology and Director of the Division of Ultrasound of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. In 1993 the University recognized Dr. Goldberg's outstanding accomplishments in research and education by creating the Jefferson Ultrasound Research and Education Institute (JUREI) the only program recognized by the World Health Organization as a Collaborating Center for Continuing Education and General Education in Diagnostic Ultrasound. JUREI has provided research and education services to all the major ultrasound manufacturers and the pharmaceutical companies. Over the past five years Dr. Goldberg has developed a network of over 75 JUREI-affiliated education centers operating in countries around the world. Dr. Goldberg has published extensively on all applications of ultrasound. He has published 313 peer-reviewed papers, 96 chapters and has written and/or edited 29 books. He has received numerous awards, honorary professorships, memberships and fellowships around the world and in 1998 was named Outstanding Researcher and in 2001 Outstanding Educator by the Radiological Society of North America.

Christopher R. B. Merritt, MD, Medical Content Director, is a leading authority in diagnostic imaging and ultrasound, having served as the Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans from 1976 to 1998. He is a past president of The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, The Intersocietal Commission for Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories, The American Society of Clinical Radiologists and The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound. Dr. Merritt is active with the American Board of Radiology, the American College of Radiology, the American Roentgen Ray Society, and the World Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Dr. Merritt has been engaged in clinical ultrasonography since 1972 and has over 150 publications in the field. He teaches and lectures extensively to imaging professionals worldwide

Larry Waldroup, BS, RDMS, is a sonographer active in the field since 1973 and a Fellow of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and a former chairman of the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. He was Technical Manager of the Ultrasound facility at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for over two decades and is the manager of the Jefferson Ultrasound Institute. Mr. Waldroup is the web architect and administrator of SonoWorld.

There are many educational resources available on the web today, but these are distributed across many different web sites and may be difficult to locate. The Founders envisioned a centralized resource where many of these existing resources could be brought together in a easily accessible virtual space where members of the community could find the information and educational resources they need to give the best possible care to their patients. The SonoWorld web site is the first stage of fulfillment of that vision but it can only succeed if all members of the community come together to support its development, to share their expertise and their passion for ultrasound, and to actively participate in the ongoing evolution of this new resource.