The future of ultrasound lies in improved image quality, smaller equipment, and real-time 3D imaging. Rather than wheeling in a huge cart with a tiny ultrasound probe during a surgery, a remote system could be connected to the operating room so that only the ultrasound probe is in the room. Ultrasound probes specific to the application are already in use, but further designs would be helpful. Rather than a 2D or 1D probe for tumor identification using a 1D ultrasound array, a 2D array could be used to obtain higher-quality 2D or 3D images.

Nearly everyone has seen commercials for "4D" ultrasound, or real-time ultrasound. This has been used primarily for prenatal fetal imaging, but has surgical applications as well. Ultrasound is unique among the imaging modalities in that is can be used real-time with little exposure risk. This may well make ultrasound the preferred imaging modality when it is applicable.