I suggest you make a quick trip to your doctor. I don’t think there is anything wrong with you, but you might want to say goodbye to an old friend, the stethoscope. Almost 200 years old, the stethoscope is slowly but surely going to be replaced by hand-held ultrasound devices.

Ultrasound devices are smaller, becoming increasingly accurate, and in a few years will be less expensive.

Medical officials are now declaring ultrasound devices to be the stethoscope of the 21st century. Many of the hand-held ultrasound machines are just slightly larger than a deck of cards, kind of like a smartphone.

As I sit here reporting on this story, I wonder how my doctors will react to giving up their lifelong neck accessories. It has long been the symbol of the medical profession.

Let us hear your comments on this subject.