Ultrasound Flashcards
Ultrasound
Describes sound waves with frequencies that are higher than the range of human hearing which beyond 20k Hz
Sound is emitted from a transducer into the body at one or multiple frequencies
Sound encounters various organs/tissues within the body
Images are created when the echoes are reflected back to the transducer
Echolocation
Similar phenomenon that occurs within out patients bodies when an ultrasound exam is preformed.
Emitted wave hits object and a reflected wave goes back
Frequency
the number of times a cycle or wave is repeated per second
Hz
Wavelength
Distance traveled by the sound waves and is expressed in mm
Velocity
speed at which sound travels through a medium
sound travels fastest in solid objects (closeness of molecules) and slowest in gases (molecules further apart)
Ultrasound equation
V=f times wavelength
Resolution
Being able to detect 2 structures separately located in a parallel beam
Penetration
how far the sound waves are allowed to travel
Resolution increased
short wavelength
inc frequency
penetration inc
dec frequency
longer wavelength
Attenuation
sound waves lose strength as they travel through a medium
Absorption
conversion of sound energy to heat. very low in ultrasound machines
Reflection
sound waves encountering tissues of different acoustic impedance. Only sound waves that get back to the transducer contribute to the image
Scattering
Sound waves encounter small and uneven surfaces and would regenerate weak echos
Parenchymal appearance of organs
Refraction
Bending of the beam when encountering a change in medium when the beam strikes the interface at an oblique angle
As a result the bending of the beam leaves a shadow at the edges of curved structures such as the gall bladder and cysts
Attenuation increased with
increased distance from the transducer
More heterogenous medium with increased acoustic impedance mismatch
higher frequency transducers
Acoustic impedance
Product of the tissue density and the velocity of the sound within that tissue
Changes in impedance from one tissue to the next determines how much sound is reflected back to the transducer and also how much is transmitted to the next tissue
if large difference- much sound reflected
if small difference- little sound reflected
if no difference- no sound reflected
Air and bone have the strongest interface
Image display
Based on the pulse echo principle:
-sound is emitted 1% of the time and transducer listens 99% of the time
electric signals from returning echoes enhanced to display image
Transit time directly related to depth
Amount of reflected sound depends on the tissue impedance
Ultrasound machine assumes a constant speed in tissue at 1540 m/s
Artifacts
Certain assumptions are made by the ultrasound machine when generating an image
sound waves travel in a straight line
all echoes originate from objects in the beam axis
echoes return to transducer after single reflection
Speed of sound in tissues is constant
The strength of the echoes is directly related to the reflecting/scattering properties of the objects
The depth to the reflecting or scattering object is proportional to the round trip time of the sound wave
The strength of the sound wave is attenuated evenly
Artifacts
In ultrasound they can be helpful or confusing May be present in ultrasound study acoustic shadowing acoustic enhancement edge shadowing slice thickness artifact mirror image artifact`
Acoustic shadowing
structures of high reflectivity appear white and distal to them a shadow is created
Interface absorbs or reflect all the sound
Clean acoustic shadowing
clean shadow is the result of all the sound being absorbed or reflected
No reverberation artifact
Anechoic or black