Ultrasound 2

Question 1

What are the benefits of ultrasound?

Answer 1

• it’s fast and mobile
• useful for viewing soft tissue, flow, and motion
• It’s non-invasive
• it can be used on a pregnant woman with no risks

Question 2

What are the weaknesses of ultrasound?

Answer 2

• requires specialist training as images are hard to interpret
• ultrasound cannot image bone or air
• It’s not good for viewing deep structures
• doesn’t work well on bigger patients
• relies on patient obedience to instruction

Question 3

What are the biological effects of ultrasound?

Answer 3

Biological effects are the responses the human body has to ultrasound imaging when sound is introduced into the body. There are heating and mechanical biological effects.

Question 4

What are heating biological effects?

Answer 4

These occur as a result of the mechanical friction of tissue moving as the ultrasound wave passes through. This is controlled by thermal indices settings.

Question 5

What are mechanical-biological effects?

Answer 5

cavitation which is the production and collapse of small bubbles in the inter/intracellular tissue fluid. Mechanic indices settings control this

Question 6

What does BMUS stand for?

Answer 6

British Medical Ultrasound Society

Question 7

According to the BMUS guidelines what does safe and proper operation of ultrasound equipment require?

Answer 7

• awareness of equipment settings

- knowledge of the potential thermal and mechanical bio-effects of ultrasound

Question 8

What are the key principles for the safe use of Ultrasound?

Answer 8

• ultrasound should be only used for medical diagnosis
• equipment for ultrasound should only be used by fully trained staff.
• examination times and output levels should be as low and short as possible
• pregnancy scans should not be carried out for photo production only.

Question 9

What does ALARA stand for ?

Answer 9

As low as reasonably achievable

Question 10

How does ALARA apply to ultrasound imaging?

Answer 10

even if a does it small if it has no direct benefit it must be avoided. This is achieved by time, distance, and shielding safety measures. In ultrasound, this is achieved by using the lowest acoustic exposures, making scans as short as possible, and only doing scans for medical diagnosis purposes.