Ultrasound Flashcards
What is ultrasound?
A high frequency sound wave
What is the purpose of the gel in ultrasound?
To act as a conductive medium to reduce reflection and refraction
What is doppler ultrasound and how does it work?
This uses shifts in the frequencies of the returned sound wave compared to the original wave to determine whether fluid is flowing away or towards the probe and the velocity at which it is moving.
What are the advantages of ultrasound?
Renders live images
Good images of muscle, soft tissue and surface bone
No known long-term side effects
Equipment widely available and relatively cheap
What are the disadvantages of ultrasound?
Waves cannot penetrate bone well
Waves cannot conduct through gas well (so can’t image the lungs)
Image quality is limited in obese patients
Operator dependent
