Ultra sound Imaging

Various sound waves:

Audible 20Hz and 20 000Hz.
Infra sound Below 20Hz
Ultrasound Above 20 000Hz

Ultrasound is a high frequency mechanical vibration waves above a

frequency the human ear can hear.

Ultrasound uses a pulse-echo technique of imaging the body.

Pulses transmitted into patient and give rise to echoes when they
encounter interfaces/reflectors.

These interfaces/reflectors are caused by variations in

the "acousitc impedence" between different tissues.

Echo signals are amplified electronically and displayed on a monitor

using shades of grey (from black to white), stronger reflectors =
brighter shades of grey and appear white in an image. Those
with no echoes will appear black, such as a full bladder.
Acoustic impedance interactions of ultrasound with tissue
Acoustic Impedance (Z) is a measure of the resistance to the sound
passing through a medium.
Z = density x speed of sound.
It is similar to electrical resistance. Materials with a higher density
causes higher acoustic impedance, eg bone. Gases have low acoustic
impedance.

Impedance mis-match
A difference in acoustic impedances cause some portion of the sound
to be reflected at the interface. Whenever a sound wave encounters
a material with a different density (acoustical impedance), part of
the sound wave is reflected back to the probe and is detected as an
echo. The greater the difference between acoustic impedance, the
larger the echo will be. If the pulse hits gases or solids, the density
difference is so great that most of the acoustic energy is reflected
and it becomes impossible to see deeper.
Properties of an ultrasound wave
Frequency higher than 20 000Hz (20kHz)
Propagation of sound waves longitudinal
A medium is needed for sound waves to go through, no medium = no
sound waves

Interactions of ultrasound with soft tissues

When an ultrasound wave passes through tissues the following things
can occur
Attenuation: Reduction in amplitude and intensity of wave
Refraction: Change in direction & velocity of wave

Attenuation is the rate at which intensity wave diminishes with the

depth it covers or its penetration.

3 Types:
Reflection.
Scattering
Absorption