MT 6214
GENERATION AND DETECTION OF ULTRASOUND
• Ultrasound is Generated and Detected by a transducer (PIEZO ELECTRIC
TRANSDUCER/crystal resonator)
• So in this case the transducer acts as a generator by converting electrical
energy to sound, and as a receiver by converting sound energy to electrical
energy.
ULTRASOUND GENERATION MECHANISM
• A process described as piezoelectric effect is undergone while producing
ultrasound. Materials which can undergo this process are quartz, tourmaline,
Rochelle salt, barium nitrate and lead zirconate titanate.
NB; mechanism described on board.
TYPES OF FREQUENCIES IN ULTRASOUND MACHINE
I. TRANSDUCER FREQUENCY
• Is the number of circles produced by the crystals in one second. This frequency is
made by the manufacturer
• When an oscillating voltage pulse is applied on the pzt element, its surface oscillates
at the same frequency as the applied voltage, sending pulses to the patient.
• These pulses can be produced at a certain rate called PULSE REPETITION RATE
(PRR)
• A transducer is designed in a way that, it sends a pulse and stops sending a
pulse to listen for a returning pulse(sound/echo).
• The design is made such that the listening time is wider than the time consumed
to send the pulse.
II. PULSE REPETITION FREQUENCY(PRF)
Is the number of transducer frequencies produced pr second. This means how
frequently the transducer produced pulses)
NB; description on the board
𝑃𝑅𝑃 = 1ൗ𝑃𝑅𝐹 sec
Where;
• PRP= pulse repetition period
NB; for a PRR to be achieved, the transducer should have a good Damping value,
where higher damping value, the higher transducer bandwidth
DUTY FACTOR
Is the actual work doe for a given time
𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘
In normal circumstances, 𝑑𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 =
𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
In ultrasound since we produce pulses, and this is a sound, we can term it as
“pulse wave” which is controlled by the PRP ( a combination of ON and OFF)
In ultrasound machine, Duty factor is calculated as :
𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑑𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = × 100
𝑃𝑅𝑃
PULSE WAVE OUTPUT
• A transducer can not transmit and listen at the same time (simultaneously).
• But it sends a pulse and pauses to listen to the returned echo. This is achieved
by using Pulse Repetition frequency(rate of pulses per second).
• The PRF is limited by the maximum depth and acoustic velocity of the medium.
𝑃𝑅𝐹𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐶ൗ2𝑅
The machine sets PRF according to depth. Increasing depth decreases the PRF
PULSE TIMING PARAMETERS
Where;
Wave period:
Pulse period:
Pulse duration/ spatial pulse length:
NB: during ultrasound procedure, increasing sound frequency decreases wave
period and hence a shorter spatial pulse length
The summation of ON and OFF time is the
SPATIAL PULSE LENGTH (SPL)
is the longitudinal length of the pulse.
𝑆𝑃𝐿 = 𝜆𝑛
Where:
𝑆𝑃𝐿: spatial pulse length
𝜆: wavelength of the pulse
𝑛: number of cycles emitted
RESOLUTION
Is the system’s ability to distinguish between closely related structures
In ultrasound, resolution is divided into two types
I. Axial resolution
II. Lateral resolution
I. AXIAL RESOLUTION
• Is the minimum axial distance, parallel to the beam axis at which two
reflecting structures are recognized/detected as separate structures
• The axial resolution is inversely proportional to wavelength of transmitted
pulse i.e. the smaller the wavelength, the higher the frequency, hence good
axial resolution
• Or higher frequency, short wavelength, short SPL, and good axial resolution
NB;
• Organs are scanned along the Length, Width and Height
• Since 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 = 𝑆𝑃𝐿Τ2
• The above formula shows that axial resolution depends on spatial pulse
length(𝑆𝑃𝐿 = 𝜆𝑛)
Factors for improving axial resolution;
• High frequency
• Lower number of cycles in a pulse
II. LATERAL RESOLUTION
• Is the lateral distance, in a plane perpendicular to the beam axis, at which two
reflecting structures are recognized/detected as separate structures.
• Lateral resolution is determined by the shape/ divergence of the ultrasound beam
from the probe.
• A narrow beam width improves lateral resolution
• Here, the beam diameter is compared to the gap(distance) between structures sitting
side by side.
• Lateral resolution value is the beam diameter
Factors improving lateral resolution;
• Small beam diameter
• Higher frequency from transducer
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