NECESSITY OF UNIFORM ACOUSTIC LAYER ON ULTRASOUND PROBES

WHAT IS AN ACOUSTIC LAYER ?????

• It is a gray (other colors also) colored part looking like rubber attached to the tip of the ultrasound probe.
• It is the intermediate material between the piezoelectric material and the object.
• Also called acoustic lens and matching layer (for some probes).
• It is designed to have adequate acoustic impedance value using a combination of different resins and is deposited uniformly on the tip of the probe. 
• The suggested membrane thickness is 0.0002 inches

WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF AN ACOUSTIC LAYER?

• Maintain the acoustic impedance between the piezoelectric material and the object.
• Prevent the ultrasound wave from spreading and focused them in a slice direction to improve the resolution (Beam focusing). 
• Act as protection barrier for piezoelectric crystals.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE LAYER IS NOT UNIFORM ????

• Poor Beam focusing : If the layer is not uniform over the surface then the transmitted ultrasound wave get spread over the plane which will lead to decrease in resolution.
• Impedance mismatch : Changes in thickness will create impedance difference
• It devastatingly lengthens the ultrasound wave and ring down time. 

US IMAGE OF URINARY BLADDER BY A NON-UNIFORMLY LAYERED  PROBE

US IMAGE OF URINARY BLADDER BY UNIFORMLY LAYERED  PROBE

To know more about the acoustic lens and lens replacement call  9847069684

SOME LEADING ULTRASOUND PROBE MANUFACTURES

COMPANY NAME	LOCATION	PRODUCTS
BLATEK	USA	ALL ULTRASOUND PROBES
AMERICAN MEDICAL DESIGN(AMD)	USA	PHASED ARRAY, MECHANICAL SCAN SYSTEM
SOUND TECHNOLOGIES INC	USA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
IMASONIC SAS	FRANCE	ULTRASOUND PROBES
SONAXIS	GERMANY	ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER
PROSONIC	KOREA	ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS
VERMON	FRANCE	ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS
ZONARE MEDICAL SYSTEM	CANADA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
FRAUNHOFER IBMT	SAARLAND	MEDICAL AND TECHNICAL ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS
NDT	JAPAN	ALL ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS
SOINVATE	USA	FINGER MOUNTED MEDICAL ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS
PARALLEL IMAGING(GE)		MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
TELEMED ULTRASOUND SYTEMS	USA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
SAMSUNG MEDISON CO. LTD	USA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
CARE STREAM KODAK HEALTH	USA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
SONOSITE	USA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
ESAOTE	ITALY	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
LABORIE	CANADA	BLADDER SCANNERS,TRANSVAGINAL,TRANSECTRAL PROBES
SONOWAND	NORWAY	3D NEURO NAVIGATION SYSTEMS
MEDITECH	USA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
BROAD SOUND	TAIWAN	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
KEIY NDT SUPPLY CO	TAIWAN	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
WELLD	CHINA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
SIUI ULTRASOUND	CHINA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES
SHENCHAO	CHINA	MEDICAL ULTRASOUND PROBES

 MATRIX ARRAY PROBES

WHAT IS A  MATRIX ARRAY PROBE ?????

2D Matrix array is a new technology for the performance of 3D and 4D ultrasonography. It has a 2-dimensional arrangements of transducer elements like squares on a chessboard. This allows having control over the sound beams in 2 perpendicular angles with that one can steer and focus the sound beam in a whole volume of interest.

STRUCTURE OF THE PROBE 

Below figure shows the structure of a 2D matrix probe.

1. Transducer arrays : - Large number of piezoelectric materials arranged in an array manner (Patches)
2. Integrated circuit units :- To control the transmitted and received signals
3. Inter connection :- Electrical Connections with in the probe

HOW IT WORKS ????

These type probes allow direct volume scanning by electronically interrogation of a region of interest and acquisition of a pyramidal volume of ultrasound data at the rate of 24 volume with 3D/4D ultrasonography. The matrix arrangement of the elements allows their phasic firing produce an ultrasound beam that can be steer in axial,lateral and elevation directions in order to acquire the volumetric data set. Then the signals from each arrays are summed in order to reduce the number of digital lines in the coaxial cable.

BEAM FORMATION IN A MATRIX ARRAY PROBE

APPLICATIONS

• Used in obstetrics for the evaluation of fetal heart
• Cardiac and Abdominal Evaluation

SOME MATRIX ARRAY PROBES

• GE M4S
• PHILIPS X7-2t
• SEIMENS 4Z1C
• GE 6TV

To know more details about matrix array probes call 9847069684

AUREON-A NEW PROBE TESTING DEVICE

FEATURES

• Introduced by ACERTARA.
• Easy to use portable device.
• Next generation probe testing device of Firstcall
• It directly visualize the sound energy emanating from the probe's aperture that allows the quick and accurate diagnosis of the probe; that is it measures the acoustic pressure at the probe head.
• It test the probe as they are connected to the host ultrasound system.
• It can be used for testing any ultrasound systems and probes.
• It do not need any external adapters for testing purpose. 
• It is designed to test all types of probes ; especially 2D matrix probes having large number of elements.
• It easily detect the dead elements and other common probe failures with high speed and accuracy.

 

An AUREON generated Ultrasound probe testing report

To know more about the device click here