The working of an Ultrasound machine

It’s the age of technology, with new innovation and inventions being created in a blink of an eye, it has changed our life and with some of its cons there are plenty of advantages along the way.  Such a technology is the Ultrasound machine, an integral part of our life nowadays. An ultrasound is basically a machine that has multiple components. A basic ultrasound machine is  composed of the following units:

●       Transducer probe - probe that sends and receives the sound waves

●       Central processing unit (CPU) - the brain of the machine.

●       Transducer pulse controls - controls the amplitude, frequency and duration of the pulses emitted from the transducer probe

●       Display unit- displays the ultrasound image processed by the CPU

●       Keyboard/cursor - inputs data

●       Disk storage device - stores the acquired images

●       Printer - prints the image from the displayed data

The most integral part is the transducer probe is in the ultrasound machine. This probe both produces the sound waves used in ultrasound and receives their echoes back. This then creates and receives sound waves working on a principle, this effect causes quartz crystals contained in the transducer probe to vibrate rapidly and send out sound waves, which are mechanical pressure waves, when an electrical current is applied to them. Conversely, when sound or pressure waves hit the crystals, they emit electrical currents. Therefore, these crystals send and receive the sound waves at the same time. These Probes also have sound-absorbing material so that they do not re-reflect sound echoes.

The CPU contains the microprocessor, memory, amplifiers and power supplies for the microprocessor and transducer probe. Then it will send an electrical current or currents to the transducer probe to create sound waves, and also receives the electrical pulses coming from the probe. The CPU processes all the data to create the image based on the electrical pulses received from the probe. The CPU also stores the processed data and/or image on disk. The transducer pulse controls allows the operator, to set and change the frequency and duration of the ultrasound pulses, as well as the mode of the machine. These commands are translated by the CPU into changing electric currents that are applied to the piezoelectric crystals in the transducer probe.

The display is a screen that shows the processed data (i.e images) from the CPU. Displays can be black-and-white or color, or even 3D, depending upon the model of the ultrasound machine.

Ultrasound machines have a built-in keyboard and a trackball or a joystick. These allow the operator to input the data regarding the patient and/or adding measurements etc. For more information and details regarding ultrasound and if you would like to get some baby ultrasound pictures of your baby who is ready to arrive in your world then visit 1-800-Sonogram for information.