An ultrasound machine uses sound waves in the range of 3.5 to 7.0 megahertz to image internal structures. Ultrasound, also known as sonography, can be used for diagnosis, to provide visualization in real time during surgery and to look at a fetus in the womb of a pregnant woman. Ultrasound machines are prescription equipment regulated by the FDA and therefore only available to doctors and hospitals. The use of an ultrasound device requires a trained ultrasound technician, or sonographer.
Transducer
The transducer is the handheld portion of an ultrasound machine. These are typically shaped like a wand with a convex end that can be placed on the skin surface, although some types have a slim tip and are designed to be placed internally into the vagina or rectum. The transducer contains approximately 300 pizeo electric crystals that produce ultrasound waves in a sweeping pattern when the machine is turned on. Inside the transducer unit, a scanner receives the reflected sound waves as they bounce of off structures in the body.
Computer
An ultrasound machine requires computing power in the form of a CPU, or central processing unit, to analyze and store the images retrieved from the transducer. This analysis compares the known rate at which the sound is sent out from the transducer and the time it takes for the signal to bounce back to the scanner and calculates the density of the tissues reflecting the sound waves. The computer also controls the transducer, maintaining the rate at which it sends out ultrasound pulses and providing energy to operate.
Control Panel
The control panel is connected to the computer and allows the sonographer to alter aspects of the scan. The technician may choose to change the speed at which the sound waves are emitted, the duration of each pulse and the width of the beam. By doing so, the sonographer can change the depth viewed and the resolution of the scan.
Monitor
The monitor is where the ultrasound technician views the results of the scan and it generally looks similar to a home computer monitor or television. The sonographer may control what information is viewed on the screen and can pause the image or zoom in to look at specific structures in more detail. Sometimes, the technician will use the image to measure certain structures and may view things like blood flow in real time if the machine is set to record changes in pitch, a specific type of ultrasound usage called Doppler technology.
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