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What can an ultrasound system (ultrasound diagnostic system) examine?
Ultrasound systems can produce images of internal organs and structures, map blood flow and tissue motion, and provide highly accurate blood velocity information by transmitting acoustic energy into the human body and then receiving and processing the echoes. Ultrasound systems include sensors, high-voltage switches, high-voltage transmit circuits, transmit (Tx)/receive (Rx) switches, receive channel analog front ends (AFEs), beamformers, digital signal processing circuits after beamforming, display processing circuits, and peripherals.
Ultrasound waves used for defect detection are generated and received by small probes called ultrasound probes, which convert electrical pulses into sound waves and then convert sound waves into electrical energy. Probes used for defect detection come in a variety of sizes, frequencies, and housing styles, but most probes have the same internal structure.
In general, the active element of the probe is a thin layer of piezoelectric ceramic or piezoelectric composite structure in the shape of a disk, square, or rectangle that can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy (ultrasonic vibration) or mechanical energy into electrical energy. When the element is excited by an electrical pulse, sound waves are generated, and when the element vibrates in contact with the echo, a voltage is generated. To protect the active element (often colloquially called the crystal) from damage, the transducer can be equipped with a wear plate or acoustic crystal layer, and a piece of acoustic damping material can be installed on the back side so that the transducer will not produce noise after transmitting the acoustic pulse. This ultrasonic subassembly is mounted in a housing with appropriate electrical connections. All common contact, angle beam, delay line and immersion transducers use this basic design. Dual element transducers, which are commonly used in corrosion inspection applications, are different from these transducers. Dual element transducers have different transmitting and receiving elements separated by an acoustic barrier layer, no backing layer, no wear plate or crystal layer, but an integrated delay line to achieve the purpose of deflecting and coupling the acoustic energy.
Ultrasonic System Couplants
Ultrasonic couplants are used in almost all contact testing applications to facilitate the transfer of sound energy between the probe and the part being tested. Couplants are generally non-toxic liquids, gels, or pastes with medium viscosity. These couplants are necessary for ultrasonic nondestructive testing because sound energy does not travel effectively through air at the frequencies commonly used for ultrasonic testing. Even a very thin layer of air between the probe and the part being tested can prevent effective sound energy transmission and make conventional testing impossible.
In many applications, common substances such as water, motor oil, grease, and even some commercial products such as hair spray can be used as ultrasonic couplants. Special couplants are used for high temperature testing and in applications that require the use of special chemicals such as low halogen content.
Ultrasound is used for many reasons, including
To observe the uterus and ovaries during pregnancy and to monitor the health of the developing fetus.
To diagnose gallbladder disease.
To assess blood flow.
To guide a biopsy needle or tumor treatment needle.
To examine a breast lump.
To examine the thyroid gland.
Identify genital and prostate problems.
Evaluate joint inflammation (i.e. synovitis).
What does an abdominal ultrasound test do?
Abdominal ultrasounds are used to evaluate the health of organs such as the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, and spleen. They help detect problems such as stones, blockages, or inflammation. In addition, they can guide medical procedures and evaluate blood flow in the abdominal blood vessels.
Can I drink water during an abdominal ultrasound?
Typically, you cannot eat or drink water within 8 to 12 hours before an abdominal ultrasound. This is called fasting. Fasting helps prevent gas accumulation in the abdomen from affecting the test results. Ask a member of your ealthcare team to find out if you can drink water before the test.
Does a cardiac ultrasound require fasting?
Do you need to fast or hold your urine during a cardiac ultrasound? Which ones require fasting and holding your urine? No. Fasting is required for examinations of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and other abdominal structures to avoid interference from food and gas.
Precautions for B-ultrasound (color ultrasound) examinations
Because B-ultrasound examinations have the advantages of no side effects, they have become an indispensable and necessary part of the examination. In order to facilitate the correct diagnosis of the disease, it is necessary to master the precautions for B-ultrasound and do a good job of B-ultrasound examinations. So, what should we pay attention to when doing B-ultrasound examination?
1. Spleen: No special preparation is required for simple spleen examination, but after a full meal, the spleen will shift backward and upward, affecting the imaging, so it is better to fast.
2. Retroperitoneal organs: Preparation is the same as gallbladder. If you need to distinguish whether the lesion is in the pelvic cavity, keep the bladder full before the examination. Do not do barium contrast two days before the examination.
3. Liver and kidney: Generally, no special preparation is required before the examination, but it is best to do it on an empty stomach.
4. Obstetrics and gynecology: Preparation is the same as gallbladder. However, you should stop urinating 2-3 hours before the examination, and drink 500-800ML of water if necessary, and make sure that the bladder feels swollen. If it is in the early stage of pregnancy, you don’t need to drink water to avoid excessive bladder filling and compressing the uterus. If you do a transvaginal ultrasound examination, you don’t need to drink water.
5. Gastrointestinal: For upper gastrointestinal examinations such as gastrointestinal, you should eat easily digestible food the night before, and do not eat or drink water on the morning of the examination. If the patient needs to undergo gastrointestinal X-ray or fiber endoscopy at the same time, ultrasound examination should also be arranged before them, or 2-3 days after them, so as to avoid interference from barium and gas. When undergoing rectal examination, the patient must keep the bladder full, so he should not urinate 2-3 hours before the examination. Before undergoing colon examination, you should pay attention to emptying the stool.
6. Eyes: During the examination, the examined eye should be closed, the non-examined eye should look straight at the ceiling, and the lower jaw should be slightly tilted up so that the pupil is in the center. Do not rub your eyes during the examination to avoid the oily liquid used for the examination flowing into the eyes and damaging the eyes.
7. Gallbladder and pancreas: When undergoing gallbladder ultrasound examination, eat less greasy food the day before, and do not eat again 8 hours before the examination (that is, after dinner the day before the examination). If the gallbladder does not show and needs to be re-examined, fasting fatty foods for 24-48 hours. If the patient also needs to undergo gastrointestinal or gallbladder X-ray angiography at the same time, ultrasound examination should be arranged before them, or three days after gastrointestinal barium meal and two days after biliary angiography. Preparation for pancreatic examination is the same as that for gallbladder.
You need to drink plenty of water before this examination. You need to drink about 1000ml of water half an hour to one hour before the examination, and hold your urine to the maximum limit, otherwise, it will affect the B-ultrasound results.
1. Spleen: No special preparation is required for simple spleen examination, but the spleen will shift backward and upward after a full meal, affecting the imaging, so it is better to be on an empty stomach.
2. Retroperitoneal organs: Preparation is the same as gallbladder. If you need to distinguish whether the lesion is in the pelvic cavity, keep the bladder full before the examination. Do not do barium contrast two days before the examination
3. Liver and kidney: Generally, no special preparation is required before the examination, but it is best to be done on an empty stomach.
4. Obstetrics and gynecology: Preparation is the same as gallbladder. However, you should stop urinating 2-3 hours before the examination, and drink 500-800ML of water if necessary, and make sure that the bladder feels swollen. If you are in the early stages of pregnancy, you don’t need to drink water to avoid overfilling the bladder and compressing the uterus. If you are doing a transvaginal ultrasound examination, you don’t need to drink water.
5. Gastrointestinal: For upper gastrointestinal examinations such as gastrointestinal examinations, eat easily digestible food the night before and do not eat or drink on the morning of the examination. If the patient needs to undergo gastrointestinal X-ray or fiber endoscopy examinations at the same time, ultrasound examinations should also be arranged before them, or 2-3 days after them, to avoid interference with barium and gas. When performing a rectal examination, the patient must keep the bladder full, so no urination should be done 2-3 hours before the examination. Before a colon examination, you should pay attention to emptying the stool.
. Eyes: During the examination, close the eye being examined, look straight at the ceiling with the non-examined eye, and slightly tilt the lower jaw so that the pupil is in the center. Do not rub your eyes during the examination to avoid the oily liquid used for the examination flowing into the eyes and damaging the eyes.
7. Gallbladder and pancreas: When performing a gallbladder ultrasound examination, eat less greasy food the day before, and do not eat again 8 hours before the examination (i.e. after dinner the day before the examination). If the gallbladder does not show and needs to be re-examined, fast for 24-48 hours. If the patient also needs to undergo gastrointestinal or gallbladder X-ray angiography at the same time, ultrasound examination should be arranged before them, or three days after gastrointestinal barium meal and two days after cholangiography. The preparation for pancreatic examination is the same as that for gallbladder.
You need to drink more water before this examination. You need to drink about 1000ml of water half an hour to one hour before the examination, and hold your urine to the maximum limit, otherwise, it will affect the B-ultrasound results.
