| al ultrasound equipment works on basic principals. | | | | images gathered by either inserting the probe into the |
| These machines act in the same way that bats do | | | | body or by changing its angle outside. Dozens of 2-D |
| when they fly. First, the machine sends out high | | | | imaging are fed into a computer that does the |
| frequency sound waves into the body. These waves | | | | calculations to give a three dimensional readout. This |
| all travel at the same speed until they come to some | | | | type of medical ultrasound equipment has proven |
| sort of a differential. This might be where bone meets | | | | invaluable to obstetricians looking at fetuses and |
| tissue or fluids meet tissue. At this border, some of the | | | | oncologists examining tumors. |
| waves are reflected back to the medical ultrasound | | | | Imaging is also likely to improve as well, but for now, it |
| equipment, while others continue on. Once all the | | | | is vital that the doctor has quality medical ultrasound |
| waves have returned, the machine determines the | | | | equipment. This will offer the clearest readout as well |
| distance of the borders by using the length of time that | | | | as having the ability to print the images. Obstetricians |
| the waves took to return, the intensity of the wave, | | | | already know how important the printer is, since every |
| and the density of tissue. All of this happens in | | | | mother-to-be wants a copy from the medical |
| micro-seconds, and the results appear instantaneously. | | | | ultrasound equipment as her first baby picture. A hard |
| The screen of the medical ultrasound equipment then | | | | copy is also a useful backup for any imaging session, |
| shows these distance differences and the intensities | | | | in case computer files are destroyed or lost. Due to |
| usually as a two-dimensional image. The view of the | | | | their diagnostic nature, medical ultrasound equipment is |
| image can be changed simply by moving the probe | | | | not likely to diminish in their use or popularity. As more |
| around or changing its angle. | | | | and more improvements are made especially in 3-D |
| There are two other types of medical ultrasound | | | | imaging and doppler, physicians will find more uses for |
| equipment. One of which is the blood doppler machine. | | | | them, and not having one in the office will be seen as |
| This uses the same principal behind doppler radar to | | | | a detriment to the patient. |
| image the interior of the body. Rather than using the | | | | Medical ultrasound equipment is a widely used piece of |
| time and intensities of returned sound waves, doppler | | | | medical equipment, implemented by doctors from |
| machines use the frequencies. A wave that returns | | | | many different fields. While most associate them with |
| with a higher frequency means that the object is | | | | obstetrics, they are also used to image the heart and |
| moving toward the probe, and a lower frequency | | | | circulatory systems as well as in the field of urology. |
| indicates movement away. The change in frequency | | | | Any physician worth his salt knows that having reliable |
| determines the speed of the object. This is a helpful | | | | medical ultrasound equipment that is easy to use and |
| tool in the field of cardiology for measuring blood as it | | | | interpret could mean the difference between a positive |
| flows through the circulatory system. | | | | or negative diagnosis. A mistake such as that could |
| Another kind is 3-D imaging medical ultrasound | | | | cost the patient his life, and the practitioner his livelihood. |
| equipment . This compiles many two dimensional | | | | |