Medical Imaging Modalities 4 - Ultrasound

Medical Imaging Modalities
BMeg4181
Lecture 4 – Ultrasound
Dr. Timothy Kwa
Bushberg et al., The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging,
Chapter 16
Ultrasound: Basics
Acoustic Wave Generation
The Speed of Sound
• c = λf
• c = , B is a measure of the stiffness of a
medium and its resistance to being
compressed
• Low density (ρ) => low c (slow sound)
• High density (e.g. bone) => high c
• Air, c = 330m/s | Soft tissue, c = 1,540 m/s
Note: Frequency is constant; wavelength depends on material properties

The Speed of Sound
An ultrasound machine is generating sound at 5-
MHz. What is the wavelength of this sound as it
travels through soft tissue (c = 1,540 m/s) or
skull bone (4,080 m/s)
Soft tissue: λ = 0.31 mm

Skull bone: λ = 0.82 mm
Ultrasound Waves
• Modern US systems use multiple transducers
Pressure, Intensity, and dB
• Intensity (the amount of power [energy/time] per
area) => I α P2
• Units of intensity: milliwatts/cm2
• Relative intensity (dB) = 10 log(I2/I1)

• Relative pressure (dB) = 20 log(P2/P1)
• Intensity ratios easily describe the signal

• Intensity ratio of 106 = 60dB; 3dB = 50% signal loss
US Interaction with Matter
• US waves can reflect, refract, scatter, and
absorb.
– Reflection: difference in the acoustic impedance
– Refraction: waves change direction because they
hit something
– Scattering: waves are sent in many directions
– Absorption: wave energy is attenuation, converted
to heat
US Interaction with Matter
A large difference in acoustic impedance results in a large

reflection of energy, like a spring connected to a wall
Ultrasound Reflection
Reflection
• Reflection pressure amplitude coefficient, RP
RP = =
• Reflection intensity amplitude coefficient, RI
RI = = ()2
Reflection
• Intensity transmission coefficient TI = 1 – RI
• Calculate the RP, RI, and TI for an ultrasound

wave traveling from fat into muscle, where ZFat
= 1.71 and ZMuscle = 1.34
• (TI = 0.985 => 98.5% energy is transmitted)

Reflection
• Calculate the RP, RI, and TI for an ultrasound
wave traveling from muscle into air, where
ZMuscle = 1.34 and ZAir = 0.0004
• Anything beyond an air cavity is invisible
This is why ultrasound requires a gel: to eliminate air

pockets that would otherwise reflect all energy
Refraction
• Refraction obeys Snell’s Law:
Refraction
causes
artifacts!
Boundary and Tissue Interactions
Scattering
• Most organs have a characteristic structure
that gives rise to a defined scatter “signature”
to provide much of the diagnostic information
contained in the ultrasound image
• Differences in scatter amplitude cause

corresponding brightness changes on the
ultrasound display
Echo Strength
• Echo amplitude is proportional to:
– Number of scatterers per volume
– Acoustic impedance difference
– Sizes of the scatterers
– Ultrasonic frequency
• High amplitude: hyperechoic
• Low amplitude: hypoechoic
Scattering increases with frequency; reflection does not.
Therefore, scattered echo signals can be enhanced by using
higher frequency ultrasound
Attenuation
• Signal attenuation by scattering and tissue
absorption
Attenuation
• Recall 3 dB in intensity (6 dB in pressure
amplitude) is 50% signal attenuation
• HVT:
Half value
thickness,
where 3 dB
intensity is
measured
Attenuation
• The frequency is proportional to the
attenuation
• Using 2-MHz compared to 1-MHz, 2x
attenuation. 10-MHz, 10x attenuation.
Attenuation
Attenuation
• Calculate the HVT in soft tissue (Attenuation 0.5
dB/cm/MHz) for ultrasound beams of 2 MHz
and 10 MHz. How many HVTs will the beam and
its echo travel at a 6-cm depth?
• HVT(f) =
Attenuation
• Calculate the approximate intensity loss of a 5-
MHz ultrasound wave traveling roundtrip to a
depth of 4cm in the liver (soft tissue, 0.5
dB/cm/MHz) and reflected from an air pocket
(100% reflection).
• Intensity Loss = 10 log (

Attenuation
• Because return intensities are usually very low
(0.01%, or 40dB), ultrasound detectors must
have a dynamic range of 120 to 140dB in
pressure amplitude (107 intensity range)
• Deeper penetration => use lower frequency
Transducers
• The heart of every transducer is a ceramic or
crystal element (“piezoelectric”) with
electromechanical properties
• The element converts electrical energy into

mechanical energy, then mechanical energy is
converted into electrical energy for detection
Transducers
Piezoelectric Materials
• Crystal or ceramic
• Physical deformation of crystal structure
creates mechanical (sound) energy
• Mechanical pressure applied to the element
creates electrical energy
• Quartz crystals are a mechanical vibration
source at 32.768 kHz
Piezoelectric Transducer
• Typically lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT)
• Heating the material beyond the “Curie
temperature” (~350oC) and applying a volage
causes dipoles to align in the ceramic, and the
configuration is maintained when the material
is cooled.
• The natural frequency,

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Medical Imaging Modalities

Note: Frequency is constant; wavelength depends on material properties

Soft tissue: λ = 0.31 mm

• Relative intensity (dB) = 10 log(I2/I1)

• Intensity ratios easily describe the signal

A large difference in acoustic impedance results in a large

• Reflection intensity amplitude coefficient, RI

• Calculate the RP, RI, and TI for an ultrasound

• (TI = 0.985 => 98.5% energy is transmitted)

• Anything beyond an air cavity is invisible

This is why ultrasound requires a gel: to eliminate air

• Differences in scatter amplitude cause

• Intensity Loss = 10 log (

• The element converts electrical energy into

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