Use

Compared to other prominent methods of medical imaging, ultrasound has several (dis-)advantages.

Advantages include:
• It provides images in real-time (still and video),
• it is portable and can be brought to the
bedside,
• it is substantially lower in cost,
• it does not use harmful ionizing radiation.

Drawbacks include:
• various limits on its field of view including
o patient cooperation and physique (obese),
o difficulty imaging structures behind bone and
air,
• and its dependence on a skilled operator.

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound Principles

 Construction

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Portable ultrasound system (examples)

portable ultrasound system with ultrasound system on

four transducers smart phone

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 User Interface (example)

The user interfaces are operated partly via screen menus

(graphic user interface or GUI), partly via direct buttons - for
frequently used functions.
A (black) tracker ball is used as pointing device, because of the
lack of a flat surface for mouse operation.
3 ultrasound transducers for different applications are visible
on the right side.

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Construction
A high end ultrasound system contains a
lot of electronics. Repair cannot be
undertaken without guidance of a service
manual. The most common problem, next
to user and power issues, is poor
connections of the PCBs in their
connectors/slots.

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Ultrasound Transmitter and Receiver
Electrical design diagrams are interesting for designers,
but rarely for general BMET equipment maintainers.

transmitter When an ultrasound system requires corrective

maintenance, the BMET checks for the common
mistakes (see later on) as well as for broken wires,
connectors that make poor contacts (cleaning!), power
levels, etc. You can try to exchange a visibly burnt
component (?).

If that does not bring improvement, the service manual

instructions need to be followed precisely to identify
receiver problems such as broken spare parts.

If this fails, a service engineer with specialized

(manufacturers) training needs to become involved.

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Ultrasound Transmitter and Receiver

Watch:
DVD Ultrasound #5:
Quality Assurance and Block Diagrams
of PartSource DVD set.

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Corrective Maintenance Highlights
User Error Is enough of the proper ultrasound gel used?
Are the controls set correctly? In particular the contrast and brightness buttons!
Transducer Ensure that the transducer is properly connected and undamaged
The transducer is sensitive to shocks! If there is defective element, you often see a black
line on the image. Transducer cracks cannot be repaired: exchange the transducer.
Gently pull on the cable at different points to see when the image flickers. This is
where the cable is broken. If cable/connections are broken: fix by soldering
Dials/buttons If buttons don’t function properly: replace or use anti-corrosive contact spray on dials.
Deteriorating Check mains voltage, check pre-amplifiers, check probe connection, fuses.
image quality Is the machine calibrated correctly?
the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor may be worn out after a few years. Replace!
A voltage stabilizer may be required in case of varying mains voltage (more than 10%)
Electric contact Poor electric contacts is a major problem in all electronics devices.

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Preventive Maintenance: Daily & Weekly care

Daily Care: Weekly Care:

Clean Wipe dust of exterior and cover Clean Unplug, clean outside / wheels
wipe probe with alcohol-free tissue / rear with damp cloth, dry off
or cloth
Visual Check Check that mains plug screws
Visual Check Check all fittings and accessories
are tight. Check that mains cable has no
are mounted correctly. Check that cables
bare wire and is not damaged.
are not twisted and the probe is safely
stored.
Function Check If machine has not been in use,
Function Check If in use that day, run a brief run and test briefly.
function check before patients arrive.

Do not soak the cable with gel!

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Preventive Maintenance Checklist: BMET
Preventive maintenance (BMET, every six months):
Clean outside (if necessary)
Visual Check Check if all accessories are
mounted correctly, incl. strain reliefs.
Check cables, power & connections.
Open system and perform visual
This is a general preventive
check inside the system. Clean.
maintenance list. Check
Grease & filters grease wheels, replace air filters, service documentation for
…. the maintenance
Function Check Check imaging quality with procedures specific for the
different transducers system at hand.
Calibrate system with phantoms
Safety CheckCheck electrical safety

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Calibration
Calibration is performed by means of phantoms. Different phantoms are used to test different
performance features such as lateral and axial resolution, and correctness of distance measurements.
Based of the ultrasound image of the phantom, the good performance of the system can be confirmed.
Transducers cannot be adjusted with respect to their image accuracy. If the test result is not acceptable,
the transducer should be replaced.
The white dots in the image indicate reflectors at these
locations in the phantom.
If the reflections do not show up at the correct
locations in the image, something is probably wrong
with the transducer.

Full calibration requires using a range of phantoms

to test different aspects of the equipment.
Phantom (example) Example of ultrasound
Follow the instructions in the service manual.
image of phantom

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 Safety

Ultrasound diagnostic imaging appears to be risk-

free when used properly.

Ultrasound transducers should be handled

carefully to avoid damage. Electromechanical
problems, such as cracks in piezoelectric elements,
can alter beam width or sound pulses, thereby
affecting resolution. Errors in distance
measurements from the images can cause
incorrect calculations and thus an incorrect
diagnosis.

© dr. Chris R. Mol, BME, NORTEC, 2016 Ultrasound System

 END
The creation of this presentation was supported by a grant from THET:
see https://www.thet.org/