• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2015

A ultrasonic probe is very important in medical ultrasonic image, but the frequency of probe defects are often. Therefore practical tools for probe based ultrasonic QA should be developed. Advanced research on the effects of the probe defects on the quality of ultrasonic images is required. This study has investigated the effects of the defects in the probe elements influence Doppler images in the medical ultrasonic scanners. Especially the defects in a set of adjacent elements(SAE) electrically disconnected influence Doppler images were tested. The results show Doppler brightness and velocity became rapidly reduced as the defected elements is located centrally, as the defected elements is activated. The more the defected elements increased, the more Doppler brightness and velocity increased. As a set of the element disconnected moved, it appeared Doppler velocity starting to decrease and then was followed by brightness. The strength is not consistent with the velocity in the number and location of the defected elements. The defects in the probe elements influence Doppler velocity when the defected elements got out of the elements activated at Doppler mode.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.443-449
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• 2015

An ultrasound probe has a big impact on Doppler images even though it has very high risk of frequent function-breakdowns occurring in medical ultrasound scanners. This study experimentally analyses the impacts of an ultrasonic probe's defected elements on power & color Doppler images. The results show that, the bigger the size of defected probe elements is, and the closer a group of action elements is to the center, the more the brightness of images and the velocity of Doppler diminish. When elements' defects increase in color & power Doppler images, false images are formed to be mistaken for blood-vessel plaque in neighboring regions. Accordingly, whenever element defects are suspected, we need check-up process in B-mode. From this respective, it is advisable to have primary interest in a probe and carry out continuous probe QA for ultrasonography.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2022

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the disinfection of clinical ultrasound probes using the vapor fumigation method, which can quickly achieve high-level disinfection. Upon the inspection of the microbial contamination level of clinically used ultrasound probes, nine different types of bacteria were detected. The disinfection efficacy of 7.5% and 35% hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was comparatively tested for the detected microbes. The 35% H₂O₂ demonstrated superior efficacy per disinfection duration. No significant change was observed in the rubber component of the ultrasound probes as a result of the 35% H₂O₂ disinfection treatment. The probes were contaminated with the microbes detected in the microbial contamination level inspection and subsequently disinfected using the novel medical disinfector that utilizes the vapor fumigation method. As a result, the disinfection using the novel device achieved 100% eradication of the microbes from the probes.This study demonstrates that the novel vapor fumigation method-based disinfector provides a faster and more powerful means of disinfection than the conventional disinfection methods. Therefore, the novel disinfector has the potential to be used as a convenient ultrasound probe disinfector in clinical settings.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2014

This study has investigated the effects of the defects in the probe elements influence Doppler images in the medical ultrasonic scanners. This work was implemented that the quality of Doppler images depended on the extent and location of the probe element defected. The probe performance was rated in terms of the number of piezoelectric elements lost and this was studied in the experiment by electrical disconnection to the elements. The results showed that Doppler velocity became rapidly reduced as the defected elements encountered with the element group activated at the Doppler mode, not as the flow velocity. The effect of the probe defect is decreased when the defects occurred at the element group activated for Doppler mode, as was increased the number of the elements. It was observed that the higher the flow velocity of Doppler flow phantom is, the wider the spectrum of Doppler is. And the Doppler velocity soared up and the dispersion of image brightness is increased when the defected elements got out of the elements activated at Doppler mode. The result showed that TADVP(time-average-Doppler-velocity-profile) is decreased with the increase of the probe element defect, especilly in the region of high frequency. It is expected that the research of various defects of probe elements are needed, and this study can be practical tools for probe based ultrasonic QA in the future.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.766-771
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• 2002

In this study, we have developed a 3-dimensional diagnostic ultrasonic sector probe using a convex type ultrasonic probe with 128 active elements. The probe was made to operate at the center frequency of 4.5㎒ with the bandwidth of 66%. The driving part was designed to rotate the axis of the convex probe by means of a step motor equipped with reduction gears and spur gears attached to the motor so that the probe could enable us to acquire a series of 2-dimensional images to construct a 3-dimensional image. Acoustic cover of the probe was made of polymers to have the same radius of rotation as that of the convex probe. The controllability of the rotation angle and the structural stability of the probe were confirmed through experimental 3-dimensional images obtained using the developed 3-dimensional sector probe.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.476-482
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• 2010

The ultrasonic transient fields and B-mode images of a point target which were simulated for a medical ultrasonic probe with a few defective piezo-elements were compared with those for a normal probe. The present study considered a 3.5 MHz linear array probe whose acoustic beam was formed by the 64 active elements of total 192 elements. The results showed that the maximum amplitude and -3 dB width of the acoustic fields by main-lobes decreased linearly as the defective element number increased from one to four. However, the depths of foci remained almost unchanged, and the pressure differences between main-lobes and side-lobes tended to decrease due to rise in pressures in side-lobes. Such changes in ultrasonic fields affected the B-mode images of point targets. So the artifacts were formed in the right and left side of the target, and the lateral spatial resolutions were decreased while the axial resolution was almost the same.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.346-354
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• 2018

In the probe of a medical ultrasound device, three parts were selected randomly by the examiner and the bacteria in the probe were detected by the blood examiners. In addition, the degree of death of the pathogenic bacteria after each disinfection of the detected pathogens, disinfecting ethanol, and disinfecting tissue of the detected pathogens were analyzed quantitatively. The following was detected: S Aureus (32.3 %), Bacillus spp. (26.5 %), Micrococcus spp. (21.5 %), and CNS (20 %). With the conventional probe, S. aureus (26.2 %), a playback curve (24.2 %), and a micron (19.5 %), Micrococcus spp. (15.5 %), and CNS (14.6 %) were observed. In the fan probe, S. aureus (24.7 %), Enterococcus (24.7 %), Enterococcus (17.7 %), and CNS (13.8 %) were detected. The disinfection of the three pathogens detected revealed sterilization of most of the pathogens, and most cases contained at least 91.3 % of the total sterilizing effect (P>0.05). In addition, for the disinfection of Propolis extract and disinfecting tissue, the disinfection effect was lower than that of disinfecting ethanol, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The results revealed bacteria on most of the ultrasound probes. Antiseptic disinfection of surgical instruments using an extract of propolis works with results similar to those of ethanol. A blood test along with disinfection can help prevent infection if an ultrasound probe is applied to food.

• Ceramist
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.15-31
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• 2014

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.551-563
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• 2012

Medical ultrasound systems have been used since 1950s, and are now widely used in most hospitals as indispensable diagnostic imaging systems. Since array probe was introduced in 1970s, beamforming technology using electronic signal processing has been adopted to the medical ultrasound system, and has been improved. Beamforming is a important technology which defines the resolution of the ultrasound system. In this paper, the technologies are introduced from basic beamforming principles to current trend. They include principles of beamforming using array probe, basic theory, and practical implementation, and recent topics of synthetic aperture imaging, adaptive beamforming, 2-dimensional beamforming using 2-dimensional array are also introduced. These various technologies will improve system performances continuously by merging innovatively with various technologies in other fields.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.39C no.10
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• pp.896-908
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• 2014

The electrical medical device market have been expanded since the public interest in healthy living that has deepened together with the global health trend of the aging population. The external hand-held ultrasonic probe is a frequently approved medical device and it is commonly used in the clinical field. However, there is no obvious standard or a guideline in Korea on regarding evaluation of performance of such external hand-held ultrasonic probe for approval and quality management. In this study, local and foreign reference standards were reviewed to propose performance test standards and methods after conducting characteristic of probe, market, and permission status. In addition, such proposed test items were validated to develop a draft guideline that is internationally harmonized for performance evaluation. This study is expected not only improve the quality and performance of the external hand-held ultrasonic probe but also contribute to securing consistency of permission and evaluation works for approval.