Which factor influences color flow imaging frame rate?
The frame rate in color flow imaging is influenced by several factors, one of the most significant being line density. Line density refers to the number of ultrasound lines used to create an image. Increasing line density improves spatial resolution but requires more time to acquire each frame, thereby reducing the frame rate. Other factors such as filter selection, dynamic range, and variance map selection can affect the quality of the color flow image, but they do not have as direct an impact on frame rate as line density does. Reference: ARDMS Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, Chapter on Color Doppler Imaging.
What produces increased attenuation within soft tissue?
Attenuation refers to the reduction in the intensity of the ultrasound beam as it travels through tissue. Higher frequency ultrasound beams experience more attenuation because they are absorbed and scattered more than lower frequency beams. This is due to the fact that higher frequency waves have shorter wavelengths and interact more with the small particles in tissues, causing greater energy loss. Reference: ARDMS Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, Chapter on Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation.
What is the primary determining factor of the fundamental frequency for pulsed wave transducers?
The fundamental frequency of a pulsed wave transducer is primarily determined by the thickness of the piezoelectric element. The frequency is inversely proportional to the thickness of the element -- thinner elements produce higher frequencies, while thicker elements produce lower frequencies. This relationship is derived from the formula =2f=2dv, where f is the frequency, v is the propagation speed of sound in the piezoelectric material, and d is the thickness of the element. Reference: ARDMS Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, Chapter on Transducer Technology.
Which feature is a characteristic of continuous wave Doppler?
Continuous wave Doppler uses two crystals -- one for transmitting and one for receiving ultrasound waves continuously. This allows for the measurement of high velocities without aliasing, a common limitation in pulsed wave Doppler. However, continuous wave Doppler does not have range specificity, meaning it cannot precisely determine the depth from which the Doppler signal is returning. Reference: ARDMS Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, Chapter on Doppler Ultrasound.
If the pulse repetition frequency is 3 kHz, what is the maximum Doppler shift that can be detected without aliasing?
The maximum Doppler shift that can be detected without aliasing is determined by the Nyquist limit, which is half of the pulse repetition frequency (PRF). If the PRF is 3 kHz, the Nyquist limit is 32=1.523kHz=1.5kHz. Therefore, the maximum Doppler shift that can be detected without aliasing is 1.5 kHz. Aliasing occurs when the Doppler shift exceeds this limit, causing an incorrect representation of the velocity. Reference: ARDMS Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, Chapter on Doppler Principles.
