Modes of

Ultrasound
By
Madhuri Thatte
Display Mode

 A mode

 M mode

 B mode
 A mode

 First form of echo display.

 Echoes displayed as vertical deflection.

 Horizontal axis represents distance or depth.

 The vertical axis represents the amplitude of

the echoes.
A-Mode Scan

 A-Mode scan:
 Records the amplitude of returning echoes from the
tissue boundaries with respect to time. In this mode
of imaging the ultrasound pulses are sent in the
imaging medium with a perpendicular incident angle.
 Since the echo time represents the acoustic
impedance of the medium and depth of the reflecting
boundary of the tissue, distance measurements for
the tissue structure and interfaces along the
ultrasound beam can be computed.
 The intensity and time measurements of echoes can
provide useful three-dimensional tissue
characterization.
 A-mode – one-dimensional

Distances between reflecting interfaces and the probe

are shown.
Reflections from individual interfaces (boundaries of
media with different acoustic impedances) are
represented by vertical deflections of base line, i.e. the
echoes.
Echo amplitude is proportional to the intensity of
reflected waves (Amplitude modulation)
Distance between echoes shown on the screen is
approx. proportional to real distance between tissue
interfaces.
Today used mainly in ophthalmology.

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A-mode – one-dimensional

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 A mode

The horizontal position of the A-mode on the

CRT display depends on the transducer-
reflector time relationship.

 The electronic beam is swept horizontally by

the horizontal sweep generator at a speed of
1540 m/s from left to right.

 The CRT electron beam is synchronized to

start the sweeping action with the
application of the transmit pulse voltage.
 A-mode

The vertical position of the trace is determined

by the voltage signal amplitude from the video
amplifier.

The height of the vertical deflection depends on

the amplitude of the echoes and receiver
function such as the gain and TGC settings.
A-mode

Amplitude (y-axes)
Distance (x-axis)
 B-mode

B-mode means Brightness mode.

 Echoes are displayed brightened dots.

 The strength of the echoes determines the

brightness.

 The position of the B-mode dot on the screen

represents the reflector distance and is determine
by the transducer-reflector time relationship.
B-Mode Scan

 B-Mode Scan
 Provides two-dimensional images representing the
changes in acoustic impedance of the tissue.
 The brightness of the B-Mode image shows the
strength of the echo from the tissue structure.
 To obtain a 2-D image of the tissue structure, the
transducer is pivoted at a point about an axis and is
used to obtain a V-shape imaging region. Alternately,
the transducer can be moved to scan the imaging
region.
 Several images of the acquired data based on the
processing kernel filters can be displayed to show the
acoustic characteristics of the tissue structure and its
medium.
B-mode – two-dimensional

A tomogram is depicted.
Brightness of points on the screen represents intensity
of reflected US waves (Brightness modulation).

Static B-scan: a cross-section image of examined area in

the plane given by the beam axis and direction of
manual movement of the probe on body surface. The
method was used in 50‘ and 60‘ of 20th century

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B-mode – two-
dimensional - static

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B-mode - dynamic

Repetitive formation of B-mode

images of examined area by
fast deflection of US beam
mechanically (in the past) or
electronically „in real time“
today.
Electronic probes consist of
many piezoelectric transducers
which are gradually activated. 14
Block diagram of B Mode
 Transmitter

 SCR based circuit or high

voltage FET
controls

 Time gain compensator

 Delay
 Intensity
 Corse gain
 Reject
 Near gain
 Enhancement
TGC

 To compensate weak
echoes
Intensity control:
determines potential difference across transducer
as increased more stronger beam is produced
Corse gain
it regulated height of echoes
Rejection control
It cleans up useless signals
Delay control
It regulated the depth at which TGC begins
Near gain control
Diminish near echoes
Far gain control
To supplement distant echoes
TGC
Linear array scanner

Transducer has high sensitivity or SNR,

good spatial resolution
no artifacts.
The individual array elements should have
wide angular response in the steering dimensions,
low cross-coupling
an electrical impedance matched to the transmitter.
 Linear-array transducers have increased versatility over piston
transducers.
 Electronic scanning involves no moving parts, and the focal
point can be changed dynamically to any location in the
scanning plane.
 The system can generate a wide variety of scan formats, and it
can process the received echoes for other applications, such as
dynamic receive focusing
Disadvantages of linear arrays

 The disadvantages of linear arrays are due to the increased

complexity and higher cost of the transducers and scanners.
 For high-quality ultrasound images, many identical array
elements are required (currently 128 and rising).
 The array elements are typically less than a millimeter on one
side, and each has a separate connection to its own transmitter
and receiver electronics
Phased array
Pulse rate

 It is different from frequency

 It refers to no. of separate packets of sound per second
 Indicates total no. of echoes returning to transducer in unit
time.
 Higher pulse rate is desirable
Resolution

 Resolution can be divided into:

• Lateral (sideways)
• Axial (depth)
 Lateral resolution depends on the thickness of the beam. At higher
frequencies it is easier to achieve narrow beam, but the penetration is reduced.
 In examination of the children are used frequency 5-7 MHz, while in adults 3-
5 MHz. If we work with the reduced sensitivity of the device, then the weak
reflectors (parenchyma) lose the pictures, but the lateral resolution for the
remaining, stronger, reflectors is better.
 Axial resolution is much better than regular lateral also for display of thin
structures (e.g. thin blood vessels) the probe should be always oriented to the
vessels so that blood flow across the ultrasound beam.
 At present conventional ultrasonic device to create images we are using only
the amplitude (intensity) response.
Axial resolution

 It is ability of beam to separate objects along the axis

 the axial resolution is often defined as one-half the pulse
length.
 A transducer with a high resonant frequency and a broad
bandwidth has a short acoustic pulse and good axial resolution.
B-mode - dynamic

MEMORY sampling

Modern ultrasonography - digital processing of image

 Analogue part – detection system
 Analogue-digital converters (ADC)
 Digital processing of signal – possibility of
programming (preprocessing, postprocesssing), image
storage (floppy discs, CD, flash cards etc.) 34
B-mode - dynamic
Ultrasound probes for dynamic B-mode: electronic and
mechanical (history), sector and linear.

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Abdominal cavity is often examined by convex probe – a combination

of a sector and linear probe.
B-mode -
dynamic

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 M-MODE

 B mode echoes form an interface that changes

position will be seen as echoes moving
towards and away from the transducer.

 If a trace line is place on this interface and

the resulting trace is made to drift across the
face of a CRT screen a motion pattern is
obtained.
 M-MODE

 The resulting display shows motion of a

reflector over distance and time – a distance
time graph.

 The change in distance (dy) over a period of

time dt is represented by the slope of the
reflector line of motion.

 dy/dt = slope = velocity

 M-MODE

 If this motion pattern is obtained on moving

cardiac structures then the resulting images
constitute M-mode echocardiography.

 M-mode echocardiography is use to evaluate

the morphology, movement and velocity of
cardiac valves and walls.
M-mode Tracing

Distance

Time
M-mode Evaluation

 Amplitude

 Velocity

 Morphology
 Amplitude Measurement

Y2

Amplitude = Y2 –Y1

Y1
 Slope Measurement

Y2

dy = Y2 –Y1

Y1
Slope = dy/dt

T1 T2

dt = T2 – T1
M-Mode Scan

 M-Mode Scan
 Provides information about the variations in signal
amplitude due to object motion.
 A fixed position of the transducer, in a sweep cycle,
provides a line of data that is acquired through A-mode.
 The data is displayed as a series of dots or pixels with
brightness level representing the intensity of the echoes.
 In a series of sweep cycles, each sequential A-line data is
positioned horizontally.
 As the object moves, the changes in the brightness
levels representing the deflection of corresponding
pixels in the subsequent sequential lines indicate the
movement of the tissue boundaries.
 The x-axis represents the time while the y-axis indicates
the distance of the echo from the transducer.
M-mode
One-dimensional static B-scan shows movement of reflecting
tissues. The second dimension is time in this method.

Static probe detects reflections from moving structures. The bright

points move vertically on the screen, horizontal shifting of the record
is given by slow time-base.
Displayed curves represent movement of tissue structures

chest wall

lungs

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M-Mode Image

M-Mode display of mitral valve leaflet of a beating heart

Comparison of A-, B- and M-mode principle

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