Topic : B-Scan Ultrasonography

Objectives: To learn about

1-Principle
2-Procedure
Diagnostic sonography:Introduction
Ultrasound technology, also known as
sonar, echography or acoustic imaging, was
developed during world war I as a method of
detecting under water objects, including
submarines.
Diagnostic sonography (ultrasonography)

It is an ultrasound-based
diagnostic imaging technique used for
visualizing of internal body structures
including tendons, muscles, joints, vessels
and internal organs for possible pathology
or lesions..
Principle

The ultrasound is based on physical

principles of tissue acoustic impedance
mismatch and pulse echo technology.
Acoustic impedance
The ratio of the pressure over an imaginary
surface in a sound wave to the rate of
particle flow across the surface.
Acoustic Impedance(Z)

The resistance to the propagation of

ultrasound waves through tissues. Each
tissue type has a unique acoustic impedance.
Acoustic impedance is the product of the
density and speed of sound in the tissue.
So, if the density of a tissue increases,
impedance increases. Similarly, but less
intuitively, if the speed of sound
increases, then impedance also
increases.
The effect of acoustic impedance in medical
ultrasound becomes noticeable at interfaces
between different tissue types
Acoustic impedance depends on: the density
of the tissue (d, in kg/m3) the speed of the
sound wave (c, in m/s)
Echoes are produced at adjoining tissues
interfaces that have differential acoustic
impedance.
The greater the difference in acoustic
impedance, the stronger the echo.
The ultrasound waves have a frequency
greater than 20 KHz.
In standard ophthalmic ultrasound,
frequencies are in the range of 8 to 10MHz.
This high frequency produces short
wave lengths, which allow visualization of
smaller ocular structures, while abdominal
ultrasound has lower frequency (1 to
5MHz) which produces longer wave length
and penetrates deeper tissues
The reflected echoes are received,
amplified,
produced electronically and displayed in
visual format as a “B-scan
 B-scan ultrasonography
Ultrasound
It is an oscillating sound pressure wave with
a frequency greater than the upper limit of
the human hearing range.
OR
 The sound that is beyond the range of
human hearing
F-- 20 kHz up to several gigahertz.
1.6 to 10 mega hertz used in diagnostic
purpose
Piezoelectricity
Piezoelectricity
is the electric charge that accumulates in
certain solid materials (such as crystals,
certain ceramics, and biological matter such
as bone, DNA and various proteins) in
response to applied mechanical stress.
The piezoelectric effect results from the
linear electromechanical interaction between
the mechanical and electrical states in
crystalline materials
A transducer is a device that converts a
Transducer

signal in one form of energy to another form

of energy.
Energy types include electrical, mechanical,
electromagnetic (including ), chemical, and
thermal energy.
While the term transducer commonly implies
the use of a sensor/detector, any device
which converts energy can be considered a
transducer
Transducer consists of
Piezoelectric crystal (stimulated- by electric
current )
 Ultrasound wave by tissue reflect back
and absorbed by the crystal ---electric
current-- receiver –echo on screen.
 B-scan(Bright echoes)
B-scan or Brightness scan, offers two-
dimensional cross-sectional view of the eye as
well as the orbit.
A B-scan is used on the outside of the closed eyelid
to view the eye.
B-scan, or brightness scan, is another method used
for ocular assessment via ultrasound. It can be
performed directly on the anesthetized eye.
In cases of trauma or in children, B-scan can be
performed over the eyelid with coupling jelly
 Principle
Sound waves are generated at a frequency
greater than 20,000 Hz (20 kHz), and
reflected back to the transducer by tissue in
its path.
When the sound wave returns, a piezo-
electric crystal in the transducer vibrates,
resulting in electrical impulses that are
translated into an image or other data.
Whenever a sound wave moving in air hits a
solid surface, it reflects off it. This reflected
sound is called an echo. The same applies to
a sound wave moving through water and
hitting an obstacle.
Higher frequency waves penetrate less
into tissue but have better resolution.
 In contrast, lower frequency waves
penetrate more deeply but have worse
resolution
What Is the Difference Between
A-Scan and B-Scan?
A-scan and B-scan are both types of ultrasound
examinations performed for eye evaluation.
Several techniques have evolved for the routine
examination of the eyes or to plan eye surgeries
(such as cataract surgeries). Ultrasonography
techniques are important tools in evaluating
eye diseases and performing eye surgery
(ophthalmology).
A-scan and B-scan are both eye ultrasonography
scans. Although both the scans are based on the
principle of ultrasonography, they differ in
certain aspects.
 A-scan
A-scan is the short form for amplitude scan.
This eye ultrasound gives details about the
length of the eye.
It is a one-dimensional scan of the eye.
The measurement of the axial length of the
eye through an A-scan is necessary for placing
intraocular lens (IOL, artificial lens) during a
cataract surgery.
It may also be used to assess vision
abnormalities of the eye and other diseases
involving the eye such as tumors.
 B-scan
B-scan is considered the brightness scan. It is
used for producing a two-dimensional cross-
section of the eye and its orbit.
A B-scan is generally used to evaluate diseases
involving the posterior segment (the hind
two-third of the eye) and orbit, typically when
the ocular media (fluids within the eye) are
cloudy and a direct visualization is not
possible.
They may diagnose eye ailments such as
vitreous hemorrhage,
retinal detachment,
eye cancers, and
foreign bodies in the eye.
What happens during A-scan and B-
scan?
During an A-scan, the doctor will put anesthetic
drops in your eyes to make them numb.
You will be asked to sit in a chair and place your
chin on a chin rest.
The doctor will then ask you to look straight
ahead.
They will place an ultrasound wand (a device that
produces ultrasound waves that bounce off eye
tissues and make echoes) on the front surface of
the eye.
During a B-scan, the doctor will ask you to
close your eyes. A gel will be applied to the
eyelids before using the probe. The doctor
may ask you to move your eyes in multiple
directions.
Both the tests are generally quick and cause
minimal discomfort. Because an A-scan uses
anesthetic eye drops, you must be careful
about touching the eyes until the numbness
subsides to avoid any injury.
Normal scan of the eye