Evolve.

Adapt.
Overcome.
CEFI is now ready.

PHYSICS OF ULTRASOUND

RT-303: ULTRASONOGRAPHY

DANIELE CLYDE P. CACHA

College of Radiologic Technology
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

Sound is mechanical energy that is transmitted through a medium.

Periodic changes in the pressure of the medium are created by forces acting on the
molecules, causing them to oscillate about their mean or average positions.
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS
Physical Parameters of Ultrasound/Characteristics of Sound Waves

1. Wavelength – distance measured from one crest of the next wave.

“the broader the wavelength, the slower the sound procedure”

2. Frequency – is a measure of the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit

time.

“the faster the sound is, the higher the frequency”

 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

3. Velocity – speed of the sound waves. The distance travelled by the wave per unit
time.

4. Period – a time it takes to complete a single cycle. The length of time required for
one (1) wavelength or 1 cycle.
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

5. Amplitude/Altitude – non-negative scalar measure of a wave’s magnitude of

oscillation. Loudness, intensity.

6. Decibel – unit of measure describing the intensity of diagnostic UTZ. (Decibel 1/10
of a bel).

7. Waves – disturbances that move through a medium when the particles of the
medium set the neighboring particle into motion.
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

TWO TYPES OF WAVES

1. Mechanical Wave – requires a medium to travel.

2. Non-Mechanical Wave – does not require a medium to travel.

 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS
TWO TYPES OF MECHANICAL WAVE

1. Longitudinal Wave – the molecules vibrate back and forth in the same direction as
the wave is traveling.

2. Transverse Wave – the motion of the particles is perpendicular to the direction of

propagation of wave energy.
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

SOUND WAVES

Pressure changes that the human ear can detect.

20 – 20,000 c/s or Hz
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS
HERTZ (Hz) – is a unit of frequency.
1 Hz = 1 oscillation per second or 1 cycle per second (cps)
1-15 MHz – frequency range employed in UTZ and therapeutic UTZ

Audible Sound – is pressure disturbances in the air that are detected by the human ear.

Sound – is a form of energy produced by the vibrations of matter. It cannot be transmitted

at all without medium.

1870’s – when the first man-made sources of ultrasound appeared.

 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

Transducer – device which convert electrical signals into mechanical motion and the
mechanical motion into sound waves.

- it converts one form of energy to another form.

- the operation of an ultrasound transducer is based on

“PIEZOELECTRIC EFFECT”
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

ULTRASOUND PHYSICS

Piezoelectric Effect – is the distortion of crystal shape by an electrical stimulus and the
generation of an electric signal by mechanical distortion of the crystal.

- the change in electric charge distribution of certain crystalline

materials following a mechanical stress.
 COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

“Success in life comes when you simply refuse

to give up, with goals so strong that
obstacles, failure, and loss only act as
motivation.”
COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

STAY SAFE AND STUDY HARD 