Ultrasound Probes/Transducers Probes I •
A linear probe contains one or more acoustic linear array transducer elements arranged in a line to send pulses of sound into a material. The linear array gives a large probe surface (footprint) and near field. In Doppler mode, a linear probe operates a subset of its elements as a linear phased array and can thus steer the Doppler beam at a selected angle to the imaging beam. This is a popular configuration for peripheral vascular and perivascular scanning.
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The convex shape of the probe allows scanning a larger area than with a smaller array. Convex probes produce sector images. See also Convex Transducer. •
The array of elements of microconvex probe is curved with a certain radius.
Microconvex probes have a much smaller contact surface, which improves the coupling between the transducer and the skin surface even in complicated areas as the supraclavicular or jugular fossa. Microconvex probes, with large aperture and selection of transmission frequencies are also used in gynecological diagnostic. See also Transvaginal Echography, Endocavitary Echography and Transrectal Ultrasonography. •
Biplane endorectal and endovaginal probes are commonly used in obstetrics, gynecology and urology. They are generally composed of 2 arrays one linear for imaging of the longitudinal plane and a highly curved one to image the
transverse plane. These two planes allow a perpendicular visualization of the region of interest. Ultrasound imaging in both transverse and longitudinal planes enables e.g., precise multiple biopsies by simultaneous visualization of both planes in real-time. •
A flowprobe (or flowsensor) measures flow with a transducer by insonating vessels to calculate and depict volume flow of blood.
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