MED PHYS 1E03

Longitudinal wave
MED PHYS 1E03

The area where the molecules are moved closer together are called compressions
The area where the molecules are moved apart are called rarefactions

Air element

Direction of propagation
Sound wave
MED PHYS 1E03
Molecule displacement

Air element

Frequency of sound is repetition rate of the original disturbances.

Sound wave
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Human ear detects sound from 20Hz to

20000Hz (20kHz)

Frequencies higher than 20kHz are called

ultrasound

Medical Imaging use frequency range 1-15

MHz
Speed of Sound
MED PHYS 1E03

Speed of sound depends on the material through which it is passing

Sound travels faster the more solid the material

B
csound =
Air 343m/s
r
Fat 1450m/s
Water 1480m/s Where B is some property of the
material called the bulk modulus
Muscle 1590m/s and is the density.
Bone 4080m/s
Attenuation of Sound
MED PHYS 1E03

Sound intensity reduces as it travels through a medium.

Its energy is absorbed and the sound is scattered.

The further the sound travels the more it is

attenuated.
The denser the material the less the
attenuation. This means air is a poor
transmitter of sound.
The higher the frequency the more the
attenuation. (note this is opposite to x-rays!!)
Acoustic Impedance (Z)
MED PHYS 1E03

Acoustic or characteristic impedance is used to describe the sound transmitting

properties of different media

Acoustic impedance (z) = density (r) x speed of sound (v) units kgm-2s-1

Z = csound
Reflection and Refraction of Sound
MED PHYS 1E03

i = r

Incident sound Reflected sound

i r
Medium 1

Medium 2

Transmitted sound (note

change of direction)
Reflection and Refraction of Sound
MED PHYS 1E03
The proportion of the wave that is reflected and transmitted depends on the ratio:
Z1
r=
Z2

Portion reflected =
(1 - r ) (Z1 - Z 2 )
2
=
2

(1 + r ) (Z1 + Z 2 )2
2

Portion transmitted =1 portion reflected.

If z1 is very different from z2 most of the sound is reflected

If z1 is very similar to z2 most of the sound is transmitted

Incident sound Reflected sound

Medium 1

Medium 2

Transmitted sound
Reflection and Refraction of Sound
MED PHYS 1E03

Sound travelling through air reaches a boundary with water. What proportion of the
sound waves energy is transmitted into the water?
Z1
r= = 413 = 2.87 10 -4
Z2 1.44 106

Proportion transmitted = 1 proportion reflected = 1-

(1- r)
2
= 1-
(1 - 2.87 10 )-4 2

(1 + r )2
(1 + 2.87 10 -4 )2
0.9994
= 1-
1.00057
Incident sound Reflected sound
= 0.0011
Air Z1=413 kg/m2/s

Water Z2=1.44x106 kg/m2/s So only 0.1% is transmitted into the

water!
Transmitted sound
Focused Beam of Sound
MED PHYS 1E03

Ideally, the ultrasound beam needs to be narrow or focused so that fine

structure can be resolved

source

Range
Focused Beam of Sound
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High frequency ultrasound better for fine focus and good resolution but cannot
penetrate far.
Low frequency ultrasound is more penetrating but cannot resolve fine detail.

source

Range
Pulse Echo Principle
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Ultrasound
pulse source
Impedance
Considerations?

Skin surface

Tissue interface
Pulse Echo Principle
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Ultrasound
pulse source

Skin surface

Tissue interface
Pulse Echo Principle
MED PHYS 1E03

Ultrasound
pulse source

Distance (d) = v x time

Skin surface

echo
d

Tissue interface
Image Production
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A-scan

Source/detector

Signal intensity
5cm

2cm

3cm

1cm
10 14
Range (cm)
Image Production
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B-scan : many ultrasound beams pointing in many directions.

Each beam records the position of an interface and shows this as
a bright spot on a monitor screen.

Multi element probe

Pulse Echo Principle: Linear Scan
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B-Scan or Brightness scan

Source/detector

5cm

2cm

3cm

1cm
Pulse Echo Principle: Linear Scan
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Source/detector
Pulse Echo Principle: Linear Scan
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Linear scan with rectangular display. Sometimes called a linear image.

Pulse Echo Principle: Linear Scan
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Pulse Echo Principle: Linear Scan
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Pulse Echo Principle: Sector Scan
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Each pulse originate from the same place but go in different directions
Pulse Echo Principle: Sector Scan
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Pulse Echo Principle: combination
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Hybrid linear-sector scan probe and image

Doppler Effect
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Consider a moving source of sound travelling with a speed

Vs.
The speed of the sound is c
Doppler Effect
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First pulse is emitted at time t=0

Second pulse is emitted one period later t=T
The source has moved a distance d=vsT
Doppler Effect
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front= vsT = cT- vsT

Frequency in front of the wave is therefore higher than that of the source itself

c c c c
f front = f front = f front = f front = f
l front cT - vsT c vs c - vs
f - f

Doppler Effect
MED PHYS 1E03

behind= + vsT = cT+vsT

c
f behind = f
c + vs
Doppler Effect
MED PHYS 1E03

What if the source is not moving, but the observer is?

The period T of the sound is:
l
T=
c c

The period T moving toward sound:

l
T' =
c + vob
vob
ob In terms of frquency:
S
1 c + vob c + vob
f = '=
'
= f
T l c

c vob
Generally f'= f
c
Doppler Imaging
Section 9.6

MED PHYS 1E03

Doppler Imaging
Section 9.6

MED PHYS 1E03

Doppler Imaging
Section 9.6

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"

c vob
f = f
'

c
Doppler Imaging
Section 9.6

MED PHYS 1E03

Doppler Imaging
Section 9.6

MED PHYS 1E03

 MED PHYS 1E03

A beam of sound is incident on the boundary of two materials. The acoustic

impedance of the two materials are exactly the same. Which of the following
is true?

a. All the sound will be transmitted through the boundary

b. some of the sound will be transmitted through the boundary
c. All of the sound will be reflected at the boundary
d. Some of the sound will be reflected at the boundary
e. Half will be reflected and half be transmitted.
 MED PHYS 1E03

A beam of sound is incident on the boundary of two materials. The acoustic

impedance of the two materials are very different but a factor of 10. Which
of the following is true?

a. All the sound will be transmitted through the boundary

b. 90% of the sound will be transmitted through the boundary
c. Most of the sound will be reflected at the boundary
d. 10% will be reflected at the boundary
e. Half will be reflected and half be transmitted.
Doppler Effect
MED PHYS 1E03