Ultrasound Physics and its Application in Medicine

Abstract

Ultrasound has a wide range of medical applications. Some of these include obstetrics (monitoring the progress of pregnancy), oncology (monitoring the growth of tumors), cardiology (visualizing the heart function and physiology), biopsy (guiding needles in various procedures), and physiotherapy. For example, today, an estimated 60-70% of pregnant women in the United States undergo ultrasound examination during pregnancy. An estimated 250 million fetal ultrasound examinations are performed every year in the USA. In the last few decades, ultrasound technology has expanded to medical imaging in various other specialties: Anesthesiology, Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, General Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN), Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Physiatry, Sports Medicine, and Surgery. The increasing demand in the use of ultrasound technology in various biomedical fields points to a future in which medical professionals will be required to possess a general knowledge of ultrasound technology. While currently most medical professionals rely on technicians to perform the imaging studies, there can be a high degree of operator dependent results. Therefore, a solid foundation of the technological properties of ultrasound would give health care providers a competitive advantage in the future. This is one of the first goals of this textbook. This textbook also covers general aspects of diagnostic ultrasound providing an excellent reference for both beginners and professionals. In addition, this textbook has end-of-the-chapter experiments that will help educators conduct labs for students and any other learners to enhance their learning and solidify the practical skills.