The Ultrasound Image; Understanding The Ultrasound Image - Cortexa Technology DermaLab Mini Instructions For Use Manual

Activate the Measure button to superimpose two white vertical cursor lines (D). With the arrows
(E), these cursors may be positioned according to the position of peaks on the intensity curve to
measure depth or distance between layers of tissue. The numerical display under the image up-
dates accordingly.
The Zoom (F) button may be used to zoom the image to 25 mm width. Once zoomed, you can
drag the image left or right.

6.6 The ultrasound image

A good image delivers as much possible information in the best possible quality to the viewer in a
given situation. In other words, what is seen on the image should be a result of tissue properties,
not a result of artifacts.
The properties and composition of the human skin and subcutaneous tissues vary throughout the
body and between individuals as a result of many factors (e.g. genetics, age, sex, disease).
This section applies to the use and understanding of all DermaLab
In the following examples obtained using the Standard Probe will be shown to establish a com-
mon understanding of what to expect as well as commonly seen artifacts and how to avoid them.

6.7 Understanding the ultrasound image

As the focused ultrasound beam propagates through the tissue, it travels through media with dif-
ferent densities. Such change in density will cause part of the ultrasound beam to be reflected,
thus generating signals to be detected by the device, and part of the ultrasound beam to be trans-
mitted further into the tissue. Every time a density change in the tissue causes a reflection, energy
is lost in the transmitted part of the sound beam. Accordingly, the signal gets attenuated and
eventually dies. The degree of attenuation depends on ultrasound frequency and tissue proper-
ties.
Tissue, which is homogeneous in structure, provides no or little density change and, accordingly,
it will generate no or few and weak reflections – i.e. it appears black. As an example, blood, fat
and muscle generate only few and weak reflections. The same is true for tumor mass in general,
whereas normal skin contains a variety of structures with different densities - it appears as a visi-
ble area with varying intensities. In the below figures, the individual structures of a normal forearm
image are identified.
Dermis.
Film +
Epidermis
Subcutis
fat
Standard probe ultrasound skin images.
CORTEX TECHNOLOGY ApS
®
ultrasound probes.
Follicle
Vein Nevus
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