超音波影像在現今的醫療界扮演著重要的角色,從婦產科的產前超音波檢查到器官移植,活體組織之機械性質、器官內血液循環的流動,至肌肉活動、肌肉紋理的研究,都能以超音波影像進行觀察,由此可見超音波影像在醫療應用及研究上已漸漸扮演著「眼睛」的角色。超音波是利用人耳聽不見的聲波,經由儀器發射及回收,再把兩個聲波訊號的時間差及強度的訊息組成一張灰階影像,透過這些灰階影像即能使我們判斷出不同的生理情況。然而,超音波影像亦會受到許多物理因素及儀器設定而產生失真之影像,因此藉由了解超音波的成像原理,便能對超音波影像及其所表示之生理情況,作最準確的判讀。本文以簡介超音波成像的原理為主題,希望能夠幫助超音波的使用者釐清一些影像判讀上的問題。
Ultrasound is important in modern clinical applications and academic research. Such as routine prenatal ultrasound examination, organ transplantation, in vivo mechanical properties measurement of soft tissues, systemic circulation and vascular perfusion in human organs. As well as the muscular activity and texture, the ultrasound becomes the ”advanced stethoscope” to see through human body. The ultrasonic wave travels with the speed of sound at a vibration frequency exceeds the human audio range. Energies and time durations between the incident waves and received waves were use to construct a brightness received image to differentiate different physiological phenomenon. However, the ultrasonic echo is often affected by many physical conditions and artifacts caused by machine settings. Therefore, to understand the basic principle of ultrasonic imaging may help us to make a proper diagnosis and reveal the proper physiological phenomenon.