ADVERTORIAL - IMAGING
An Introduction to
Small Animal Veterinary
Ultrasound Probes
Tim Perks of BCF Technology
My old man always said, “Right tool for the right job”. Diagnostic ultrasound imaging can
ADVERTORIAL
be a tricky business if you aren’t a confident scanner, and if you aren’t using the right probe
your job can become even more difficult. At BCF, we understand your need to be able to
get the most out of the equipment you purchase for your practice – so here is our advice
on the range of ultrasound probes available to make your job easier.
Ultrasound Frequency Range
Let’s begin by explaining ultrasound image quality re-
lated to frequency. As you choose a frequency, there
is always a trade-off between resolution and penetra-
tion.
A higher frequency produces a higher resolution im-
age, but the ultrasound wave will not penetrate as
deeply into the patient. A lower frequency means that
you will get a decrease in image resolution, but the
ultrasound beam will be able to penetrate to a greater
distance into the patient. It is important to strike a bal-
ance between these two factors to achieve the best
image of the area of interest.
Most small animal ultrasound scans are performed at
a depth of 2 – 15 centimetres. A frequency range of
4 – 10 MHz should allow you to scan within these
depths.
Modern electronic probes scan at multiple frequen-
cies while older, mechanical probes often only oper-
ate at a single, fixed frequency.
Micro-Convex Veterinary Ultrasound Probe
This is the main probe that is used for small animal
abdominal scanning. A smaller footprint provides im-
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proved surface contact, resulting in great image qual-
ity. Imaging through small rib spaces and underneath
the costal arch is also easier. These probes usually of-
fer a high frequency range.
Convex Veterinary Ultrasound Probe
A convex probe has a large point of contact with the
skin surface, with the ultrasound beam spreading to
a wider field of view within the patient. These probes
are less useful for small animal imaging as they don’t
fit into areas like the intercostal spaces, the xiphister-
num or under the costal arch. They typically have a
lower frequency range (3.0-5.0 MHz), therefore the
resolution you can achieve will be less than with other
types of probe. However, large convex probes can be
useful for scanning the liver in extremely large dogs
or in large animal practice as they allow for deeper
penetration within the patient.
Linear Veterinary Ultrasound Probe
Linear probes are primarily used for superficial abdom-
inal structures, especially in cats, such as the small
intestine and the kidney. They are also excellent for
ophthalmic imaging. Linear probes offer a higher res-
olution image than convex probes as they have high-