Ultrasound for medical use

2004/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

Some French physicists have first created ultrasonic sound waves in human tissue and consider that the results may be useful for obtaining ultrasonic images in medicine.

These waves have been produced using the acoustic equivalent of Cerenkov radiation. This radiation occurs when the light emitted by the particles moves in a medium at a speed lower than that of light.

Ultrasound is already used to obtain humble images and other uses. However, most ultrasound machines operate only at a narrow frequency, in which only longitudinal waves are useful, since transverse waves are absorbed.

The new discovery has managed to avoid this problem. Any lack of homogeneity distorts ultrasonic waves and these distortions are analyzed to create the image. Experts believe this system will be useful for more accurate images.