Cross Sectional Imaging of the Heart by the UI Octoson

Abstract

The UI Octoson is a fully mechanised echoscope designed to provide a compound scan in approximately two seconds. Simple scans may be obtained in either the same time period or as rapidly as half a second. In the simple scan mode the transducers may be stopped at any selected angle and an M mode record may be then obtained along an indicated line of sight on the echogram. Scans may be taken in any plane and sections taken in the transverse, sagittal and planes normal and parallel to the long axis of the heart have been found to be particularly useful in the cross sectional imaging of the heart. Because these sections are obtained without altering the coupling to the patient, accurate correlation may be made of information displayed in different sections. The UI Octoson employs 6.5cm diameter, 32 radius of curvature, 2.25MHz transducers to obtain the echogram. These large aperture transducers are less critically dependent on inclination than the small transducers normally used in echocardiography so that more of the inclined structures are visualised on the echogram. The use of large aperture transducers also ensures that the whole acoustic window that exists between the intercostal spaces is utilised to couple the energy into the heart.