Ultrasound technology with its advancements is vital for delivering high-quality patient care. Innovations including high-frequency ultrasound, 3D//4D imaging, contrast enhanced ultrasound, elastography, and point-of-care ultrasound, have expanded the capabilities of ultrasound imaging and improved diagnostic accuracy.
B-Mode imaging, also known as brightness mode, is the fundamental technique in ultrasound imaging. It produces two-dimensional images based on the echoes received from tissues and organs. Understanding the principles of B-Mode imaging, such as gain adjustment, depth control, and image optimization, is crucial for obtaining diagnostically valuable images. M-Mode imaging, on the other hand, allows for the visualization of motion over time, enabling assessment of cardiac structures and function, as well as fetal heart rate.
High-frequency ultrasound refers to the use of ultrasound waves with frequencies greater than 10 MHz. This technology enables improved resolution, allowing for detailed imaging of superficial structures like skin, tendons, and small organs. High-frequency ultrasound has found applications in dermatology, ophthalmology, and musculoskeletal imaging.
Traditional 2D ultrasound has been augmented by the advent of 3D ultrasound technology. By acquiring multiple 2D images from different angles, this technique construct a volumetric representation of the imaged area. The addition of 4D ultrasound in real-time motion adds further value by capturing dynamic processes.
Doppler imaging employs the Doppler effect to evaluate blood flow within vessels and assess hemodynamics. Color Doppler assigns color to different blood flow velocities, providing a visual representation of blood flow direction and speed. Spectral Doppler displays blood flow velocities as a waveform, allowing for detailed analysis of flow patterns, resistance, and stenosis.
Contrast enhanced ultrasound employs microbubble contrast agents to enhance the visualization of blood flow and tissue perfusion. By injecting these agents intravenously, sonographers can differentiate between vascular structures and lesions. Elastography is a technique that measures tissue elasticity or stiffness. It assists in differentiating between normal and abnormal tissues, aiding in the diagnosis of various conditions such as liver fibrosis, breast lesions, and thyroid nodules.
Fusion imaging combines ultrasound with other imaging modalities, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET). By overlaying or merging ultrasound images with those obtained from other modalities, the user can precisely locate and characterize abnormalities, guide interventions, and improve diagnostic accuracy. Fusion imaging has proven particularly useful in areas such as interventional radiology, oncology, and urology.
See also Equipment Preparation, Environmental Protection, Handheld Ultrasound, Portable Ultrasound and Ultrasound Accessories and Supplies.

Sound waves must have a medium to pass through. The velocity or propagation speed is the speed at which sound waves travel through a particular medium measured in meters per second (m/s) or millimeters per microsecond (mm/μs). Because the velocity of ultrasound waves is constant, the time taken for the wave to return to the probe can be used to determine the depth of the object causing the reflection.
The velocity is equal to the frequency x wavelength.
V = f x l
The velocity of ultrasound will differ with different media. In general, the propagation speed of sound through gases is low, liquids higher and solids highest. The speed of sound depends strongly on temperature as well as the medium through which sound waves are propagating. At 0 °C (32 °F) the speed of sound in air is about 331 m/s (1,086 ft/s; 1,192 km/h; 740 mph; 643 kn), at 20 °C (68 °F) about 343 metres per second (1,125 ft/s; 1,235 km/h; 767 mph; 667 kn)

Velocity (m/s)

Doppler ultrasound visualizes blood flow-velocity information. The peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity are major Doppler parameters, which are determined from the spectrum obtained at the point of maximal vessel narrowing. Peak systolic velocity ratios are calculated by dividing the peak-systolic velocity measured at the site of flow disturbance by that measured proximal of the narrowing (stenosis, graft, etc.).

See Acceleration Index, Acceleration Time, Modal Velocity, Run-time Artifact and Maximum Velocity.