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The crucial physics principles needed to understand and optimize clinical ultrasound include frequency, propagation speed, pulsed ultrasound, waves’ interaction with tissue, angle of incidence, and attenuation. The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine has published a full, recommended curriculum to standardize the clinical sonographers’ education on both ultrasound physics principles and the primary clinical applications that depend on them. Understanding the physics of ultrasound is critical to applying clinical ultrasound, particularly as it applies to the optimization, interpretation, and clinical integration of images captured at the bedside. Ultrasound machines rely upon different probe types to emit sound waves at variable frequencies, depths, directions, focal points, and power in conjunction with motion and artifact management tools to enhance images obtained.
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The knowledge of ultrasound wave emission, interaction with fluid, tissue, various densities, wave receipt, and machine data processing are integral to ultrasound’s function.
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Clinical ultrasound’s maximum utility as a diagnostic tool rests on understanding and manipulating multiple physics principles.