2D Ultrasound 2D, 3d Ultrasound and 4D Ultrasound - Meaning of 3D Ultrasound and 4D Ultrasound

2D, 3D, 4D Ultrasound

You must have heard your doctor talk about 3D Ultrasound or 4D Ultrasound. Now this article will explain the meaning of the 3D and 4D Ultrasound.

• 3D ultrasound is an ultrasound technique, often used during pregnancy.
• It Provides three dimensional emages of the fetus in question.

3D Three-dimensional imaging system is an acoustic pulse echo imaging system capable of producing an image of a three-dimensional object utilizing a two-dimensional display having perspective capabilities is described. In the system angular relationships of targets at all ranges are maintained for display. The system uses a two-dimensional transducer array of piezoelectric elements; the array is steered to assume transmit and receive orientations in both azimuth and elevation by producing (1) a directed transmit pulse and many similarly directed receive orientations or (2) a non-directed transmit pulse and many directed receive orientations. For each transmit pulse a parallel processing system produces several unique image points whose locations in the image correspond to the tangents of the angles of the receive orientations in the azimuth and elevation planes. The brightness of each image point is the weighted integral of the echo data received along each receive path. As an option, range discrimination capability is provided by means of a range dependent gain control, brightness shading as a function of range or a color display in which data originating from different ranges is displayed in different hues.

Inventors of 3D Imaging System

Von Ramm, Olaf T. (3433 Dover Rd., Durham, NC, 27707)
Smith, Stephen W. (742 Owens St., Rockville, MD, 20850)

In a publication Assessment of fetal anatomy in the first trimester using two- and three-dimensional ultrasound. by Br J Radiol

a complete anatomical survey of the fetus at 12-13 weeks gestation using stored volumes acquired by a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. 159 consecutive women at 12-13 weeks gestation who had a routine early pregnancy scan in their unit were recruited. A complete survey of the fetal anatomy was attempted by two-dimensional (2D) transabdominal and, if needed, transvaginal ultrasound. Then, using a 3D transvaginal probe, two volumes of the whole fetus were acquired. A complete anatomical survey (excluding anatomy of the heart) was attempted using the stored data. A complete anatomical survey was achieved in 93.7% (149) of cases with 2D ultrasound compared to 80.5% (128) of cases with 3D volume acquisition (p<0.001).>

Real-time 2D ultrasound is still the best way to examine fetal anatomy in the first trimester. However, 3D ultrasound can be a useful addition to clinical practice, providing views not easily obtained by conventional 2D ultrasound. It can potentially minimize actual scanning time and provides an excellent way to store scanned data.