Ultrasound for Gentle Diagnostic Imaging Procedures

Progress made in diagnostic imaging in the past decades offers many possibilities and opportunities for innovative diagnostic procedures and for the targeted implementation of therapies.

Especially the utilization of ultrasonic waves, e.g. within sonography, makes very gentle imaging modes, which do not use harmful ionizing radiation, possible. In this way, ultrasonic imaging can be carried out on particularly sensitive tissues without any problems. Sound waves make a morphological visualization of structures within the body possible; with newer ultrasonic procedures, such as elastography, even mechanical tissue properties can be detected. The latter is often used for detecting tumors.

Further progress in biomedical imaging can be pushed with piezo technology, for example, the visualization of finest needle tips during minimally invasive procedures such as a biopsy. For this purpose, miniaturized piezo elements are particularly required that can be integrated in the fine tools.

In endoscopy as well, the smallest piezo elements can help to increase the visual field of endoscopes.