DOPPLER PHYSICS
By Dr Nani Lampung
Junior Resident
Dept of Radiodiagnosis
JNMCH AMU ALIGARH
PRINCIPLE OF DOPPLER
ULTRASOUND
• BASIS – ‘ DOPPLER EFFECT’
• DISCOVERY – Physicist Christian Johann
Doppler in 1842
• ‘When a sound source and the reflector
are moving toward each other, the sound
waves are spaced closer together and reach
the reciever at a higher frequency than
they were originally emitted ’.
• Doppler shift isthedifference
between thetransmitted and
received frequencies
• Transmitted and received
Frequenciesarein theMHz range
Doppler shift frequenciesoften in
audiblerange
DOPPLER SHIFT
• Relationship between Doppler shift (or just Doppler)
frequency, FD and reflector velocity, v:
fo istheultrasound frequency, or thetransmitted beam
frequency.
v isthereflector velocity (m/s; cm/s)
q istheDoppler angle
c isthespeed of sound
DOPPLEREQUATION
c
cosθv2f
F o
D =
• Usesbrief pulsesof ultrasound energy using only one
crystal.
• Theecho delay time( Te) can beconverted into distance
and theDEPTH of echo sourcecan bedetermined
• Thesensitivevolumefrom which flow dataaresampled
can becontrolled in termsof shape, depth, and position.
PULSED-WAVE (PW) DOPPLER
DUPLEX ULTRASOUND
SCANNING
Duplex ultrasound instrumentsarereal-timeB-modescanners
with built-in Doppler capabilities.
● B-mode Imager( Outlineanatomic structures)
● Pulsed-Doppler ( Flow and movement patterns)
PULSED WAVE DOPPLER
PULSEREPETITION FREQUENCY ( PRF)-
No. of pulses transmitted per second
• With increasing scanning depth PRF decreasesasmoretimeis
needed for theechoesto return
• At aminimum, thePRF must beat least twice the
frequency of theDoppler signal to construct thesignal
successfully.
• Thissetsupper limit to theflow velocitiesto beaccurately
recorded
• Usehigher PRF setting for high flow velocities, low PRF for
slow venousflow
SPECTRAL DOPPLER
• Ultrasound isemitted in pulsessimilar to B-mode
• Gate is used to determine the interval after emission
when returning signalsarereceived and thereforethedepth
from which thesampleistaken.
• The Doppler shift data are displayed in graphic form as a
time-varying plot of the frequency spectrum of the
returning signal.
• A fast Fourier transformation is used to perform the
frequency analysis.
• SPECTRAL ANALYSIS shows the Doppler shift
spectrum and direction ,usually displayed as the
maximum velocity rather than frequency
• ProvidesQUANTITATIVE INFORMATION
Theresulting Doppler frequency spectrum
displaysthefollowing :
Variation with time of the Doppler frequencies
present in thevolumesampled.
The envelope of the spectrum, representing the
maximum frequencies present at any given point in
time.
Thewidth of the spectrum at any point, indicating
therangeof frequenciespresent.
AMPLITUDE
• Thespectrum displaysecho amplitude by varying the
brightnessof thedisplay
Theamplitudeof theechoesaredetermined by
• Echo intensity
• Power
• Gain
• Dynamic range
DOPPLER SPECTRUM
ASSESSMENT
SPECTRUM BROADENING
- Loss of spectral window is called SPECTRAL
BROADENING
OCCURS-
• As the blood decelerates in diastole
• SV placed close to the vessel wall
• In small vessels ( parabolic velocity profile )
PULSATILITY
• Measuresthedifferencebetween themaximum and minimum
velocitieswithin thecardiac cycle
• Indicesareunit less
• All increasein valueasflow pulsatility increases
• Can bemeasured without knowledgeof thedoppler angle
DOPPLER SPECTRUM
ASSESSMENT
DOPPLERINDICES
• PI = S-D/Vm ( GOSLING )
• RI = S-D/S( POURCELOT )
• S/D Ratio
• Acceleration time( AT) & Acceleration Index ( AI)
• SPECTRAL BROADENING
COLOUR DOPPLER
• Based on pulsed doppler technique.
• Doppler shifts- converted to colour and the
moving blood isdisplayed in colorsthat
correspond to itsvelocity and direction.
COLOUR DOPPLER
• PositiveDoppler shiftsareencoded asred and negative
shiftsareencoded asblue.
• Velocity of theflow isrepresented in shadesof color -
faster - brighter
COLOUR DOPPLER
Advantages
It providesan overall view of flow in organ or structure
Providesdirectional information about flow,
Providesvelocity information about flow and shows
turbulent typeflow
Limitations
• SEMI QUANTITATIVE
• Angledependence
• Aliasing
• Artifactscaused by the noise
• Poor temporal resolution
SPECTRAL DOPPLER
• DEPICTION OF DOPPLER
SHIFT INFORMATION IN
WAVEFORM
COLOUR DOPPLER
• UTILIZE DOPPLER SHIFT
INFORMATION TO SHOW
BLOOD FLOW IN COLOR
SPECTRALDOPPLER
ADVANTAGES
• depictsquantitaiveflow at
onesite
• allowscalculationsof
velocity and indices
• good temporal resolution
COLORDOPPLER
ADVANTAGES
• Overall view of flow
• Directional information
about flow
• Averaged velocity
information about flow
POWER DOPPLER
• Also known asEnergy Doppler / AmplitudeDoppler.
• In thismode, colour isassigned to thepower /strength/ energy
of theDoppler signal rather than theDoppler frequency shift.
• Flow isusually displayed with onecolour
USES
• To detect very slow flow, flow in small vessels, or where
transducer angling isawkward.
• Power Doppler can beused in conjunction with contrast
agentsof varying brightness
POWER DOPPLER
Advantages
Angleindependent
No aliasing
Improved signal to noiseratio
Moresensitiveto detect low
flow
Better ableto define
boundaries
Limitations
No directional information
Poor temporal resolution
(dueto relatively low PRF ).
Dueto thelow PRF, power
Doppler isparticularly
sensitiveto flash artefact
OPTIMISATION OFCOLORFLOW
DOPPLEREXAMINATION
1. TransducerFrequency.
For superficial structures 7-10MHZ isused. For deep
abdominal structures– 3MHZ – 5MHZ isoptimal.
Choiceof transducer frequency isparamount becausethe
intensity of thescattered sound variesin proportion to the 4th
power of theDoppler frequency.
OPTIMISATION OFCOLORFLOW
DOPPLEREXAMINATION
3. Sample Volume.
• Ideal samplevolume– 2/3rd of thevessel
width positioned in thecenter of thevessel.
• If samplevolumeismore: - Spectral
broadening
• If samplevolumeisless: Measured velocity is
too low.
OPTIMISATION OFCOLORFLOW
DOPPLEREXAMINATION
4. Wall Filters.
• Cut off of thelow frequency noises, a
cleaner high velocity blood flow signal is
displayed.
• If set too high theblood flow is
discarded, if set low noisewill bemore.
5. DopplerGain.
• Controlstheamplitudeof thecolour
display in colour or power Doppler mode
& thespectral display in pulseDoppler
mode.
Excess gain Proper gain Insufficent gain
PSV = 75 cm/sec 60 cm/sec 50 cm/sec
OPTIMISATION OFCOLORFLOW
DOPPLEREXAMINATION
6. Velocity scale.
• Controlstherangeof frequenciesdisplayed
• Too high scale- dynamic rangeistoo largeand low
velocity signalsaremissed simulating an areaof
thrombosis
• If scaleistoo low thedynamic rangeistoo small to
display thehigh velocity signalsaccurately resulting in
aliasing.
• ALIASING
An inaccuratedisplay of
colour or spectral Doppler
velocity when thevelocity
rangeexceedsthescale
availableto display it.
Nyquist sampling rate-
PRF = 2 x fD
DOPPLER ARTIFACTS
How to reduce ALIASING ?
• Drop thebaseline
• Increasetheavailablevelocity range.
• DecreasetheDoppler frequency shift
by using alower insolating frequency
or
• Increasing theDoppler angle.
• PowerDopplerhas no aliasing becauseit hasno
directional or velocity component.
Advantage: -
• 1. useful for localizing thehighest velocity region.
• 2. It isused in identifying theabnormal areain TIPSS & in
localizing AV fistulae.
Disadvantage:- high velocity may not beaccurately measured.
DOPPLER ARTIFACTS
Flash Artifact
• Manifestsasacolor signal dueto
transducer or patient motion
• It isseen in left lobeof liver dueto cardiac
pulsation and in hypoechoic areassuch as
cystsand fluid collections.
DOPPLER ARTIFACTS
MirrorImage artifact :
• displays objects on both sides of a strong
reflector,
• The reflectors (diaphragm, pleural surface
and aortic wall) directs some of the
echoes to a second reflector before it
returns them to the transducer resulting
multipath reflection.
• Eg Duplication of sub clavian artery
(pleura reflector)
GUIDELINESFOR AN OPTIMAL
COLOUR FLOW DOPPLER
EXAMINATION.
• Thecolour flow box should bekept assmall & superficial as
possible
• Adjust thegain and filter settings
• Adjust thevelocity scale(PRF) and baselineaccording to the
flow conditions.
• Obtain an optimal Doppler angleby adjusting thebeam
steering and probeposition. ( 600
or less)
• Adjust thepulsed Doppler samplevolumesize(gate)
appropriately (2/3rd
of thevelocity diameter)
• AVOID TRANSDUCER MOTION.
RECENT INNOVATIONS
IN DOPPLER US TECHNIQUES
• Doppler USisexperiencing technical innovationsthat also
contributeto improved B-modeimaging.
1 Extended field of view imaging
2 (a) wideband, widedynamic rangesystems- improvethe
sensitivity of Doppler US;
(b) Viaincorporation of custom-designed integrated
circuitry.- Doppler USprocessing on even handheld US
scanners.
• 3 Contrast agentshavebecomemuch morethan simple“echo
enhancers” for Doppler instrumentation.
REFERENCES
1. Diagnostic Ultrasound, Carol M Rumack and others, 4th
ed.
2. Grainger & Allison’sDiagnostic Radiology- A Textbook of Medical
Imaging, 6th
ed.
3. Teaching Manual of Color Duplex Sonography,2nd
ed.
4. Frederick W. Kremkau, Diagnostic Ultrasound - Principlesand
Instruments, 7th Edition, St. Louis,-Missouri, SaundersElsevier, 2006
5. Rubin JM ,BudeRO CarsonPL et al ;Power Doppler US; A
potentiallyuseful alternativeto to mean frequency based color Doppler
US.
The basis for determining the velocity and direction of blood flow
Doppler effect responsible for the apparent rising pitch of an approaching ambulance siren and the falling pitch as the ambulance moves away
This magnitude of Doppler shift is not only proportional to the frequency of the original signal but is also proportional to.
Blood flow velocity.
Speed of sound in human tissue.
Angle of the ultrasound beam relative to the long axis of the vessel.
Effect of Doppler angle on frequency
shift. At an angle of 60 degrees, the detected frequency shift detected by the transducer is only 50% of the shift detected
at an angle of 0 degrees. At 90 degrees, there is no relative movement
of the target toward or away from the transducer, and no frequency
shift is detected.
The detected Doppler frequency shift is
reduced in proportion to the cosine of the Doppler angle. Because
the cosine of the angle changes rapidly at angles above 60 degrees,
the use of Doppler angles of less than 60 degrees is recommended
in making velocity estimates.
USES CONTINOUS TRNSMISSION AND RECEPTON OF ULTRASOUND
DOPPLER SIGNALS ARE OBTAINED FROM ALL THE VESSELS IN THE PATH OF US BEAM
A pencil probe contains two piezo-crystals, one to send and the other
to receive signals (Fig. 1.9). The probe usually has air backing for
greater sensitivity. It operates at only one continuous frequency, the
optimum being around 8 MHz.
The probe for continuous-wave Doppler
The dark-shaded segment represents the area of maximum sensitivity to
receive the signal and covers multiple vessels in the field.
TRANSDUER BOTH SENDS AND RECIEVES THE SIGNAL.
RETURNED SIGNAL IS GATED SO THAT ONLY INFORMATION ABOUT THE DESIRED DEPTH IS COMPUTED.
Using pulses of sound permits use
of the time interval between the transmission of a pulse
and the return of the echo as a means of determining the
depth from which the Doppler shift arises.
Advantage - the position of the Doppler sample can be precisely controlled and monitored.
provide complementary information because the scanner can best outline anatomic structures whereas a Doppler instrument yields information regarding flow and movement patterns.
From the deeply positioned sample volume
Pulse repetition frequency (PRF). Depending on the color map selected, velocity of the target, Doppler angle,
and PRF, a given velocity may appear as any color with color Doppler. A and B are sonograms of identical vessels. A, PRF is 700 Hz,
which results in aliasing of the higher Doppler frequency shifts in the carotid artery, but permits the identification of relatively slow flow
in the jugular vein. B, PRF is 4500 Hz, eliminating aliasing in the artery but also suppressing the display of the low Doppler frequencies
in the internal jugular vein.
A, Continuous wave (CW) Doppler uses separate - Although able to detect the presence and direction of flow, CW
devices are unable to distinguish signals arising from vessels at different depths (green-shaded area).
B, Using the principle of ultrasound
ranging (see Fig. 1-4), The operator is able to control the position of the sample volume and, in duplex
systems, to view the location from which the Doppler data are obtained
The amplitude of the Doppler signal is related to the
number of targets moving at a given velocity. In many
instruments the amplitude of each frequency component
is displayed in gray scale as part of the spectrum. The
presence of a large number of different frequencies at a
given point in the cardiac cycle results in spectral
broadening.
The path of the Doppler ultrasound beam, sample volume size and position are displayed on the image
The use of an offset, or baseline, allows both forward and reverse flows to be displayed on the same spectrum (A), which can be
inverted if required (B).
These indices can thus serve as a semiquantiative parameter for the evaluation of stenoses
most common form of Doppler ultrasound to be used for radiology applications
Each color pixel in a color Doppler image represents the Doppler frequency
shift at that point, and it cannot be used to estimate velocity.
Even though the points A
and B have similar color values and therefore similar Doppler frequencies,
the velocity at A is much higher than at B because of the
large Doppler angle at A compared
to B. THE VELOCITY REPRESENTED BY A GIVEN DOPPLER FREQUENCY
INCREASES IN PROPORTION TO THE DOPPLER ANGLE.
in which all the color doppler information is displayed
( STILL PROVIDING THE NECCESARY INFORMATION )
Color scale display – beam steering and change in angle of color box
Image of a bend in a carotid artery showing
flow toward and away from the transducer in different
colors. The path of the flow is shown by the arrows.
No flow is displayed in the center of the image, where
the flow is at right angles to the beam.
A, Doppler frequency
spectrum waveform shows changes in flow velocity and direction
by vertical deflections of the waveform above and below the baseline.
The width of the spectral waveform (spectral broadening) is
determined by the range of frequencies present at any instant in
time (arrow). A brightness (gray) scale is used to indicate the
amplitude of each frequency component.
B, Color Doppler
imaging. the degree of the saturation
of the color is used to indicate the frequency shift from
moving red cells.
The strength/power/energy of the flow information is displayed
Power Doppler image to show the renal hilar, interlobar and cortical arteries
The signal is not dependent on the angle of insonation, although there must be a Doppler shift.
● Aliasing does not occur with power Doppler since the power of the signal is independent of its apparent direction.
● The power of electronic noise is low so that the signal-to-noise ratio is improved, and
a low PRF is used so that power Doppler is three to five times more sensitive to detecting low flow than colour Doppler, and is better able to define boundaries.
Limitations ~ is provided so that adjacent vessels with flow in opposite directions appear the same, making it difficult to distinguish veins from arteries.
There is a so that there is
Unlike in gray – scale ultrasound imaging where by the best image is obtained perpendicular to the US beam, in Doppler Ultrasound, the strongest signals (and best spectra) result when the motion is parallel to the beam.
The larger the angle greater the correction is needed and more prone to errors.
The Doppler shift obtained depends upon the cosine of this angle When the angle is 0 or 180 then the true velocity is measured as the cosine of 0,and 180 is 1 This situation is akin to putting the transducer inside a vessel
When the angle is 90 i.e. the beam is perpendicular to the flow direction, no shift is obtained (cosine of 90 is 0) If the angle is 45 (cosine is 0.7) then 70 % of flow velocity measured underestimating it by 30 %
Definition:-The sample volume is the three dimensional space from which the Doppler frequency shifts are measured.
happens (that may be incorrectly interpreted as post stenotic turbulence).
WALL FILTERS- ( FUNCTION ELIMIMNATE ARTIFACTS DUE TO LOW FREQUENCIES FROM THE VESSEL WALLs )
Excessive gain will cause an overestimation of peak velocity (A), and insufficient
gain will result in underestimation of velocity (C)
The above mentioned parameters are very important for optimal Doppler study. If these are INACCURATE ARTIFACTS RESULTS in Doppler study
These are grouped in three broad categories.
Aliasing is a production of artifactual, lower-frequency signals when the sampling rate (the PRF) is less than twice the Doppler signal frequency
it is the minimum sampling rate that can be used for a signal of a given frequency.
If the sampling rate < Nyquist rate, aliasing occurs.
Aliasing. Pulse repetition frequency (PRF) determines the sampling rate of a given Doppler frequency. A, If PRF
(arrows) is sufficient, the sampled waveform (orange curve) will accurately estimate the frequency being sampled (yellow curve). B, If PRF
is less than half the frequency being measured, undersampling will result in a lower frequency shift being displayed (orange curve). C, In
a clinical setting, aliasing appears in the spectral display as a “wraparound” of the higher frequencies to display below the baseline. D, In
color Doppler display, aliasing results in a wraparound of the frequency color map from one flow direction to the opposite direction,
passing through a transition of unsaturated color.
IRST, If the scale is still inadequate
in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
In this artifact the colour spreads out from within the vessel and bleeds beyond the wall in to adjacent areas.
1.The artifact is due to a misregistration in the location of the
Doppler signal secondary to reflection of the sound beam at the high acoustic interface with the lung.
2 . though they are located only on one side of it.
It is believed to originate from a clock error when processing the
strong returning echoes from the calcified plaques.
to allow better frame rate for better resolution and sensitivity.
to obtain an optimal colour signal and minimal colour noise.
A low scale is used for low flows and velocities; however it may produce aliasing. A high scale reduces aliasing but is less sensitive for slow flows.
to obtain accurate velocities.
mode of imaging allows the operator to sweep the transducer across the anatomy of interest, creating a panoramic view that extends beyond the width of the field of view in the realtime image. An extended color flow image is superimposed on the same space as the extended
B-mode image.
Another innovation is contrast agents. The original motivation for the development of contrast agents was to enhance the Doppler signals and thereby make flow detection easier.