In ultrasound imaging, what happens to the sound beam as it diverges?

As the sound beam diverges, it spreads out. This phenomenon occurs when the ultrasound waves move away from the transducer, causing the beam to widen. Divergence is typically more pronounced in lower frequency transducers and at greater distances from the source.

Understanding beam divergence is important in ultrasound imaging because it affects the resolution and quality of the images obtained. When the beam is wide, the ability to distinguish between small structures diminishes, which can impact the diagnostic utility of the ultrasound images. Hence, recognizing the behavior of the sound beam as it diverges is essential for optimizing imaging techniques and interpreting the results accurately.

This concept ties into the principles of ultrasound physics, where factors such as frequency and aperture size of the transducer also influence how the beam behaves after emission.