On the development of a method to measure the surface temperature of ultrasonic diagnostic transducers

Abstract

A project to develop improved and practical procedures to measure the surface temperature of diagnostic ultrasound transducers under normal use conditions has been carried out. The approach taken in the project was first to produce tissue mimicking material and an experimental measurement set-up that could lead to reasonably accurate and reproducible values of surface temperature rise. The relative influence of different tissue layers close to the surface has been modelled. Measurement results obtained using different types of thermocouples and using an infrared camera system were compared. Typical transducer surface temperature rises on a layered physical model were compared to those obtained on human skin (forearm).