User guide

32 Needle visualization
Figure 2 With a curved array transducer, only
segments of the needle shaft may show:
1 - Upper needle shaft
2 - Unshown segment of needle shaft (unshown
segment or segments depend on specific image)
3 - Needle tip
Needle size and angle
Use a 17-gauge to 25-gauge needle
(recommended). Enhancement results can depend
on the type and brand of needle used. For more
information, consult the medical literature on needle
visibility in ultrasound-guided procedures.
You can angle the needle up to 50° from the
transducer surface. (See Figure 3 on page 32.)
Beyond 50°, the needle may be less enhanced.
(MBe has little or no benefit to out-of-plane
procedures. MBe is intended for in-plane
procedures only.)
Figure 3 For best results, angle the needle only up
to 50° from the transducer surface:
1 - Needle
2 - Transducer
MBe subcontrols
When MBe is on, additional controls are available:
• L/R Flip flips the affected area (the outline)
horizontally on the image.
For reorienting the entire image, use the
orientation control . See “2D controls” on
page 25.
• Shallow, Medium, or Steep sets the outline’s
sloped edge, which is indicated by a dotted line.
The current selection is highlighted green.
Linear transducer:
Use whichever setting best
provides a perpendicular intersection with the
dotted line. Within the enhancement area, the
more perpendicular that a linear structure is to
the dotted line, the more it is enhanced.
Similarly, the less perpendicular (and more
parallel) that a linear structure is to the dotted
line, the less it is enhanced.
Curved array transducer:
For a linear structure
angled 30° or less from the transducer surface,
use Shallow for best enhancement. For a linear
structure angled 30-40°, use Medium. For a
linear structure angled 40° or greater, use
Steep.
• Off turns off MBe. Temporarily turning off MBe
can help you identify artifacts and other
structures not of interest.
1
2
3
0 - 50°
2
1