An ultrasound transducer is different from an ultrasonic transducer in several key ways. While an ultrasonic device converts ultrasound waves into mechanical or electrical energy, an ultrasound device actually detects and/or produces ultrasound waves. It does this by converting mechanical into electrical energy, or vice versa.

Medical Applications for Ultrasound Transducers

Ultrasound transducers are in great demand in today's medical technology market, since ultrasonic imaging is an important diagnostic tool. Because ultrasound wave transmission carries no known risks or side effects for the patient, it is many times a better choice than X-ray technology for medical imaging. Medical applications for ultrasound transducers include pulse-echo systems, Doppler, and transmission methods.

The probes commonly used in ultrasound imaging for pregnant women and other patients are actually pulse-echo transducers. These transducers send ultrasound pulses into the area to be imaged, which meet with and reflect off of an interface. By measuring how long it takes for repeated pulses to be reflected back to the device, an image begins to take shape. In this way, an ultrasound transducer is both the transmitter of the pulse and the receiver of its reflection, or echo.

Ultrasound transducers have other medical applications as well. Because intracavity ultrasound technology has advanced so much in recent years, it is now possible to utilize these transducers for a variety of diagnostic purposes. Ultrasound imaging is now used to study the heart and other organs, monitor blood flow, detect an infection, and even diagnose some forms of cancer.