Improving the measurement of medical diagnostic and physiotherapy equipment.
The development of Radiation Force Balance (RFB) for diagnostic and therapeutic medical ultrasound is vital for the accurate measurement of ultrasonic power to ensuring the correct operation and safe use of ultrasound in medicine.
Ultrasonic power is a primary acoustic quantity and its measurement is required by international specification standards for both diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound systems. In order to comply with the US FDA 510(k) regulatory requirements, IEC61157 and IEC61689, medical equipment manufacturers are required to measure ultrasonic power.
Typically scanned hydrophone measurements of acoustic power have an uncertainty that is no better than 20%, whereas commercial power balances can measure to 10%.
The Unit
This Radiation Force Balance (RFB) unit is a highly specified model which can be used for the measurement of medical diagnostic and physiotherapy equipment in the frequency range 1MHz to 10MHz and the power range 10mW to 100W+.
The Precision Acoustics RFB can be used either with an ‘absorbing well’ target or with a suspended target which allows the design to be tailored to individual requirements for frequency, power and transducer geometry.
The RFB is connected to a PC to provide a permanent record of results in an approved Quality System.
Each RFB is supplied with:
- Two targets –an absorbing well and a suspended target suitable for the power levels to be measured.
- An NPL calibration certificate, traceable directly to the UK Primary Standard for ultrasound power.
- Approved measurement protocol and user instructions.
- Software for data acquisition and analysis.
- Retort stand to hold the transducer under test.
If you would like to learn more about the Precision Acoustics Radiation Force Balance unit, please contact us.
