Transfer standard device to improve the traceable calibration of physiotherapy ultrasound machines.
Ultrasound (US) physiotherapy as a clinical treatment is extremely common in the Western world. Internationally, regulation to ensure safe application of US physiotherapy by regular calibration ranges from nil to mandatory. The need for a portable power standard (PPS) has been addressed within a European Community (EC)-funded project. This PPS consists of an electrical driver, a set of US transducers and a cavitation detector (CD). Each component has been extensively tested for stability and travel robustness. Transducer output power has been determined with an uncertainty of <3.3% and with a long-term (2-y) output stability of better than 3%. The CD can detect bubble activity for powers above 3 W for a 1-MHz transducer. Travel trials demonstrated the utility of the PPS in practical measurement environments. Deviations in power measurements observed during these trials were mostly acceptable (<10%), although there were also examples of gross differences (>100%). The PPS is now ready to be used to underpin traceable calibration of physiotherapy devices.
Hekkenberg
Rob T
RT
Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) Quality of Life, Leiden, The Netherlands. rt.hekkenberg@pg.tno.nl
Richards
Adrian
A
Beissner
Klaus
K
Zeqiri
Bajram
B
Bezemer
Robert A
RA
Hodnett
Mark
M
Prout
Glen
G
Cantrall
Chris
C
D002138:Calibration / Q000592:standards; D004582:Electronics, Medical / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005062:European Union; D006801:Humans; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D013696:Temperature; D014159:Transducers; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*