Quick Tips - Ultrasound Physics Doppler Shift

Quick Tips - Ultrasound Physics Doppler Shift

​What is the arrow in the image referencing?
You guessed it! Zero Doppler Shift - Let's talk about why. 

The Doppler effect or Doppler shift is the change in frequency of a wave in relation to an observer who is moving relative to the wave source. It is named after the Austrian physicist Christian Doppler, who described the phenomenon in 1842. 

In Color ultrasound the Doppler shift works with the ultrasound system to fill in color within the vessel when there are frequency changes in relation to the observer (transducer). When the direction of the sound beam is perpendicular to the direction of flow. There is no appreciable Doppler Shift and no color filling as a result. This is due to the cosine of the angle being 90 degrees.

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