Generally speaking there are specific probes for the different applications however there are some overlaps.
Micro-convex - This is considered the best probe for a general small animal abdominal ultrasound. Its small head is perfect for fitting into the abdomen and the wide sector allows for a good view of the internal organs.
Phased Arrays / Sector – These are dedicated cardiac probes. They have been designed for cardiac imaging as they have a very small contact point which allows for better viewing through the ribs. They can also produce higher frame rates and are better at detecting higher velocity blood flows.
Convex / Curvilinear – These tend to be lower frequency probes designed for deep scanning, it is better suited for Equine work. The larger probe head also makes it more difficult to maintain contact up and under the ribs and proves quite uncomfortable for the smaller animals.
Linear – These are designed for more superficial imaging and tend to be higher frequencies with a larger contact area providing better near field resolution. They are most suited for scanning anything less than 5-6 cm e.g. intestines, spleen, kidneys & cat abdomens etc. The higher frequency linear probes can be used for musculoskeletal imaging.
There are some ways in which the probes can be used outside of their “conventional” use.
- You can use a micro-convex to look at the heart however it is not perfect. The shape of the micro convex head means you will get a lot of rib shadowing and the Doppler is not as good as dedicated cardiac probes.?
- The same is true for phased array probes they can be used for abdominal scanning but again they are not ideal as the narrow near field view makes it difficult to scan superficial structures.