The following official statements from the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM)
are provided for your general information regarding the safe use of ultrasound.
Clinical Safety
Approved March 1997, October 1982
Diagnostic ultrasound has been in use since the late 1950s. Given its known benefits and
recognized efficacy for medical diagnosis, including use during human pregnancy, the
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine herein addresses the clinical safety of such
use:
There are no confirmed biological effects on patients or instrument operators caused by
exposures from present diagnostic ultrasound instruments. Although the possibility exists
that such biological effects may be identified in the future, current data indicate that the
benefits to patients of the prudent use of diagnostic ultrasound outweigh the risks, if any,
that may be present.
Prudent Use
Approved May 1999
The AIUM advocates the responsible use of diagnostic ultrasound. The AIUM strongly
discourages the non-medical use of ultrasound for psychosocial or entertainment purposes.
The use of either two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound to only view
the fetus, obtain a picture of the fetus or determine the fetal gender without a medical
indication is inappropriate and contrary to responsible medical practice. Although there are
no confirmed biological effects on patients caused by exposures from present diagnostic
ultrasound instruments, the possibility exists that such biological effects may be identified in
the future. Thus ultrasound should be used in a prudent manner to provide medical benefit
to the patient.
Safety in Training and Research
Approved March 1997, March 1983
Diagnostic ultrasound has been in use since the late 1950s. There are no confirmed
adverse biological effects on patients resulting from this usage. Although no hazard
has been identified that would preclude the prudent and conservative use of diagnostic
ultrasound in education and research, experience from normal diagnostic practice may
or may not be relevant to extended exposure times and altered exposure conditions. It is
therefore considered appropriate to make the following recommendation:
In those special situations in which examinations are to be carried out for purposes other
than direct medical benefit to the individual being examined, the subject should be informed
of the anticipated exposure conditions, and of how these compare with conditions for
normal diagnostic practice.
Transducer Model:
TSP-5
Operating Mode:
Continuous-Wave (cw)
Application(s):
Peripheral Vascular
ACOUSTIC OUTPUT MI
I
SPTA.3
I
SPPA.3
(mW/cm
2
) (W/cm
2
)
Global Maximum Value
0.04 223 0.22
Associated
Acoustic
Parameter
P
r.3
(Mpa) 0.09
W
o
(mW) 12.8 0.013
f
c
(MHz) 5.3 5.3 5.3
Z
sp
(cm) 0.85 0.85 0.85
X
-6
(cm) 0.4 0.4
y
-6
(cm) 0.6 0.6
Az (cm) 0.4
Ele. (cm) 0.8
Beam Dimensions
EBD
Transducer Model:
TSP-8
Operating Mode:
Continuous-Wave (cw)
Application(s):
Peripheral Vascular
ACOUSTIC OUTPUT MI
I
SPTA.3
I
SPPA.3
(mW/cm
2
) (W/cm
2
)
Global Maximum Value
0.03 229 0.23
Associated
Acoustic
Parameter
P
r.3
(Mpa) 0.09
W
o
(mW) 13.9 0.014
f
c
(MHz) 8.0 8.0 8.0
Z
sp
(cm) 0.66 0.66 0.66
X
-6
(cm) 0.2 0.2
y
-6
(cm) 0.4 0.4
Az (cm) 0.3
Ele. (cm) 0.6
Beam Dimensions
EBD
15
2
