Basic Ultrasound Physics Syllabus for 2023-2024
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Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

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Course

DMSO-1302-001 Basic Ultrasound Physics

Prerequisites

Course Description

Basic acoustical physics and acoustical waves in human tissue. Emphasis on ultrasound transmission in soft tissues, attenuation of sound energy, parameters affecting sound transmission and resolution of sound beams.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Textbook   Understanding Ultrasound Physics, 4th Edition, Sydney Edelman

 

 

 

 

Supplies

Paper and pen/pencil, scantrons

Student Performance

Basic Ultrasound Physics

CIP

Rubric

Number

Course Title

Status

Semester
Credit Hrs

Min
Cont Hrs

Max
Cont Hrs

51.0910

DMSO

1302

Basic Ultrasound Physics

Active

3

48

96

 

 

Course Level:  Introductory

Course Description:  Basic acoustical physics and acoustical waves in human tissue. Emphasis on ultrasound transmission in soft tissues, attenuation of sound energy, parameters affecting sound transmission, and resolution of sound beams.

End-of-Course Outcomes:  Describe the interaction of sound and soft tissues; explain sound production and propagation; and summarize the basic principles and techniques of ultrasound

CIP Code Description:  51.0910  (Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician.

Given the course textbook, personal notes, handouts, and other course materials, the student should be able to do each of the following on a written examination AS EVALUATED BY THE COURSE INSTRUCTOR with an accuracy of not less than 75%:

 

â—†    Be able to use a computer by completing INTERNET assignments (to be described during the course).

Describe the following:

Basic math:  Graphs, Units, Direct, Inverse, Metric System

Sound:  Sound Waves, Acoustic Variables, Acoustic Parameters, Transverse Waves, Longitudinal Waves, In-Phase Waves, Out-of-Phase Waves,  Interference: Constructive, Destructive, Waves with Different Frequencies

Describe Sound Waves:  Period, Frequency Amplitude, Power, Intensity, Wavelength, Speed: Stiffness and Density

Describe Pulsed Waves:  Pulse Duration, Spatial Pulse Length, Pulse Repetition Period, Pulse Repetition Frequency, Duty Factor

Intensities:  Spatial, Temporal, Peak, Average, Pulsed, Measuring Intensity, 10 Commandments

Interaction of Sound and Media:  Decibels, Attenuation: Incidence, Scattering, Reflection, Transmission, Refraction, Absorption

Attenuation Coefficient

Half Value Layer Thickness

Reflection and Transmission:  Impedance, Angles, Normal Incidence, Oblique Incidence

Incident Intensity, Reflected Intensity, Transmitted Intensity,  Intensity Reflection Coefficient, Intensity transmission Coefficient, Reflection with Normal Incidence and Oblique Incidence.  Transmission with Normal Incidence and Oblique Incidence.  Conservation of Energy, Reflection Angle = Incident Angle, Refraction, Snell's Law, "sine", Refraction and speeds of sound.

Range Equation:  Time of Flight, 13 Microsecond Rule, Pulse Repetition Period and Maximum Imaging Depth, Pulse Repetition Frequency and Maximum Imaging Depth

Transducers: Piezoelectric Material, Transducer Architecture: Matching Layer, Backing Material, Sensitivity, Wide Bandwidth, Low Quality Factor, Frequencies:  Pulsed Wave Transducers, Continuous Wave Transducers.  Effect of Speed of Sound on Frequency, Effect of Thickness of Piezoelectric Material on Frequency

 

 

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

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If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

If a student has a concern with the course instructor, the following “due process” protocol will apply.  The student will follow the protocol steps in the order shown.

1.       Make every effort to resolve the concern directly with the course instructor. The instructor should be contacted by the student before the conclusion of the course.

2.       If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the course instructor, the student should seek satisfaction from the immediate supervisor of the instructor within one week of the student–instructor meeting.

3.       If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the immediate supervisor of the instructor, the student should seek satisfaction from the Allied Health Division chairperson within one week of the student–supervisor meeting.

4.       If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the Allied Health division chairperson, the student should seek satisfaction from Assistant Dean of Career Technical programs within one week of the student–division chairperson meeting.

5.       If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the assistant dean, the student should seek satisfaction from the Vice-President and Dean of Instruction within one week of the student–Assistant Dean meeting.

6.       If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the Vice-President and Dean of Instruction, the student should seek satisfaction from the college President within one week of the student–Vice-President meeting.

7.       If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the President, the student should seek satisfaction from the college Board of Regents at the next regular meeting of the Regents.  The decision of the Regents will be final.

COURSE ETHICS

Each student will be required to prepare written assignments and take written examinations as a part of this course.  Students should be absolutely aware of the instructor’s policies relative to the ethics regarding plagiarism and any other unethical student conduct that may occur relative to a scored activity.

PLAGIARISM is the theft of another person’s work or thinking.  Words as well as ideas are intellectual property and can be stolen from another person as easily as money or property.  As such, plagiarism can be a violation of criminal law. Copying the published work of another person is illegal without the express permission of that person (e.g. internet and journal articles). Portions of a published work may be quoted provided the quote is properly cited. Even in those cases where the law may not be technically violated, plagiarism is unethical.  Frankly, it is simply the wrong thing to do. In this course, it is also considered plagiarism to copy the work of another student. No studentmay COPY ANOTHER STUDENT’S WORK on any assignment for credit even if permission is given.

Unethical conduct during a quiz or examination is also simply the wrong thing to do. To say the least, for a student pursuing a health-related career, unethical conduct may be considered a reliable predictor of unacceptable job performance in the medical environment. If a student makes a choice to “cheat” on a test, will that student also make similar choices relative to accurate patient care? This instructor takes the position that a dishonest student in the classroom may indeed pose a threat to the safety of any patient who comes into contact with that student.  Healthcare employers take a similar position. The health care industry and Amarillo College will not tolerate this type of unprofessionalism.       

At Amarillo College, there are grave academic penalties for any unethical conduct on the part of any student. The policy and penalty for such conduct is provided in the “General Catalog” as follows:

“A high standard of conduct is expected of all students.  It is assumed that obedience to the law, respect for properly constituted authority, personal honor, integrity and common sense will guide the actions of each member of the college community both in and out of the classroom.  Any student who fails to perform according to expected standards may be disciplined.”

One should conclude from this statement that unethical course conduct is absolutely unacceptable by Amarillo College policy.  To be more specific, in this course, plagiarism, dishonesty, or any other unethical course conduct, is cause, at the minimum, for a final course grade of “F” regardless of other grades earned to-date in the course.  At the maximum, it may be cause to request the college administration to dismiss the student from the sonography program and Amarillo College.

WARNING!  This ethics policy is STRICTLY enforced!

This instructor practices zero-tolerance and “takes no prisoners” in any matter related to a course ethics violation.  A student should not risk earning a failing grade in this course, and possibly any future enrollment privileges at Amarillo College, as the result of any unethical behavior.

 

Grading Criteria

 

Grading Criteria:

GRADING DISTRIBUTION

The final course grade will be computed as follows:

Exams = 40%

Quizzes = 30%

Assignments = 30%

The following grade scale applies throughout this course:

A = 91.5 - 100

B = 82.5 - 91.4

C = 74.5 - 82.4

F = less than 75

               Note:  A grade of "D" is not possible in this course!

 

Decimal scores from all graded activities will be rounded as follows:

0.1 - 0.4            —         rounded down

0.5 - 0.9            —         rounded up

 *** Any score of 75 or below on an exam has to attend mandatory tutoring that must be completed before the next exam.  The next exam cannot be taken until mandatory tutoring is completed.

The final course average will be rounded in the same way. Under very special circumstances, it may be necessary for the course instructor to issue a final course grade of “incomplete” to provide additional time for the student to satisfactorily complete the course.  Such circumstances are rare and must be approved by the instructor.

When a final grade of “incomplete” is appropriate, a written contract to remove the “I” will be prepared by the course instructor and signed by the instructor and student. Normally, the grade of “I” must be converted to a passing grade within 90 days of the conclusion of the course. 

Under a very rare circumstance, a time extension of an additional 90 days is possible.  Each case will be handled on an individual basis and no one case shall set a precedent for another case.  If the “I” is not removed in accordance with the contract, the final course grade will be recorded as an “F”.

 

Attendance

Regular attendance is required to maintain an expectation of satisfactory progress (grade of ‘C’ or better) in this highly technical course. It is the responsibility of the student to be present in class each time it is scheduled to meet. Attendance will be recorded at each lecture.  Likewise, on-time arrival for class  is absolutely expected.


 

If a student is absent on the day of a scheduled examination, quiz, or submission of an out-of-class assignment, the student may make-up the missed points as follows:

1.         The missed work must be completed by 3:00 pm on the next course day following the absence.

2.         The missed work make-up score will be penalized 25% due to the absence.

Should the student be unable to complete the missed work within this deadline, he or she may petition the instructor for an extension of time.  Such a request must be made directly to the instructor BEFORE the deadline period expires. Such time extensions are approved only under very extraordinary circumstances. Each request will be handled on an individual basis and the decision of the instructor will be final.

On a rare occasion, a student may know in advance of an impending and UNAVOIDABLE absence.  If that absence is to occur on a day when a scored activity is to be taken, the student may petition the instructor, IN ADVANCE AND IN WRITING, for an “excused absence.”  Each excused absence request will be handled on an individual basis and the decision of the instructor will be final.  If approved by the instructor, an excused absence will not result in the loss of any points on the scored activity due to the absence.

If a missed scored activity is not completed in accordance with this make-up policy, the specific activity in question will be scored as ZERO points and averaged as zero credit into the final course grade. This make-up policy is strictly enforced.

 

 

Calendar

Week 1:  Intro

Week 2:  Chapters 1 and 2

Week 3:  Chapter 3 

Week 4:  Chapters 4 and 5 

Week 5:  Chapter 6 Part 1

Week 6:  Chapter 6 Part 2 

Week 7:  Review

Week 8:  Mid Term (Chapters 1-6)

Week 9:  Chapter 7

Week 10:  Chapter 8

Week 11:  Chapter 9

Week 12:  Chapter 10

Week 13:  Chapter 12 Part 1

Week 14:  Chapter 12 Part 2

Week 15:  Review

Week 16:  Final exam (Chapters 7-12)

Schedule is subject to change during course.

Additional Information

Expected Student Behavior:


 

Grievance Policy

If a student has a concern with the course instructor, the following due process protocol will apply. The student will follow the protocol steps in the order shown.

   1. Make every effort to resolve the concern directly with the course instructor. The instructor should be contacted by the student before the conclusion of the course.

   2. If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the course instructor, the student should seek satisfaction from the director of radiography within one week of the student instructor meeting.

   3. If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the director of radiography, the student should seek satisfaction from the Dean of Health Sciences within one week of the student supervisor meeting.

  4. If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the Dean of Health Sciences, the student should seek satisfaction from the Vice-President and Dean of Instruction within one week of the student - Dean meeting.

  5. If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the Vice-President and Dean of Instruction, the student should seek satisfaction from the college President within one week of the student-Vice-President meeting.

   6. If the concern cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the President, the student should seek satisfaction from the college Board of Regents at the next regular meeting of the Regents. The decision of the Regents will be final.

COURSE ETHICS

Each student will be required to prepare written assignments for credit and take written examinations as a part of this course. Plagiarism, academic dishonesty or any other unethical conduct WILL NOT be tolerated. Such behavior will result in the student receiving a final course grade of “F” regardless of other grades earned to- date. 

 

 

Electronic devices which produce audible sounds must be silenced during all lecture presentations.  Also, text messaging during class and lab is absolutely prohibited

 

STUDY TIPS FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

This course is very technical and, as such, demands strong student study skills to complete the course satisfactorily. Sonography is NOT “rocket-science,” but it does require persistent and effective study to grasp and retain the information.The following study skill guidelines have been tested through many years, and when used consistently, have been proven to work. Of course, students have different learning styles. Therefore, all skills listed may not be appropriate for you. If you have already developed a study system that works, don’t change it!   If that is not the case, the you should give strong consideration to the adoption of one or more of these guidelines.

1.       Plan to study no less than two clock-hours each week for each hour of class time. If you are academically challenged you should spend even more time. Class time is used to collect notes — NOT to learn the greater part of the information.  Effective learning must continue to take place outside of the classroom.

2.       NEVER extend a study session beyond 30 minutes without taking a short break.  For most students, continuous studying without frequent short breaks generally serves little or no useful purpose. It is not usually possible for the average student to remain sufficiently focused beyond 30 minutes.

3.       During a study session, get active! Choose an area free of distractions and don’t get comfortable. Read your notes and the textbook out loud if the location permits. Using the additional sense of hearing further improves retention and learning.  Reading silently using only the sense of sight and limits learning ability. 

4.       Re-write your lecture notes within twelve hours. Notes taken during a lecture session must often be abbreviated to save time. This creates gaps in sentence and paragraph structure. Therefore, if a re-write does not occur relatively soon, gaps will be difficult to close later. Also, a re-write involves the sense of touch which improves retention and learning. When closing gaps, be sure to consult the textbook for additional information relative to the subject under study. A good dictionary can also be helpful.

5.       Study with a classmate when possible.  For most students, group study reinforces learning.

6.       NEVER “cram” for tests. Cramming may work, but any success is only temporary since this study technique involves short-term memory. Use of long-term memory is absolutely necessary to successfully complete any course which requires a comprehensive final examination and a program of study where an overall program exit comprehensive examination and certification examination is also required. Instead of relying on a “crisis approach” to learning, stay organized and review often.

7.       Ask questions during class sessions and/or visit with the course instructor outside of class to clarify information that may be difficult for you to grasp. If necessary, seek advice from the instructor for making improvements. However, seeking advice during the final couple of weeks of the course is probably too late!

8.       Avoid, at all cost, a pessimistic attitude. Instead, THINK POSITIVELY! A person in very likely to mentally move in the direction he or she thinks about most often. When a subject seems overwhelming, don’t panic!  When the brain is in “panic mode,” it cannot simultaneously be in an effective learning mode. If panic develops, STOP!  Re-evaluate your study skills and make immediate changes that can remove or reduce the difficulty. Chances are, the panic is the result of not enough time set aside to learn the information.

9.       Improve your self-confidence! An excellent online tool to help build self-confidence can be seen at …

                                                http://www.mindtools.com/selfconf.html

 

Syllabus Created on:

08/20/23 8:10 PM

Last Edited on:

08/20/23 8:10 PM