What is spatial pulse length in ultrasound?

Spatial pulse length refers to the length of the pulse that is traveling through the medium in ultrasound. It is defined as the physical distance that the pulse occupies in space from the starting point to the endpoint of the pulse. This concept is crucial in sonography because it impacts image resolution; shorter pulse lengths can improve axial resolution, allowing for better differentiation between closely spaced structures in the body.

In this context, it is important to understand the characteristics of a pulse in ultrasound: the duration of the pulse is not the same as its spatial length. The pulse travels as a wave, and while the duration relates to the time it spends emitting, the spatial pulse length directly refers to its physical extent. Moreover, while the average wavelength of sound waves describes a specific aspect of wave properties, it does not define the total length of pulses, which can comprise multiple wavelengths depending on the frequency and number of cycles within the pulse.