Which parameter in sonography is measured in percentages?

The parameter measured in percentages in sonography is the duty factor. Duty factor is defined as the ratio of the time the ultrasound beam is on (the pulse duration) to the total time it takes to complete one pulse cycle (which includes both the pulse duration and the listening time). This is typically expressed as a percentage because it indicates the fraction of time that the system is actively transmitting ultrasound waves compared to the total cycle time.

For example, if a system is transmitting ultrasound for 0.4 milliseconds and has a total pulse cycle time of 1.0 millisecond, the duty factor would be 40%. This is an important parameter in evaluating the efficiency of ultrasound operations, affecting image quality and tissue heating.

The other parameters do not have a measurement expressed in percentages. Pulse repetition frequency is measured in hertz (cycles per second) and indicates how often pulses are emitted. Imaging depth is measured in centimeters and refers to the maximum depth of visualization in a tissue. Pulse duration is measured in microseconds and describes the length of time during which the pulse is actually transmitted. Understanding these distinctions is important for accurate interpretation and application of sonography principles.