Practical Handling of the US Probe During Investigation

Abstract

At first glance, it may appear logical to assume that the quality of images will increase if the barrier of the dura mater is removed; indeed, the example of a tumor in the left occipital lobe reaching into the trigonum shows that the echo intensity is generally higher when the dura is open (Fig.9) than when it is still closed (Fig. 10). Opening the dura does not, however, increase the space resolution, nor does it change the echogenicity of any tissue compartment compared with others. Imaging with the dura closed thus has no basic disadvantages; on the contrary, it has the advantage of applying less circumscribed pressure to the underlying brain tissue and allowing the investigator to move the transducer freely over the dural surface. Movement of the US probe is much more difficult and would sometimes even be traumatizing with the dura open.