So, you’ve gotten your evaluation report back only to notice that we have indicated cable damage. But does this really matter?

If you have been recommended to repair the cable on your probe, it is because we are concerned about its functionality. A damaged cable is one of the most common issues we see here at Probelogic, and even minor kinks such as the ones visible below can have disastrous effects on your imaging.

Inside your cable are hundreds of tightly bound wires. Each wire represents an element which together make up the entirety of your ultrasound image. If one or more of those wires is damaged, it can lead to black lines in your image referred to as dead elements. What this means is that the wire is now unable to transmit the signal from the probe head to the machine it is connected to and thus does not appear on your image.

This is visible in the photo below.

Severe damage to your cable which exposes wires can also pose a risk to both yourself and your patient. Cable damage increases the risk of electrocution, cross-contamination and even infection.

While probes are designed to be water proof, damage to the cable can impair this ability and allow for fluid ingress. Cable insulation forms part of the electrical isolation between machine and person, if any wires are exposed this increases the risk of electrocution for both yourself and your patient.

It is very important that any damage to your cable, no matter how superficial it may seem, be repaired immediately, both to protect the quality of your images, and the safety of those who come into contact with your probe.

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So what should you be looking for and checking regularly on your ultrasound probes? Here is a guide

How should you be cleaning your general ultrasound probes? Here is a guide

Sometimes it isn’t always as simple as looking for dropout. In this case you can see that phased array probes don’t show dropout clearly.

It really does make sense to repair your probes instead of taking large service contracts with the OEMs. Especially if you have a fleet of machines so that you can spread your risk. Become your own insurance company with very little risk! Here is some information on this approach

If you require any assistance for anything ultrasound related. Don’t hesitate to contact us.