Should You Repair or Replace your Ultrasound Probe?

Address your Ultrasound Probe Damage, Ultrasound Probe Problem, and Ultrasound Probe Repair

Common Ultrasound Probe Issues

The most common probe issue at Probo Medical is shadows and dropouts in the image. Typically, this is caused by damaged piezoelectric elements in the probe array. The elements’ primary function is to send and receive ultrasonic signals into the body creating the image on the screen. Damaged elements can be identified and properly assessed for repair via Probo Medical’s First Call diagnostic system. Dropouts may also be caused by damaged cables, acoustic lens, internal electronics, and connectors. Regardless, if you are seeing image dropouts and shadows, we highly recommend sending in your probe to Probo Medical for a free 24-hour repair diagnosis. The symptom and model of your ultrasound probe connector will determine the path of repair or replacement.

First Call Example:

Watch an example video featuring dropout here.

Probe connectors are the piece of the probe that plugs into the ultrasound system. Most connectors are either pinned or pin-less with robust build qualities to stand up against wear and tear. Unfortunately, they still break. Broken pins, locking shafts, knobs, and poor connections are all quite common faults on a ultrasound machine with probes for both free standing and portable machines. The good news is that a damaged connector can usually be repaired, so it’s likely you will not have to replace your probe.

Damage to the external jacket and/or internal wires of the probe cable can create a significant risk of electrocution to the patient and user, especially if the damage is as extreme as shown in this picture. If internal wires in the cable are frayed or broken, one could see a multitude of issues: artifacts and noise in Doppler modes, dropouts in an image, and even system shutdowns. If these symptoms exist, it is imperative to immediately stop usage and send the probe in for a repair diagnosis. Typically, repair is possible depending on the model, although allowing damage to worsen exponentially increases the chance that replacement is required.

The strain relief is the part of a probe that supports the connection between the ultrasound cable and scan head. The strain relief is frequently damaged due to improper bending and/or rough handling by the user. It’s critical to send it in for a repair evaluation immediately because if not addressed quickly, the probe will likely incur much greater damage. Thus, higher repair costs and possibly causing irreparable symptoms and probe replacement.

An ultrasound probe’s lens or membrane is soft, yet durable to provide a level of protection for the delicate elements. Unfortunately, it can still become worn, cracked or develop holes. Typically, it is a simple repair job that can prevent misdiagnosis and cross contamination but once again, don’t wait as further damage could make the probe non-repairable.