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Manufacturer
Model
What This Guide Helps With
Use for unexpected noise, dropout, nonuniformity, distortion, intermittent artifacts, or image quality that is inadequate for reliable clinical use.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect Diagnostic Accuracy
Do not continue a diagnostic examination when image quality is unreliable or an unexplained artifact could affect interpretation. Move the examination to another verified ultrasound system when necessary.
Expected outcome: Clinical decisions are based on reliable imaging rather than a questionable image.
2. Confirm and Characterize the Artifact
Ask staff which probe, examination, imaging mode, and circumstances produced the problem. Determine whether the artifact is constant, intermittent, localized, probe-dependent, position-dependent, or present with multiple probes.
Expected outcome: The artifact is reproducible enough to guide troubleshooting or useful details are captured for escalation.
3. Inspect the Transducer
Clean the probe according to approved infection-control procedures and inspect the acoustic surface, housing, cable, strain relief, and connector for contamination, damage, cracking, cuts, or impact evidence.
Expected outcome: The probe is clean and externally intact. Any visibly damaged probe is removed from service.
4. Verify Probe Connection
Confirm the transducer connector is correctly seated and secured. Observe whether gently repositioning external cable routing changes the artifact without flexing or stressing the cable.
Expected outcome: A secure connection provides a stable image without intermittent dropout.
5. Check Coupling and Test Conditions
For appropriate bench evaluation, use an approved test object, phantom, or suitable controlled test condition. Ensure adequate acoustic coupling and eliminate obvious air gaps or poor test setup before judging system performance.
Expected outcome: Image quality can be assessed under repeatable conditions.
6. Review User-Accessible Imaging Controls
Check whether gain, depth, focus, frequency selection, dynamic range, processing, or other standard imaging controls have been set unusually for the examination. Compare with an appropriate known working preset rather than changing protected configuration.
Expected outcome: Image quality is normal with reasonable clinical settings. If the issue was caused by an incorrect user-accessible setting, verify the correction and troubleshooting can stop.
7. Test a Known-Good Compatible Probe
Use another compatible known-good transducer under the same controlled imaging conditions.
Expected outcome: If the artifact disappears with the known-good probe, the original probe is isolated as the affected accessory and should be removed from service. If the artifact remains, continue system-level checks.
8. Check the Environment
Look for newly installed electrical equipment, damaged power connections, unusual electromagnetic interference sources, or room-specific conditions if the artifact occurs only in one location.
Expected outcome: No external environmental condition is contributing to the image artifact.
9. Compare Imaging Modes
Without changing protected settings, determine whether the artifact is present in basic live imaging and whether it appears across multiple compatible probes or modes.
Expected outcome: The issue is isolated to a probe, operating condition, or broader system imaging path.
10. Perform Final Functional Verification
After correction, obtain repeatable images under controlled conditions and verify there is no unexpected dropout, noise, distortion, or artifact. Verify any affected probe separately before return to clinical use.
Expected outcome: Image quality is stable and clinically usable. If successful, troubleshooting can stop.
If the Problem Persists
Probe condition, coupling, connection, user-accessible controls, known-good substitution, and environmental causes have been evaluated. Persistent artifacts may involve transducer-element failure, acquisition electronics, image-processing hardware or software, calibration, configuration, or another internal service-level issue.
Remove the affected probe or system from service as appropriate, label it Out of Service, and arrange repair or bench evaluation using appropriate Mindray documentation, approved test equipment, and suitable ultrasound test objects.
Return the equipment to service only after the reported artifact has been eliminated and applicable image-quality verification has been successfully completed.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting and escalate is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
An image artifact that cannot be confidently explained should be treated as a diagnostic reliability issue, not merely a cosmetic display problem.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported intermittent image dropout on the Resona I9 during examinations with one transducer."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering reproduced the dropout with the reported probe while a compatible known-good probe produced a stable image."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering removed the affected transducer from service, verified normal imaging with the known-good probe, and returned the ultrasound system to service with the defective probe excluded."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Probe involved
- Imaging mode
- Description and location of artifact
- Whether artifact is constant or intermittent
- Probe and cable condition
- Connector condition
- Settings observed
- Test object or phantom used
- Known-good probe comparison
- Room or environmental dependence
- Results before and after correction
- Final equipment status
Final Thought
Protect diagnostic accuracy, reproduce the artifact under controlled conditions, inspect and compare probes before assuming system failure, verify image quality after correction, escalate unresolved faults, and document the evidence clearly.
That is successful troubleshooting.