Siemens Healthineers ACUSON Juniper

Image Artifact, Dropout, Noise, or Poor Image Quality

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Asset Type

Ultrasound System

Manufacturer

Siemens Healthineers

Model

ACUSON Juniper

What This Guide Helps With

Troubleshooting ultrasound image artifacts, dropout, noise, weak image quality, probe issues, and external setup problems before repair escalation.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Ensure Patient Safety First

Confirm the ACUSON Juniper is not being used for an active patient exam before troubleshooting.

If the image quality issue occurs during an exam, have clinical staff move the patient to another available ultrasound system if imaging is clinically urgent.

Expected outcome: Patient care is not delayed or continued on a system producing questionable images.

Confirm the Exact Image Quality Complaint

Ask the sonographer what they are seeing and when it occurs.

Identify whether the issue involves:

Expected outcome: The problem is narrowed to a probe, application, system setting, or possible internal imaging fault.

Check Whether the Issue Follows One Transducer

Ask staff which probe was being used when the artifact appeared.

Test the same preset with another compatible transducer if available.

If the image quality improves with a different probe, remove the suspect probe from service.

Expected outcome: A single-probe issue is separated from a system-wide imaging issue.

If this resolves the issue, document the failed transducer and stop.

Inspect the Transducer Externally

Inspect the probe face, lens, strain relief, cable, and connector.

Look for cracks, swelling, cuts, exposed shielding, fluid intrusion, bent connector pins, or cable kinks.

Do not flex a damaged probe cable repeatedly while connected to the system.

Expected outcome: Physical probe damage or contamination is identified before blaming the ultrasound platform.

If damage is found, remove the probe from service and stop.

Verify the Probe Is Fully Seated

Power down or follow site-approved probe connection procedure if the probe must be reseated.

Disconnect and reconnect the transducer, making sure the connector is clean, dry, aligned, and fully locked.

Expected outcome: Poor contact at the probe connector is ruled out.

If reseating restores normal image quality, return the unit to service after confirming stable imaging.

Check for Gel, Fluid, or Debris at the Connector

Inspect the probe connector and system port area for gel, dust, liquid, or debris.

Do not use the system if fluid intrusion is suspected.

Expected outcome: Connector contamination is ruled out as a cause of dropout, noise, or intermittent imaging.

Test Multiple Imaging Modes

Check B-mode first, then color Doppler, spectral Doppler, and any affected advanced imaging mode if applicable.

Determine whether the issue appears in all modes or only in one mode.

Expected outcome: The issue is separated into a general imaging problem or a mode-specific problem.

Confirm Preset, Depth, Gain, TGC, Focus, and Frequency Settings

Have the operator verify that the correct exam type and transducer preset are selected.

Check depth, overall gain, TGC sliders, dynamic range, focus position, harmonics, and frequency selection.

Expected outcome: Poor image quality caused by inappropriate imaging settings is corrected.

If normal image quality returns after settings are corrected, stop.

Compare Against a Known-Good Setup

Use a known-good probe, known-good preset, and standard test target or phantom if available.

Compare the image against expected performance for that probe type.

Expected outcome: The image issue is confirmed as either reproducible or operator/setup related.

Check for Electrical Noise Sources

Confirm the ACUSON Juniper is plugged into an approved hospital-grade outlet.

Look for nearby equipment that may introduce interference, such as electrosurgical units, beds, chargers, power strips, pumps, warming devices, or non-medical electronics.

Move unnecessary equipment away or test from another approved outlet if safe and permitted.

Expected outcome: External electrical interference is ruled out.

Check the Display and Video Output

Determine whether the artifact is present on the live ultrasound image, saved images, external monitor, or only the system display.

If the saved image is clean but the screen appears distorted, suspect a display or video path issue rather than an imaging acquisition issue.

Expected outcome: Display-related distortion is separated from true imaging artifact.

Restart the System

If no patient is connected and the exam workflow allows, perform a normal shutdown and restart.

Allow the system to fully boot before retesting the affected probe and preset.

Expected outcome: Temporary software or imaging-processing errors are cleared.

If image quality returns and remains stable, document the restart and final test result.

Review Recent Changes

Ask whether the issue started after:

Expected outcome: The timeline helps identify whether the problem is environmental, accessory-related, or service-related.

Check for Overheating, Smell, or Abnormal Sounds

Inspect the system externally for blocked vents, unusual fan noise, excessive heat, burning smell, or liquid exposure.

Do not continue troubleshooting if overheating, odor, or liquid intrusion is present.

Expected outcome: Safety-related signs of equipment failure are identified early.

Confirm Final Image Quality With Clinical Staff

After corrections, ask the sonographer to verify image quality using normal clinical workflow or a phantom if available.

Expected outcome: The system is not returned to service based only on a basic power-on check.

If the Problem Persists

If artifact, dropout, noise, or poor image quality remains after checking probes, connectors, settings, power, environment, display behavior, and restart, common external causes have been ruled out.

The ACUSON Juniper should be removed from service, labeled Out of Service, and sent for repair or bench evaluation. Possible internal causes may include probe port failure, imaging front-end electronics, signal processing issues, power supply noise, display/video faults, or software-related problems.

Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Do not continue clinical use when image quality is questionable.

Clinical Use Tip

Do not troubleshoot image quality concerns on an active patient unless the situation is safe and clinically appropriate. If diagnostic confidence is affected, move the patient to another ultrasound system and evaluate the ACUSON Juniper away from patient care.

Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)

CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution

Complaint

What was reported by the clinical staff.

Example:
"Sonographer reported intermittent image dropout and noise while using the ACUSON Juniper with the abdominal transducer."

Cause

What was observed during troubleshooting.

Example:
"External troubleshooting found the artifact followed one transducer, and the probe cable showed damage near the strain relief."

Resolution

What action was taken.

Example:
"Removed the damaged transducer from service, labeled it for repair evaluation, verified normal image quality with a known-good probe, and returned the ultrasound system to service."

Helpful Details to Include (If Known)

Final Thought

Ultrasound image quality issues should be approached logically and safely. Start with the patient, then rule out the probe, connector, settings, power, environment, and display path before suspecting internal failure. Clear CCR documentation helps repair teams understand whether the issue was probe-specific, system-wide, intermittent, or environmental.

That is successful troubleshooting.

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