Which transducer type is typically used to produce a rectangular field with parallel scan lines?

• A. Phased array
• B. Linear array
• C. Curved linear array
• D. Sector

Answer: (B)

Beams are shaped by how the transducer’s elements are arranged and fired. A linear array places many small elements in a straight line and, when excited in a way that keeps the beams essentially parallel, emits lines that run parallel across the image. This creates a rectangular imaging field where the scan lines are straight and evenly spaced. Other transducer types produce different field shapes: phased arrays steer beams to sweep through angles and form a fan- or sector-shaped field; curved linear arrays produce a curved field; sector transducers emit beams that diverge from a point, giving a sector shape. So the rectangular field with parallel scan lines is a hallmark of a linear array.