Ultrasound Thermal Print Paper: A Complete Buying Guide

Ultrasound thermal print paper is a special print media with a coating of heat-sensitive materials that changes color when subjected to heat. These heat-sensitive materials, mainly dyes and developers, are mixed with other materials and applied evenly across the paper. When the paper is subjected to heat from a thermal printer head, it will melt (even so slightly), become discolored, and print the selected input on the paper.

Ultrasound thermal papers can be used in ultrasound thermal printers and many other applications. The paper is usually built with a couple of material layers, and they add different properties to the final product.

What Is the Structure of Ultrasound Print Paper?

1. High gloss layer 2. Top coat layer 3. Thermal coat layer 4. Base material (Synthetic paper) 5. Anti-electrostatic layer Source: Sony

Ultrasound thermal paper, also known as sonography paper, thermal print media, or video printer paper, is made from thermal synthetic paper material. It features a high-gloss finish and can produce high-contrast and high-definition images for medical diagnostic use.

Ultrasound thermal paper structure is composed of several layers, and you can think of the paper as a multi-layer hamburger. Each layer serves a specific function:

1. High gloss layer: This outermost layer provides a glossy finish to the printed image, enhancing the clarity and contrast of the ultrasound prints. It also offers a level of protection against moisture, light, handling, and other factors that can affect the quality and longevity of the prints.
2. Topcoat layer: The topcoat layer acts as a protective barrier for the thermal coat layer beneath it. It helps to preserve the printed image by protecting it from physical damage, such as scratches and wear, and also chemical exposure.
3. Thermal coat layer: This is the core functional layer of the paper. It contains heat-sensitive dyes and developers that react to the heat from the thermal printer head. When activated by heat, this layer changes color to produce grayscale images.
4. Base material: The base material, typically synthetic paper, provides the foundational structure for the thermal paper. It offers strength and flexibility, ensuring that the paper can withstand the mechanical stresses of the printing process and handling.
5. Anti-electrostatic layer: This layer helps to reduce static electricity buildup on the paper since static electricity can attract dust and other particles that may affect print quality.

Each layer plays a specific role, and they work together to create a high-quality, durable, and reliable print necessary for medical imaging. You may also be curious about the differences between ultrasound paper and regular thermal paper. You can check our ultrasound thermal paper 101 guide to learn more about their differences.

How Does the Ultrasound Imaging System Work?

Source: informedhealth.org

During an ultrasound procedure, the ultrasound machine generates images by sending high-frequency sound waves into the body. These sound waves bounce off tissues and organs inside the body, creating echoes. The ultrasound machine captures these echoes and converts them into electrical signals. These signals are then processed and used to generate images of the internal structures.

To print these images on thermal paper, the ultrasound machine sends the processed image (digital) data to a thermal printer. The heating elements in the printer head then activate the special dye in the thermal paper, producing gray and black shades that translate to the images. These images appear in grayscale, with different shades corresponding to the image data received from the ultrasound machine, which can reflect different states of the captured body parts. Typically, the darker the shade, the stronger the original echo from the ultrasound.

How Are Ultrasound Paper Rolls Made?

Thermal paper coating process

The first step is called thermal coating. In a giant industrial coating machine, the synthetic paper materials are coated and produced on a massive scale using large cylinders and massive amounts of chemical materials. After the coating is finished, they become ultrasound paper jumbo rolls. Then, we can cut the jumbo rolls into small finished rolls (mini rolls) as per the customer’s requirements.

For more details, check out our article on how thermal paper rolls are produced to see how they’re cut and made. The cutting process can be repeated to produce rolls of different sizes according to customer demand. After that, the rolls will be packed in waterproof pouches and sealed to protect against humidity and sunshine.

What Are the Different Types of Ultrasound Paper?

SONY’s B/W ultrasound thermal print media  Source: Sony

There are different ultrasound paper roll sizes available on the market, but they mainly fall into three categories: 84 mm (A7 width), 110 mm (A6 width), and 210 mm (A4 width). Among them, the 110 mm size is the most widely used in the global market.

In the 110 mm paper category, the UPP-110S, UPP-110HD, and UPP-110HG are undoubtedly the most popular models. They separately stand for standard, high density, and high gloss. Each type of paper offers different print quality and pricing, and delivers varying levels of image performance.

What Are the Storage Conditions for Ultrasound Paper?

Before It Is Used

The unused thermal paper should be rolled tightly and stacked against each other inside a carton. You can store the carton in a dark place, and the storage site should preferably have a room temperature below 30 °C. At temperatures above this mark, the prevailing heat could be just enough to cause the materials in the paper to react. It should also be kept away from materials like oils, grease, and body fluids.

After It Is Used

For ultrasound thermal paper that has been printed, its storage conditions become even more delicate. The following instructions should be adhered to in order to maintain the quality of the image.

• Storage locations should have temperatures below 30 °C and relative humidity below 60%.
• The surface of the printed paper should not be placed in petrol or any other organic solvent.
• It should be secured against contact with direct sunlight or any other light source.
• It should be stored in cases or files made with polyester.
• It should not come in contact with human bodily fluids.

Where to Buy: Buy Panda Paper Roll’s Ultrasound Paper for Medical Use

Ultrasound thermal papers are very valuable to the work of medical professionals. They are used to print out photographs of internal organs and body parts, and the pictures are then used to make important medical inferences. But before they slot into the printers in an ultrasound machine, they go through a series of processes that give them form and function. This article discusses these processes and then suggests storage conditions to help attain the product’s shelf life. If you are looking for high-quality and affordable ultrasound paper products, please feel free to contact our company today.