M-mode displays appear as which pattern on the screen?

M-mode displays appear as which pattern on the screen?

• A. A single solid line
• B. A group of horizontal wavy lines
• C. A colorful spectrum
• D. A sequence of vertical bars

Answer: (B)

M-mode displays capture motion along a single ultrasound beam over time, so the image becomes a time–depth plot. Time runs horizontally and depth runs vertically, which makes the display look like many parallel horizontal traces. When structures move, these traces ripple, producing horizontal lines that appear wavy across the screen. This is why the pattern shown is a group of horizontal wavy lines rather than a single static line, a color spectrum, or vertical bars.

M-mode displays capture motion along a single ultrasound beam over time, so the image becomes a time–depth plot. Time runs horizontally and depth runs vertically, which makes the display look like many parallel horizontal traces. When structures move, these traces ripple, producing horizontal lines that appear wavy across the screen. This is why the pattern shown is a group of horizontal wavy lines rather than a single static line, a color spectrum, or vertical bars.