Which display mode provides a depth-versus-time trace for a single line of sight?

Which display mode provides a depth-versus-time trace for a single line of sight?

• A. A-Mode
• B. B-Mode
• C. M-Mode
• D. Doppler Mode

Answer: (C)

M-Mode provides a depth-versus-time trace along a single line of sight. Echoes from one ultrasound beam are recorded over time, creating a plot where depth is shown against time, so you can watch how structures move toward or away from the transducer along that line—perfect for tracking rapid, repetitive motion like heart wall movement. Other modes serve different purposes: a simple depth-amplitude display along one line, a 2D image formed from many lines, or velocity information of moving fluids—none of which give the depth-versus-time trace along a single beam.

M-Mode provides a depth-versus-time trace along a single line of sight. Echoes from one ultrasound beam are recorded over time, creating a plot where depth is shown against time, so you can watch how structures move toward or away from the transducer along that line—perfect for tracking rapid, repetitive motion like heart wall movement. Other modes serve different purposes: a simple depth-amplitude display along one line, a 2D image formed from many lines, or velocity information of moving fluids—none of which give the depth-versus-time trace along a single beam.