Ultrasound imaging progressed to digital format during which decade?

• A. 1960s
• B. 1980s
• C. 1990s
• D. 2000s

Answer: (C)

Moving to digital imaging in ultrasound marks a shift from analog video and film storage to direct digital capture, processing, and archiving. In the early systems, image data were often stored and displayed in analog form, with film prints and video formats used for records. The 1990s brought a decisive change as digital electronics and processing power improved, enabling digital beamforming, digital scan converters, and direct digital storage of images. The era also saw the widespread adoption of standardized digital communication and archival formats, notably the DICOM workflow that integrated ultrasound with PACS. This combination made digital ultrasound practical, reliable, and widely used in routine clinical practice, setting the stage for later advances while marking the decade when the transition to digital became the norm.