GE Voluson E6: transducers switching on their own
What happened
During normal scanning, the system switched between the volume and the transvaginal transducer with no action from the operator.
What was checked
- Check whether other transducer pairs also switch between themselves — if so, the volume probe itself is less likely to be at fault.
- Look for phantom inputs on the touchscreen: switching with no operator contact points to the control panel rather than the probe.
Cause
The engineers found the touchscreen and control panel contaminated with dust and ultrasound gel, which produced false touch inputs that looked like spontaneous transducer switching.
What was done
The control panel was disassembled, the touchscreen removed, and the whole assembly cleaned of dust, dirt and gel, then reassembled and checked. The spontaneous switching stopped after cleaning.
Safety
Isolate the system from mains power before opening the control panel, and complete an electrical safety check (earth bond and leakage current) before returning it to clinical use.
Lesson: Random transducer switching on a console often starts at a dirty touchscreen or control panel, so clean and inspect the panel before condemning probes or boards.
Covered in the course: Ultrasound Service — Level 2: Fault-Finding →
Written from an anonymised case shared by service engineers. It is not a manufacturer instruction and grants no authorisation. Independent note; names are trademarks of their owners.