Decreasing the color sector width decreases the number of adjacent scan lines used for color information. Interrogating fewer color scan lines requires less color processing time, so the frame rate increases. The accuracy of the color flow information remains the same, however, because the color sector width has no impact on the packet size.

Wider color sectors yield lower frame rates, while narrower color sectors yield higher frame rates.

Frame rate may be critical in patients with rapid heart rates. When using color flow imaging to assess rapidly moving blood flow, you could miss important information with low frame rates. To optimize the color flow image you should:

• Select the packet size that provides adequate accuracy
• Increase the frame rate, as necessary, by decreasing the color sector width