Clinical evaluation of Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamforming and Tissue Harmonic Imaging

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This study determines if the data reduction achieved by the combination Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamforming (SASB) and Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI) affects image quality. SASB-THI was evaluated against the combination of Dynamic Received Focusing and Tissue Harmonic Imaging (DRF-THI). A BK medical UltraView 800 ultrasound scanner equipped with a research interface and an abdominal 3.5 MHz 3.5CL192-3ML convex array transducer was used and connected to a stand alone PC. SASB-THI and DRF-THI scan sequences were recorded interleaved and processed offline. Nineteen patients diagnosed with focal liver pathology were scanned to set a clinical condition, where ultrasonography is often performed. A total of 114 sequences were recorded and evaluated by five radiologists. The evaluators were blinded to the imaging technique, and each sequence was shown twice with different left-right positioning, resulting in 1140 evaluations. The program Image Quality Assessment Program (IQap) and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were applied for the evaluation. The scale ranged from -50 to 50, where positive values favored SASB-THI. SASB-THI and DRF-THI were evaluated alike in 49% of the evaluations, 28% favored SASB-THI and 23% favored DRF-THI. The average rating was 0.70 (Cl: -0.80 to 2.19). The statistical analysis, where the hypothesis of no differences between the techniques was tested, yielded a p-value of p=0.64, indicating no preference to any technique. This study demonstrates that SASB-THI and DRF-THI have equally good image quality although a data reduction of 64 times is achieved with SASB-THI.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, IUS
Number of pages4
PublisherIEEE Computer Society Press
Publication date20 Oct 2014
Pages1312-1315
Article number6931774
ISBN (Electronic)9781479970490
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Oct 2014
Event2014 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, IUS 2014 - Chicago, United States
Duration: 3 Sep 20146 Sep 2014

Conference

Conference2014 IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, IUS 2014
LandUnited States
ByChicago
Periode03/09/201406/09/2014
SeriesIEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, IUS
ISSN1948-5719

    Research areas

  • Comparison of techniques, Imagine quality evaluation, Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamforming Tissue Harmonic Imaging

ID: 239625772