TY - GEN

T1 - Clinical evaluation of synthetic aperture sequential beamforming

A1 - Hansen,Peter Møller

A1 - Hemmsen,Martin Christian

A1 - Lange,Theis

A1 - Hansen,Jens Munk

A1 - Nielsen,Michael Bachmann

A1 - Jensen,Jørgen Arendt

AU - Hansen,Peter Møller

AU - Hemmsen,Martin Christian

AU - Lange,Theis

AU - Hansen,Jens Munk

AU - Nielsen,Michael Bachmann

AU - Jensen,Jørgen Arendt

PB - SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - In this study clinically relevant ultrasound images generated with synthetic aperture sequential beamforming (SASB) is compared to images generated with a conventional technique. The advantage of SASB is the ability to produce high resolution ultrasound images with a high frame rate and at the same time massively reduce the amount of generated data. SASB was implemented in a system consisting of a conventional ultrasound scanner connected to a PC via a research interface. This setup enables simultaneous recording with both SASB and conventional technique. Eighteen volunteers were ultrasound scanned abdominally, and 84 sequence pairs were recorded. Each sequence pair consists of two simultaneous recordings of the same anatomical location with SASB and conventional B-mode imaging. The images were evaluated in terms of spatial resolution, contrast, unwanted artifacts, and penetration depth of the ultrasound beam. Five ultrasound experts (radiologists) evaluated the sequence pairs in a side-by-side comparison, and the results show that image quality using SASB was better than conventional B-mode imaging. 73 % of the evaluations favored SASB, and a probability of 70 % was calculated for a new radiologist to prefer SASB over conventional imaging, if a new sequence was recorded. There was no significant difference in penetration depth.

AB - In this study clinically relevant ultrasound images generated with synthetic aperture sequential beamforming (SASB) is compared to images generated with a conventional technique. The advantage of SASB is the ability to produce high resolution ultrasound images with a high frame rate and at the same time massively reduce the amount of generated data. SASB was implemented in a system consisting of a conventional ultrasound scanner connected to a PC via a research interface. This setup enables simultaneous recording with both SASB and conventional technique. Eighteen volunteers were ultrasound scanned abdominally, and 84 sequence pairs were recorded. Each sequence pair consists of two simultaneous recordings of the same anatomical location with SASB and conventional B-mode imaging. The images were evaluated in terms of spatial resolution, contrast, unwanted artifacts, and penetration depth of the ultrasound beam. Five ultrasound experts (radiologists) evaluated the sequence pairs in a side-by-side comparison, and the results show that image quality using SASB was better than conventional B-mode imaging. 73 % of the evaluations favored SASB, and a probability of 70 % was calculated for a new radiologist to prefer SASB over conventional imaging, if a new sequence was recorded. There was no significant difference in penetration depth.

KW - Clinical evaluation

KW - Clinical demonstration

KW - Ultrasound imaging

KW - Synthetic aperture sequential beamforming

VL - 8320

BT - Proceedings of SPIE

T2 - Proceedings of SPIE

ER -