Document Type

Article

Publication Date

May 2014

Publication Title

British Journal of Radiology

Volume

87

Issue Number

1039

DOI

10.1259/bjr.20130624

Disciplines

Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:Quasi-static ultrasound elastography is a technique for measuring tissue deformation (strain) under externally applied loading and can be used to identify the presence of abnormalities. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy of averaging strain images from repeated compression cycles in mitigating user-induced error using quasi-static ultrasound elastography.METHODS:Freehand compressions were performed with an ultrasound transducer on the biceps brachii of nine participants (five males and four females), as well as with a custom automated compression system. Sets of strain images from the freehand techniques were averaged to create single representative images and compared against strain images from the automated compressions using both qualitative and quantitative metrics.RESULTS:Significant improvements in intra-operator repeatability and interoperator reproducibility can be achieved by averaging strain images from four to eight repeated compressions. The resulting strain images did not lose significant image data compared with strain images from single automated compressions.CONCLUSION:Averaging is introduced as a feasible and appropriate technique to improve strain image quality without sacrificing important image data.

Comments

This article originally appeared in British Journal of Radiology, 87, 1039, 2014. ©2014 British Institute of Radiology. This work can also be found online at this link
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