Retracted: 3d-method For Determining the Imaging Quality of Ultrasound Probes - Retracted: 3d-method For Determining the Imaging Quality of Ultrasound Probes - Open Access Pub

Background: Monitoring ultrasonic probe quality remains an important problem which impacts diagnostic accuracy. Here we present a quantitative method to assess probe quality primarily based on measuring probe maximum contrast (dB) and dynamic range. Method: Contrast relevant parameters of 26 transducer models manufactured by five manufacturers were measured with a novel Random Void Phantom (RVP) approach. 3D-data were acquired and analysed to determine image quality. Results: Acoustic contrast values ranging from 15dB to 36dB were observed. Conclusion: By examining artefact producing side lobes, the novel RVP approach presented here permits a quantitative assessment of ultrasound probe quality. Monitoring ultrasonic probe quality remains an important problem which impacts diagnostic accuracy. Here we present a quantitative method to assess probe quality primarily based on measuring probe maximum contrast (dB) and dynamic range. Contrast relevant parameters of 26 transducer models manufactured by five manufacturers were measured with a novel Random Void Phantom (RVP) approach. 3D-data were acquired and analysed to determine image quality. Acoustic contrast values ranging from 15dB to 36dB were observed. By examining artefact producing side lobes, the novel RVP approach presented here permits a quantitative assessment of ultrasound probe quality. DOI10.14302/issn.2641-5526.jmid-18-2328 Like all devices, ultrasound probes, even those that are new and unused are subject to varying imaging quality. This results from minor variations in their manufacturing such as the imprecise nature of gluing the acoustic lens to the probe. Ageing and constant use introduce further variations which affect imaging quality and therefore diagnostic accuracy. The degradation of image quality is initially small, however progressively increases over time. These changes are barely perceptible to the naked eye compounding the problem. Hypothesis 1: Initial probe imaging quality and the rate at which it degrades is not the same for all probe models from all manufacturers. There are clinically significant differences between different models 1, 2, 3, 4. Hypothesis 2: The loss of quality is pronounced in the side coils suggesting that imaging quality loss may be detected and quantified by observing the side coils 1, 5. Hypothesis 3: The novel Random Void Phantom (RVP) can be used to asses probe imaging quality in an objective test system. Reductions in grayscale resolution and maximum acoustic contrast of an ultrasound probe can be quantified. Criteria based on these measured