Research utilisation in sonographic practice: Attitudes and barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, Vicki; Wilson, Stephanie E.; Svensson, Jon; Brennan, Patrick

2009-01-01

Statutory agents have stipulated that research activity is a fundamental component of the healthcare professional's activity. Whilst the College of Radiographers have emphasised the importance of imaging personnel embracing this research ethos, there is little available data on the level of research activity within sonographic practice or on the factors that influence a sonographer's involvement in research activities. This work attempts to address these deficiencies. A questionnaire was sent to 300 UK-based sonographers of whom 218 responded (72%). The questionnaire was specifically designed to establish the level of involvement in research, the utilisation of research findings, attitudes towards research and perceived barriers to active research involvement. Responses were analysed investigating any correlations with the population demographics. The data collected showed the majority of sonographers (89%) were enthusiastic about research but with only 33% and 60% currently or previously performing research, respectively, and 73% using research findings to modify their clinical practice. Certain barriers to an active research involvement were shown, with 63%, 55% and 40% citing lack of time, education and collegial support, respectively. A range of statistical findings were linked to particular sonographer groups. The importance of good organisational structures and effective support from fellow health professionals was highlighted. The results confirm sonographers' appreciation of the benefits of research and it is suggested that if this enthusiasm is translated into effective research strategies, research output from ultrasound and other clinical departments should be enhanced.

Characterization of sonographically indeterminate ovarian tumors with MR imaging. A logistic regression analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Y.; Hatanaka, Y.; Torashima, M.; Takahashi, M.; Miyazaki, K.; Okamura, H.

1997-01-01

Purpose: The goal of this study was to maximize the discrimination between benign and malignant masses in patients with sonographically indeterminate ovarian lesions by means of unenhanced and contrast-enhanced MR imaging, and to develop a computer-assisted diagnosis system. Material and Methods: Findings in precontrast and Gd-DTPA contrast-enhanced MR images of 104 patients with 115 sonographically indeterminate ovarian masses were analyzed, and the results were correlated with histopathological findings. Of 115 lesions, 65 were benign (23 cystadenomas, 13 complex cysts, 11 teratomas, 6 fibrothecomas, 12 others) and 50 were malignant (32 ovarian carcinomas, 7 metastatic tumors of the ovary, 4 carcinomas of the fallopian tubes, 7 others). A logistic regression analysis was performed to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions, and a model of a computer-assisted diagnosis was developed. This model was prospectively tested in 75 cases of ovarian tumors found at other institutions. Results: From the univariate analysis, the following parameters were selected as significant for predicting malignancy (p≤0.05): A solid or cystic mass with a large solid component or wall thickness greater than 3 mm; complex internal architecture; ascites; and bilaterality. Based on these parameters, a model of a computer-assisted diagnosis system was developed with the logistic regression analysis. To distinguish benign from malignant lesions, the maximum cut-off point was obtained between 0.47 and 0.51. In a prospective application of this model, 87% of the lesions were accurately identified as benign or malignant. (orig.)

Fibrocystic disease of the breast: Analysis of sonographic findings with histopathologic correlation

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Shin, Kyoung Suk; Kim, Chung Hyun; Lee, Chung Keun; Oh, Young Ran; Cho, June Sik; Rhee, Byung Chull; Kang, Dong Wook [Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

1994-12-15

To evaluate the sonographic findings of fibrocystic disease with histopathologic correlation, we retrospectively analyzed the sonographic findings and pathologic findings of 48 cases with histopathologically proven fibrocystic disease. The sonographic pattern of the lesions were classified into type I (ill define disoechoic lesion), Type IIa (ill defined hypoechoic lesion with heterogeneity), Type IIb (ill defined hypoechoiclesion with nodularities), Type III (mass lesion with thick or thin boundary echoes). The pathologic feature was classified into stromal hyperplasia, mixed, proliferative and fibroadenomatosis patterns. In sonographic type I,stromal hyperplasia and mixed patterns were seen in 77% and 23% , respectively. In sonographic Type IIa, stromal hyperplasia, mixed and proliferative patterns were seen in 57%, 29% and 14%, respectively. In sonographic TypeIIb, stromal hyperplasia and mixed patterns were seen in 17% and 83%, respectively. In sonographic type III, stromal hyperplasia, mixed, proliferative and fire-and-brimstone patterns were seen in 10%, 23%,13% and 54%, respectively.In conclusion, the sonographic findings of fibrocystic disease were variable and were not correlated good with histopathologic patterns. Sonography might to be helpful in the diagnosis of fibrocystic disease in conjunction with other imaging modalities in cases with Type I or Type II sonographic patterns. However, in cases with Type III patterns, biopsy should be performed to differentiate them from other benign or malignant masses

Fibrocystic disease of the breast: Analysis of sonographic findings with histopathologic correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Kyoung Suk; Kim, Chung Hyun; Lee, Chung Keun; Oh, Young Ran; Cho, June Sik; Rhee, Byung Chull; Kang, Dong Wook

1994-01-01

To evaluate the sonographic findings of fibrocystic disease with histopathologic correlation, we retrospectively analyzed the sonographic findings and pathologic findings of 48 cases with histopathologically proven fibrocystic disease. The sonographic pattern of the lesions were classified into type I (ill define disoechoic lesion), Type IIa (ill defined hypoechoic lesion with heterogeneity), Type IIb (ill defined hypoechoiclesion with nodularities), Type III (mass lesion with thick or thin boundary echoes). The pathologic feature was classified into stromal hyperplasia, mixed, proliferative and fibroadenomatosis patterns. In sonographic type I,stromal hyperplasia and mixed patterns were seen in 77% and 23% , respectively. In sonographic Type IIa, stromal hyperplasia, mixed and proliferative patterns were seen in 57%, 29% and 14%, respectively. In sonographic TypeIIb, stromal hyperplasia and mixed patterns were seen in 17% and 83%, respectively. In sonographic type III, stromal hyperplasia, mixed, proliferative and fire-and-brimstone patterns were seen in 10%, 23%,13% and 54%, respectively.In conclusion, the sonographic findings of fibrocystic disease were variable and were not correlated good with histopathologic patterns. Sonography might to be helpful in the diagnosis of fibrocystic disease in conjunction with other imaging modalities in cases with Type I or Type II sonographic patterns. However, in cases with Type III patterns, biopsy should be performed to differentiate them from other benign or malignant masses

Sonographic swelling of pronator quadratus muscle in patients with occult bone injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Junko; Ishii, Yoshinori; Noguchi, Hideo; Toyabe, Shin-ichi

2015-01-01

The disarranged fat stripe of the pronator quadratus muscle (PQ) on radiographs (the PQ sign) is reported to be predictive of subtle bone fractures. This study aimed to report the results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study in the patients in whom bone injury was not radiographically detected around the wrist joint, and the PQ was sonographically swollen following acute trauma. We evaluated sonographically the PQ of 55 patients who showed normal radiographs following acute trauma. The sonographic appearance of the PQ was checked on both longitudinal and transverse images. On the longitudinal image, the probe was positioned along the flexor carpi radialis tendon. For the transverse image, we adopted the image of the same level in which the PQ of the unaffected hand showed maximal thickness. The PQ was considered to be swollen with disproportionate hyperechogenicity and/or thickening compared with the unaffected side at least in one of the two images. Of the 55 patients, 25 patients whose PQ was considered to be swollen underwent MRI study. PQ thickness in millimeters was retrospectively measured on longitudinal and transverse sonographic images. Twenty-three patients (92.0%) had occult bone injury, and two adult patients (8.0%) showed only wrist joint effusion on MRI. Among these 23, the distal radius was the most frequent location of the occult bone injury (20 patients; 9 [36.0%] with an occult fracture line and 11 [44.0%] with bone bruising). In longitudinal image, the mean value of the PQ thickness of affected hands was 6.2 (3.7–9.6 mm; standard deviation [SD], 1.5) and that of unaffected hands was 4.5 (2.3–6.7 mm; SD, 1.2), respectively. In transverse image, that of dominant and nondominant hands was 7.6 (4.6–13.2 mm; SD, 2.0) and 5.5 (3.6–7.5 mm; SD, 1.1), respectively. The mean difference in PQ thickness between affected and unaffected hands was 1.7 (0.1–5.0 mm; SD, 1.1) in longitudinal image and 2.0 (0.3–6.8 mm; SD, 1.7) in transverse image

Terms, definitions and measurements to describe sonographic features of myometrium and uterine masses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van den Bosch, Thierry; Dueholm, Margit; Leone, FP

2015-01-01

imaging. The terms and definitions described may form the basis for prospective studies to predict the risk of different myometrial pathologies, based on their ultrasound appearance, and thus should be relevant for the clinician in daily practice and for clinical research. The sonographic features and use......The MUSA (Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment) statement is a consensus statement on terms, definitions and measurements that may be used to describe and report the sonographic features of the myometrium using gray-scale sonography, color/power Doppler and three-dimensional ultrasound...

Childhood asymmetrical labium majus enlargement sonographic and MR imaging appearances

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Gokli, Ami; Neuman, Jeremy; Lukse, Ruby; Koshy, June [Staten Island University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Staten Island, NY (United States); Kong, Fanyi [Staten Island University Hospital, Department of Pathology, Staten Island, NY (United States); Laor, Tal [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

2016-05-15

Childhood asymmetrical labium majus enlargement (CALME) has been described sparsely in recent surgery, pathology, pediatric and gynecology literature; however, no comprehensive description from a radiology perspective has been developed. The purpose of this case series is to describe the imaging findings of CALME and to review the current understanding of this recently described clinical entity with regard to clinical presentation, pathophysiology, differential diagnosis and treatment options. This is a retrospective analysis of 3 girls, ages 5-7 years, who presented for imaging evaluation with subsequent pathologically proven CALME. Each child's clinical history, length of symptoms, imaging appearance and pathological findings were reviewed. All three girls presented with unilateral enlargement of the labium majus (two right-side, one left-side) with no history of trauma or other inciting cause. Two girls had painless labial enlargement that was recognized for weeks, and one had similar symptoms for 1 year prior to presentation. One girl was evaluated initially with sonography, and all three children underwent MR imaging. Sonographic evaluation showed asymmetrical labial enlargement without a definable mass. In each girl, the MR imaging findings were characterized by relatively ill-defined T1-weighted hypointense signal, T2-weighted hypo- to isointense signal with interspersed hyperintense septae, and heterogeneous patchy and feathery strands of enhancement on post-contrast imaging. Biopsy from each child showed benign fibrous tissue with intervening mature fibroadipose tissue, vessels and nerves without findings of inflammation or neoplasia. The MR imaging appearance of CALME is consistent. Recognition and appreciation of this unique pediatric entity by the radiologist may be essential for appropriate diagnosis and can help to guide therapy. Current preferred treatment approach is conservative. (orig.)

Childhood asymmetrical labium majus enlargement sonographic and MR imaging appearances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gokli, Ami; Neuman, Jeremy; Lukse, Ruby; Koshy, June; Kong, Fanyi; Laor, Tal

2016-01-01

Childhood asymmetrical labium majus enlargement (CALME) has been described sparsely in recent surgery, pathology, pediatric and gynecology literature; however, no comprehensive description from a radiology perspective has been developed. The purpose of this case series is to describe the imaging findings of CALME and to review the current understanding of this recently described clinical entity with regard to clinical presentation, pathophysiology, differential diagnosis and treatment options. This is a retrospective analysis of 3 girls, ages 5-7 years, who presented for imaging evaluation with subsequent pathologically proven CALME. Each child's clinical history, length of symptoms, imaging appearance and pathological findings were reviewed. All three girls presented with unilateral enlargement of the labium majus (two right-side, one left-side) with no history of trauma or other inciting cause. Two girls had painless labial enlargement that was recognized for weeks, and one had similar symptoms for 1 year prior to presentation. One girl was evaluated initially with sonography, and all three children underwent MR imaging. Sonographic evaluation showed asymmetrical labial enlargement without a definable mass. In each girl, the MR imaging findings were characterized by relatively ill-defined T1-weighted hypointense signal, T2-weighted hypo- to isointense signal with interspersed hyperintense septae, and heterogeneous patchy and feathery strands of enhancement on post-contrast imaging. Biopsy from each child showed benign fibrous tissue with intervening mature fibroadipose tissue, vessels and nerves without findings of inflammation or neoplasia. The MR imaging appearance of CALME is consistent. Recognition and appreciation of this unique pediatric entity by the radiologist may be essential for appropriate diagnosis and can help to guide therapy. Current preferred treatment approach is conservative. (orig.)

Two- and three-dimensional prenatal sonographic diagnosis of prune-belly syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lizhu; Cai, Ailu; Wang, Xiaoguang; Wang, Bing; Li, Jingyu

2010-06-01

We report the prenatal diagnosis of 6 cases of Prune-belly syndrome in the 2(nd) trimester. The sonographic diagnosis was based on the findings of oligohydramnios, renal anomalies, and a lower abdominal cystic mass representing the abnormal dilatation of the bladder on conventional 2-dimensional sonographic examination. We discuss the role of Doppler imaging and 3-dimensional sonography as complementary methods to conventional sonography. Four of our 6 cases were confirmed with associated defects.

Quality control of outpatient imaging examinations in North Rhine-Westphalia. Part 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krug, B.; Boettge, M.; Reinecke, T.; Zaehringer, M.; Smekal, U. v.; Winnekendonk, G.; Lackner, K.; Coburger, S.; Lehmacher, W.; Harnischmacher, U.; Luengen, M.; Lauterbach, K.W.

2003-01-01

Purpose: In the state of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW), Germany, a survey was conducted on radiologic examinations ordered by general practitioners (GPs). Part I of this study aims to collect characteristic epidemiological data and to assess structural quality. Materials and methods: All GPs in NRW were asked to cooperate. Participating GPs filled out a questionnaire for each patient. The patients recorded the symptoms prompting the imaging examinations. The radiologists or other physicians performing the examinations were asked to provide the images and written reports and to complete a questionnaire. Two university radiologists documented the pertinent test data from the submitted images and written records. Independently of each other, five university radiologists anonymously reviewed the image quality of each examination using structured questionnaires. Results: A total of 920 patients gave their informed consent and participated. Questionnaires from 787 patients, 852 GPs and 611 radiologists or other interpreting physicians as well as the complete survey data from 530 examinations were available. Of 1503 examinations, conventional radiography made up 52%, sonography 17%, computed tomography (CT) 13% and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 5%. Most indications involved the musculoskeletal (37%) and respiratory systems (24%). Physicians without board certification in radiology interpreted 1% of the CT examinations, 26% of the radiographic examinations and 71% of the sonographic examinations. Of the 174 self-referrals, 1% involved CT, 33% conventional radiography and 66% sonography. Written reports were available for 95% of all 469 examinations performed by radiologists and 74% of all 127 examinations conducted by non-radiologists. Only 44% of the 23 sonographic studies were self-referrals by the patient's GP. On average, the radiographic techniques were acceptable in terms of diagnostic information and radiation hygiene. Conventional radiographs were better exposed

Sonographic and Endoscopic Findings in Cocaine-Induced Ischemic Colitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leth, Thomas; Wilkens, Rune; Bonderup, Ole Kristian

2015-01-01

Cocaine-induced ischemic colitis is a recognized entity. The diagnosis is based on clinical and endoscopic findings. However, diagnostic imaging is helpful in the evaluation of abdominal symptoms and prior studies have suggested specific sonographic findings in ischemic colitis. We report...

Reliability of sonographic assessment of tendinopathy in tennis elbow.

Science.gov (United States)

Poltawski, Leon; Ali, Syed; Jayaram, Vijay; Watson, Tim

2012-01-01

To assess the reliability and compute the minimum detectable change using sonographic scales to quantify the extent of pathology and hyperaemia in the common extensor tendon in people with tennis elbow. The lateral elbows of 19 people with tennis elbow were assessed sonographically twice, 1-2 weeks apart. Greyscale and power Doppler images were recorded for subsequent rating of abnormalities. Tendon thickening, hypoechogenicity, fibrillar disruption and calcification were each rated on four-point scales, and scores were summed to provide an overall rating of structural abnormality; hyperaemia was scored on a five point scale. Inter-rater reliability was established using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to compare scores assigned independently to the same set of images by a radiologist and a physiotherapist with training in musculoskeletal imaging. Test-retest reliability was assessed by comparing scores assigned by the physiotherapist to images recorded at the two sessions. The minimum detectable change (MDC) was calculated from the test-retest reliability data. ICC values for inter-rater reliability ranged from 0.35 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.60) for fibrillar disruption to 0.77 (0.55, 0.88) for overall greyscale score, and 0.89 (0.79, 0.95) for hyperaemia. Test-retest reliability ranged from 0.70 (0.48, 0.84) for tendon thickening to 0.82 (0.66, 0.90) for overall greyscale score and 0.86 (0.73, 0.93) for calcification. The MDC for the greyscale total score was 2.0/12 and for the hyperaemia score was 1.1/5. The sonographic scoring system used in this study may be used reliably to quantify tendon abnormalities and change over time. A relatively inexperienced imager can conduct the assessment and use the rating scales reliably.

An Audit of Second-Trimester Fetal Anomaly Scans Based on a Novel Image-Scoring Method in the Southwest Region of the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Ursem, Nicolette T C; Peters, Ingrid A; Kraan-van der Est, Mieke N; Reijerink-Verheij, Jacqueline C I Y; Knapen, Maarten F C M; Cohen-Overbeek, Titia E

2017-06-01

Since 2007 the second-trimester fetal anomaly scan is offered to all pregnant women as part of the national prenatal screening program in the Netherlands. Dutch population-based screening programs generally have a well-described system to achieve quality assurance. Because of the absence of a uniform system to monitor the actual performance of the fetal anomaly scan in 2012, we developed a standardized image-scoring method. The aim of this study was to evaluate the scanning performance of all sonographers in the southwestern region of the Netherlands using this image-scoring method. Each sonographer was requested to set up a digital portfolio. A portfolio consists of five logbooks from five different pregnant women, each containing 25 fetal anatomical structures and six biometric measures of randomly selected fetal anomaly scans. During the study period, 425 logbooks of 85 sonographers were assessed as part of the audit process. Seventy-three out of 85 sonographers (86%) met the criteria in the primary audit, and 12 sonographers required individual hands-on training. A successful assessment was achieved for 11 sonographers in the re-audit and one sonographer ceased her contract. Moreover, 2.1% of the required images were not digitally stored and therefore could not be reviewed. Quality assessment using the image-scoring method demonstrated that most of the sonographers met the expectations of the audit process, but those who had subpar performance met the expectations after retraining. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Cassava flour slurry as a low-cost alternative to commercially available gel for obstetrical ultrasound: a blinded non-inferiority trial comparison of image quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Aziz, A; Dar, P; Hughes, F; Solorzano, C; Muller, M M; Salmon, C; Salmon, M; Benfield, N

2018-01-12

To evaluate the quality of ultrasound images obtained with cassava flour slurry (CFS) compared with conventional gel in order to determine objectively whether CFS could be a true low-cost alternative. Blinded non-inferiority trial. Obstetrical ultrasound unit in an academic medical centre. Women with a singleton pregnancy, undergoing anatomy ultrasounds. Thirty pregnant women had standard biometry measures obtained with CFS and conventional gel. Images were compared side-by-side in random order by two blinded sonologists and rated for image resolution, detail and total image quality using a 10-cm visual analogue scale. Ratings were compared using paired t-tests. Participant and sonographer experience was measured using five-point Likert scales. Image resolution, detail, and total image quality. Participant experience of gel regarding irritation, messiness, and ease of removal. We found no significant difference between perceived image quality obtained with CFS (mean = 6.2, SD = 1.2) and commercial gel (mean = 6.4, SD = 1.2) [t (28) = -1.1; P = 0.3]. Images were not rated significantly differently for either reviewer in any measure, any standardized image or any view of a specific anatomic structure. All five sonographers rated CFS as easy to obtain clear images and easy for patient and machine cleanup. Only one participant reported itching with CFS. CFS produces comparable image quality to commercial ultrasound gel. The dissemination of these results and the simple CFS recipe could significantly increase access to ultrasound for screening, monitoring and diagnostic purposes in resource-limited settings. This study was internally funded by our department. Low-cost homemade cassava flour slurry creates images equal to commercial ultrasound gel, improving access. © 2018 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Swedish Sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic problems at work and their suggestions for improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gemark Simonsen, Jenny; Gard, Gunvor

2016-09-15

Sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic and work-related pain problems at work have so far mostly been researched in quantitative studies by questionnaires. There is a need of experience-based research to deepen the knowledge about how sonographers perceive ergonomic problems at work. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to describe sonographers' perceptions of ergonomic problems at work, and their suggestions for improvement strategies. Twenty-two female sonographers were individually interviewed regarding different aspects of their physical working environment. Content analysis was applied. The sonographers perceived different ergonomic problems in their working environment, but to offer patient comfort and to obtain the best possible images were often prioritized over working posture. Echocardiography was considered demanding as the examination is performed with little variation in posture. Ergonomic improvements included reducing the manual handling of the transducer, optimizing the adjustability of equipment, and taking the patient's physique and health into account. As some examinations were perceived to be more ergonomically demanding, variation between examinations was suggested, however, this requires broader skills. Sonography, especially echocardiography is ergonomically demanding but the improvement strategies suggested were perceived useful and applicable.

[Sonographic semiotics of ureterohydronephrosis in children].

Science.gov (United States)

Khakkulov, E B

2016-04-01

To identify typical sonographic semiotics of ureterohydronephrosis in children having importance in determining the severity of disease and the choice of treatment strategy in this category of patients. Sonographic images of the kidneys and urinary tract of 158 children with ureterohydronephrosis were examined. Unilateral and bilateral ureterohydronephrosis was found in 75 and 83 children, respectively. There were 100 (63.3%) boys and 58 (36.7%) girls. The age of patients ranged from 3 months to 14 years (mean 4.15+/-3.21). Ultrasound examination enables the upper 193 (80.1%) and lower 167 (69.3%) third of ureters to be visualized. At the same time more than half of the visualized ureters had a diameter greater than 1 cm, and one-tenth of the affected ureters had diameters greater than 2 cm. If direct visualization of the ureters was impossible, pelvicalyceal system was evaluated, which was expanded on the affected side in all examined children. The morpho-sonographic changes of renal parenchymal in children with III-IV degree ureterohydronephrosis are described in details. Ultrasound examination can be regarded as a screening method for initial evaluation of patients with ureterohydronephrosis. It provides a rough estimation of the extent, level and nature of disturbances of urinary excretion, a preliminary assessment of the renal parenchyma and identification of anomalies of the urinary tract. These findings can be useful in choosing an optimal algorithm of diagnosis and surgical treatment of the disease.

Accuracy of Ultrasound-Based Image Guidance for Daily Positioning of the Upper Abdomen: An Online Comparison With Cone Beam CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boda-Heggemann, Judit; Mennemeyer, Philipp; Wertz, Hansjoerg; Riesenacker, Nadja; Kuepper, Beate; Lohr, Frank; Wenz, Frederik

2009-01-01

Purpose: Image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy can improve protection of organs at risk when large abdominal target volumes are irradiated. We estimated the daily positioning accuracy of ultrasound-based image guidance for abdominal target volumes by a direct comparison of daily imaging obtained with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods and Materials: Daily positioning (n = 83 positionings) of 15 patients was completed by using ultrasound guidance after an initial CBCT was obtained. Residual error after ultrasound was estimated by comparison with a second CBCT. Ultrasound image quality was visually rated using a scale of 1 to 4. Results: Of 15 patients, 7 patients had good sonographic imaging quality, 5 patients had satisfactory sonographic quality, and 3 patients were excluded because of unsatisfactory sonographic quality. When image quality was good, residual errors after ultrasound were -0.1 ± 3.11 mm in the x direction (left-right; group systematic error M = -0.09 mm; standard deviation [SD] of systematic error, Σ = 1.37 mm; SD of the random error, σ = 2.99 mm), 0.93 ± 4.31 mm in the y direction (superior-inferior, M = 1.12 mm; Σ = 2.96 mm; σ = 3.39 mm), and 0.71 ± 3.15 mm in the z direction (anteroposterior; M = 1.01 mm; Σ = 2.46 mm; σ = 2.24 mm). For patients with satisfactory image quality, residual error after ultrasound was -0.6 ± 5.26 mm in the x (M = 0.07 mm; Σ = 5.67 mm; σ = 4.86 mm), 1.76 ± 4.92 mm in the y (M = 3.54 mm; Σ = 4.1 mm; σ = 5.29 mm), and 1.19 ± 4.75 mm in the z (M = 0.82 mm; Σ = 2.86 mm; σ = 3.05 mm) directions. Conclusions: In patients from whom good sonographic image quality could be obtained, ultrasound improved daily positioning accuracy. In the case of satisfactory image quality, ultrasound guidance improved accuracy compared to that of skin marks only minimally. If sonographic image quality was unsatisfactory, daily CBCT scanning improved treatment accuracy distinctly over that of ultrasound. Use of

Breast abscess after nipple piercing: sonographic findings with clinical correlation.

Science.gov (United States)

Leibman, A Jill; Misra, Monika; Castaldi, Maria

2011-09-01

The purpose of this series was to review the spectrum of clinical and sonographic features associated with infection after nipple piercing. Between 2002 and 2010, 6 patients presented to our breast center with a breast abscess after nipple piercing. A retrospective analysis of the imaging findings was performed with clinical and pathologic correlation. Patients with breast infections after nipple piercing tend to be young, and the timing since piercing varies from 2 weeks to 17 months. Sonography showed a complex or hypoechoic mass in 5 of 6 patients. Treatment of breast abscesses included surgical incision and drainage, percutaneous drainage, and antibiotic therapy. Surgical evacuation is commonly performed; however, sonographically guided aspiration may be an appropriate management strategy.

Four-dimensional real-time sonographically guided cauterization of the umbilical cord in a case of twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Timor-Tritsch, Ilan E; Rebarber, Andrei; MacKenzie, Andrew; Caglione, Christopher F; Young, Bruce K

2003-07-01

In the past decade, three-dimensional (3D) sonographic technology has matured from a static imaging modality to near-real-time imaging. One of the more notable improvements in this technology has been the speed with which the imaged volume is acquired and displayed. This has enabled the birth of the near-real-time or four-dimensional (4D) sonographic concept. Using the 4D feature of the current 3D sonography machines allows us to follow moving structures, such as fetal motion, in almost real time. Shortly after the emergence of 3D and 4D technology as a clinical imaging tool, its use in guiding needles into structures was explored by other investigators. We present a case in which we used the 4D feature of our sonographic equipment to follow the course and motion of an instrument inserted into the uterus to occlude the umbilical cord of a fetus in a case of twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

Lymphangiomas in children: correlation of sonographic and pathologic findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sun Wha; Ryu, Kyung Nam; Yoon, Yup; Yu, Pil Mun

1992-01-01

The sonographic features of 23 lymphangiomas (19 pediatric patients) were compared with the pathologic findings. Nineteen lymphangiomas appeared as unicameral (n = 2) and multiloculated (n = 17) cystic masses. Remaining lesions were inhomogeneously echogenic mass with small cystic portions (n 3) and a mixed pattern (n = 1). Fourteen of the multiloculated tumors had thin septa and 6 had solid echogenic foci. The fluid within the majority of the cyst was anechoic in 8 cases and echogenic in 11 cases. Correlation of the sonographic features with the pathologic findings demonstrated that the cystic spaces corresponded to the dilated lymphatic spaces lined with endothelium, separated by septa. Echogenic fluid represented hemorrhage. The echogenic components corresponded to clusters of very smaller dilated lymphatic channels, thick fibro-fatty septa, or blood clot. The author's experience suggests that the most characteristic sonographic appearance of lymphangioma is a multiloculated cystic mass with thin septa, reflecting the preponderance of fluid-filled spaces. An atypical appearance usually reflects the presence of blood or dominancy of cavernous type. The information obtained with US imaging can help in providing a preoperative diagnosis and in planning surgical resection

Lymphangiomas in children: correlation of sonographic and pathologic findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sun Wha; Ryu, Kyung Nam; Yoon, Yup [Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yu, Pil Mun [Dankuk University College of Medicine, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

1992-11-15

The sonographic features of 23 lymphangiomas (19 pediatric patients) were compared with the pathologic findings. Nineteen lymphangiomas appeared as unicameral (n = 2) and multiloculated (n = 17) cystic masses. Remaining lesions were inhomogeneously echogenic mass with small cystic portions (n 3) and a mixed pattern (n = 1). Fourteen of the multiloculated tumors had thin septa and 6 had solid echogenic foci. The fluid within the majority of the cyst was anechoic in 8 cases and echogenic in 11 cases. Correlation of the sonographic features with the pathologic findings demonstrated that the cystic spaces corresponded to the dilated lymphatic spaces lined with endothelium, separated by septa. Echogenic fluid represented hemorrhage. The echogenic components corresponded to clusters of very smaller dilated lymphatic channels, thick fibro-fatty septa, or blood clot. The author's experience suggests that the most characteristic sonographic appearance of lymphangioma is a multiloculated cystic mass with thin septa, reflecting the preponderance of fluid-filled spaces. An atypical appearance usually reflects the presence of blood or dominancy of cavernous type. The information obtained with US imaging can help in providing a preoperative diagnosis and in planning surgical resection.

Dynamic Sonographic Visualization of an Occult Posterior Lateral Meniscocapsular Separation: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Allison; Musahl, Volker; Urbanek, Christopher; Onishi, Kentaro

2018-04-05

Meniscocapsular separation describes detachment of the meniscus from the knee joint capsule. Diagnosis is challenging with conventional examination and imaging methods. We report a case of an 18-year-old female softball catcher with unrevealing magnetic resonance imaging despite continued left knee locking and discomfort with deep squatting. Meniscocapsular separation was revealed only on dynamic sonographic exam, where knee flexion revealed a 3.1-mm gap that developed between the capsule and peripheral meniscus. Arthroscopy confirmed the sonographic findings, and repair resulted in complete resolution of symptoms. This case highlights the utility of dynamic diagnostic sonography in a rare case of posterior lateral meniscocapsular separation. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sonographic features of invasive ductal breast carcinomas predictive of malignancy grade.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Kanika; Kumaresan, Meenakshisundaram; Venkatesan, Bhuvaneswari; Chandra, Tushar; Patil, Aruna; Menon, Maya

2018-01-01

Assessment of individual sonographic features provides vital clues about the biological behavior of breast masses and can assist in determining histological grade of malignancy and thereby prognosis. Assessment of individual sonographic features of biopsy proven invasive ductal breast carcinomas as predictors of malignancy grade. A retrospective analysis of sonographic findings of 103 biopsy proven invasive ductal breast carcinomas. Tumor characteristics on gray-scale ultrasound and color flow were assessed using American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) Atlas Fifth Edition. The sonographic findings of masses were individually correlated with their histopathologic grades. Chi square test, ordinal regression, and Goodman and Kruskal tau test. Breast mass showing reversal/lack of diastolic flow has a high probability of belonging to histological high grade tumor ( β 1.566, P 0.0001 ). The masses with abrupt interface boundary are more likely grade 3 ( β 1.524, P 0.001 ) in comparison to masses with echogenic halos. The suspicious calcifications present in and outside the mass is a finding associated with histologically high grade tumors. The invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) with complex solid and cystic echotexture are more likely to be of high histological grade ( β 1.146, P 0.04 ) as compared to masses with hypoechoic echotexture. Certain ultrasound features are associated with tumor grade on histopathology. If the radiologist is cognizant of these sonographic features, ultrasound can be a potent modality for predicting histopathological grade of IDCs of the breast, especially in settings where advanced tests such as receptor and molecular analyses are limited.

Sonographic evaluation of athletic pubalgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Morley, Nicholas; Grant, Thomas; Blount, Kevin; Omar, Imran

2016-05-01

Athletic pubalgia, or "sports hernia", represents a constellation of pathologic conditions occurring at and around the pubic symphysis. These injuries are primarily seen in athletes or those involved in athletic activity. In this article, we review the sonographic appearance of the relevant complex anatomy, scanning technique for ultrasound evaluation of athletic pubalgia, and the sonographic appearances of associated pathologic conditions.

The prevalence and causes of MSI amongst sonographers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morton, Becky; Delf, Penny

2008-01-01

The concept for this article came from the observation of sonographers at work and by reviewing the literature; it aims to consider the prevalence and causes of musculoskeletal injuries amongst sonographers. Emerging themes were analysed using the comparison of study results to verify and validate findings. Several important themes were identified in the literature: symptoms, prevalence and causes of musculoskeletal injury (MSI) among sonographers. The prevalence of MSI is apparently high; the average from the literature being 81%. However, many sonographers have not been diagnosed with musculoskeletal injuries, seeing their pain and discomfort as part of their job. Many areas of a sonographers' job have been reported as being possible causes of MSI. Posture, equipment, increased workload, and lack of breaks are just a few causes which are explored below

General Ultrasound Imaging

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... be turned to either side to improve the quality of the images. After you are positioned on the examination table, the radiologist (a physician specifically trained to supervise and interpret radiology examinations) or sonographer will apply a warm water-based gel to the area of the body ...

Sonographic features of invasive ductal breast carcinomas predictive of malignancy grade

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kanika Gupta

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Assessment of individual sonographic features provides vital clues about the biological behavior of breast masses and can assist in determining histological grade of malignancy and thereby prognosis. Aims: Assessment of individual sonographic features of biopsy proven invasive ductal breast carcinomas as predictors of malignancy grade. Settings and Design: A retrospective analysis of sonographic findings of 103 biopsy proven invasive ductal breast carcinomas. Materials and Methods: Tumor characteristics on gray-scale ultrasound and color flow were assessed using American College of Radiology (ACR Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS Atlas Fifth Edition. The sonographic findings of masses were individually correlated with their histopathologic grades. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi square test, ordinal regression, and Goodman and Kruskal tau test. Results: Breast mass showing reversal/lack of diastolic flow has a high probability of belonging to histological high grade tumor ( β 1.566, P 0.0001. The masses with abrupt interface boundary are more likely grade 3 ( β 1.524, P 0.001 in comparison to masses with echogenic halos. The suspicious calcifications present in and outside the mass is a finding associated with histologically high grade tumors. The invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs with complex solid and cystic echotexture are more likely to be of high histological grade ( β 1.146, P 0.04 as compared to masses with hypoechoic echotexture. Conclusions: Certain ultrasound features are associated with tumor grade on histopathology. If the radiologist is cognizant of these sonographic features, ultrasound can be a potent modality for predicting histopathological grade of IDCs of the breast, especially in settings where advanced tests such as receptor and molecular analyses are limited.

ESUR recommendations for MR imaging of the sonographically indeterminate adnexal mass: an update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forstner, Rosemarie [Paracelsus Medical University, Department of Radiology, Landeskliniken Salzburg, Salzburg (Austria); Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle [Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Institut Universitaire de Cancerologie, Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hopital Tenon, Service de Radiologie, Paris (France); Cunha, Teresa Margarida [Servico de Radiologia, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil, Lisboa (Portugal); Kinkel, Karen [Clinique des Grangettes, Institut de Radiologie, Chene-Bougeries (Switzerland); Masselli, Gabriele [Sapienza University, Radiology Department, Rome (Italy); Kubik-Huch, Rahel [Kantonsspital Baden, Institut of Radiology, Departement of Medical Services, Baden (Switzerland); Spencer, John A. [St James' s University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Leeds (United Kingdom); Rockall, Andrea [The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Consultant Radiologist, London (United Kingdom); Visiting Professor, Imperial College, London (United Kingdom)

2017-06-15

An update of the 2010 published ESUR recommendations of MRI of the sonographically indeterminate adnexal mass integrating functional techniques is provided. An algorithmic approach using sagittal T2 and a set of transaxial T1 and T2WI allows categorization of adnexal masses in one of the following three types according to its predominant signal characteristics. T1 'bright' masses due to fat or blood content can be simply and effectively determined using a combination of T1W, T2W and FST1W imaging. When there is concern for a solid component within such a mass, it requires additional assessment as for a complex cystic or cystic-solid mass. For low T2 solid adnexal masses, DWI is now recommended. Such masses with low DWI signal on high b value image (e.g. > b 1000 s/mm{sup 2}) can be regarded as benign. Any other solid adnexal mass, displaying intermediate or high DWI signal, requires further assessment by contrast-enhanced (CE)T1W imaging, ideally with DCE MR, where a type 3 curve is highly predictive of malignancy. For complex cystic or cystic-solid masses, both DWI and CET1W - preferably DCE MRI - is recommended. Characteristic enhancement curves of solid components can discriminate between lesions that are highly likely malignant and highly likely benign. (orig.)

Cardiovascular System Sonographic Evaluation Algorithm: A New Sonographic Algorithm for Evaluation of the Fetal Cardiovascular System in the Second Trimester.

Science.gov (United States)

De León-Luis, Juan; Bravo, Coral; Gámez, Francisco; Ortiz-Quintana, Luis

2015-07-01

To evaluate the reproducibility and feasibility of the new cardiovascular system sonographic evaluation algorithm for studying the extended fetal cardiovascular system, including the portal, thymic, and supra-aortic areas, in the second trimester of pregnancy (19-22 weeks). We performed a cross-sectional study of pregnant women with healthy fetuses (singleton and twin pregnancies) attending our center from March to August 2011. The extended fetal cardiovascular system was evaluated by following the new algorithm, a sequential acquisition of axial views comprising the following (caudal to cranial): I, portal sinus; II, ductus venosus; III, hepatic veins; IV, 4-chamber view; V, left ventricular outflow tract; VI, right ventricular outflow tract; VII, 3-vessel and trachea view; VIII, thy-box; and IX, subclavian arteries. Interobserver agreement on the feasibility and exploration time was estimated in a subgroup of patients. The feasibility and exploration time were determined for the main cohort. Maternal, fetal, and sonographic factors affecting both features were evaluated. Interobserver agreement was excellent for all views except view VIII; the difference in the mean exploration time between observers was 1.5 minutes (95% confidence interval, 0.7-2.1 minutes; P cardiovascular system sonographic evaluation algorithm is a reproducible and feasible approach for exploration of the extended fetal cardiovascular system in a second-trimester scan. It can be used to explore these areas in normal and abnormal conditions and provides an integrated image of extended fetal cardiovascular anatomy. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Sonographic features of gastrointestinal lymphoma in 15 dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Frances, M; Lane, A E; Lenard, Z M

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the sonographic appearance of lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs. A retrospective review was conducted and patients with gastrointestinal lymphoma diagnosed by histopathology (including immunohistochemistry, where available) or cytology that had an abdominal ultrasound were included. Four of 15 (26·7%) cases with histopathologically confirmed lymphoma exhibited no sonographic abnormalities. In the dogs with sonographic abnormalities, features including intestinal wall thickness and the presence or absence of wall layering were highly variable. Clinical signs pertaining to the gastrointestinal tract were also unreliable markers of gastrointestinal lymphoma, with weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhoea being uncommon presenting complaints; intestinal obstruction was not present in any patient. The sonographic appearance of gastrointestinal lymphoma in dogs is non-specific. Gastrointestinal lymphoma in dogs should be maintained as a differential diagnosis despite a sonographically normal appearing bowel. © 2013 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Double line sign: a helpful sonographic sign to detect occult fractures of the proximal humerus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rutten, Matthieu J.C.M.; Jager, Gerrit J. [Jeroen Bosch Hospital, Department of Radiology, Hertogenbosch (Netherlands); Waal malefijt, Maarten C. de [University Medical Center Nijmegen, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Blickman, Johan G. [University Medical Center Nijmegen, Department of Radiology, Nijmegen (Netherlands)

2007-03-15

The aim of this study was to describe a new sonographic sign of bone fracture and to determine if it can be helpful in decreasing the number of missed fractures of the proximal humerus. Ultrasound (US) of the shoulder was performed in 57 consecutive patients with shoulder pain and/or disability following trauma. All cases were prospectively reviewed for the presence of a humeral fracture. Sonographic signs of fractures, with special emphasis on what was termed the 'double line sign' (DLS), were assessed. Plain radiography was considered the standard of reference and in equivocal cases magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty-eight patients had a tuberosity complex fracture, which were all detected at US examination. Sonographic features of a fracture were periosteal elevation, corticol bone discontinuity, step-off deformity or a combination of these findings. This study showed that in 26 (93%) patients an additional sonographic feature, a DLS, could be demonstrated. The DLS is a helpful and probably reliable sonographic sign to indicate a humeral fracture. High-spatial-resolution US substantially increases the detection of fractures of the proximal humerus and should be considered as an alternative diagnostic tool prior to computed tomography (CT), MRI and arthroscopy in patients with persisting shoulder pain and/or disability following trauma. (orig.)

Double line sign: a helpful sonographic sign to detect occult fractures of the proximal humerus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutten, Matthieu J.C.M.; Jager, Gerrit J.; Waal malefijt, Maarten C. de; Blickman, Johan G.

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe a new sonographic sign of bone fracture and to determine if it can be helpful in decreasing the number of missed fractures of the proximal humerus. Ultrasound (US) of the shoulder was performed in 57 consecutive patients with shoulder pain and/or disability following trauma. All cases were prospectively reviewed for the presence of a humeral fracture. Sonographic signs of fractures, with special emphasis on what was termed the 'double line sign' (DLS), were assessed. Plain radiography was considered the standard of reference and in equivocal cases magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty-eight patients had a tuberosity complex fracture, which were all detected at US examination. Sonographic features of a fracture were periosteal elevation, corticol bone discontinuity, step-off deformity or a combination of these findings. This study showed that in 26 (93%) patients an additional sonographic feature, a DLS, could be demonstrated. The DLS is a helpful and probably reliable sonographic sign to indicate a humeral fracture. High-spatial-resolution US substantially increases the detection of fractures of the proximal humerus and should be considered as an alternative diagnostic tool prior to computed tomography (CT), MRI and arthroscopy in patients with persisting shoulder pain and/or disability following trauma. (orig.)

Sonographic Findings of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Associated Nodular Lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Bong Joo; Park, Young Ha; Jung, So Lyung; Chung, Soo Kyo

2007-01-01

To evaluate the sonographic findings of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and associated nodular lesions. We retrospectively reviewed the sonographic findings of twenty patients who had surgically confirmed Hashimoto's thyroiditis between 1 March 2005, and 26 November 2005. In these patients, we reviewed the sonographic findings of the associated focal nodular lesion. Assessed were size, homogeneity, and echogenicity of the diseased thyroid gland and shape, echogenicity, margin, rim, microcal cification of the associated nodules. Without knowledge of the pathological diagnosis of the nodular lesions, based on the sonographic criteria, the nodules were classified as either malignant or benign. Hashimoto's thyroiditis demonstrates a variety of sonographic findings for size, homogeneity, and echogenicity. Among the nineteen nodules that were sonographically diagnosed and pathologically confirmed, nine papillary cancers, seven nodular hyperplasias, two Huthle cell adenomas, and one focal hyalinized fibrosing nodule were included. All of the nine papillary cancers showed more than one malignant finding such as marked hypoechogenicity, an irregular shape, a taller than wide shape, a spiculated margin, or microcalcifications that were classified as malignant nodulea, and all of the ten benign nodules showed no malignant findings. Circumscribed isoechoic, hyperechoic, or hypoechoic nodules without calcification were classified as bending nodules. Hashimoto's thyroiditis demonstrates various findings on a sonographic examination,and associated various benign and malignant lesions. Moreover, a sonographic examination is helpful to differentiate between malignant and benign lesions in Hashimoto's thyroiditis as in the normal thyroid

Sonographic findings of space occupying lesions in liver

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, In One; Choi, B I; Kim, J W [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1982-12-15

Gray scale ultrasonography is used with increasing frequency for the detection and characterization of hepatic space occupying lesions. Authors analyzed sonographic findings of 73 cases of hepatic space occupying lesions,which had been confirmed histologically or diagnosed clinically. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Most common sonographic pattern of hepatic neoplasms was well-defined increased echogenic mass. No significant sonographic difference was noted between primary and metastatic tumor. Splenomegaly and distortion of hepatic echoes favored hepatocellular carcinoma, and multiplicity favored metastatic tumor. 2. Most common sonographic pattern of hepatic abscess was well-defined decreased echogenecity or echoless cystic lesion containing fine low level echoes with posterior enhancement. 3. Hepatic cyst showed sharply defined echoless cystic lesion with strong posterior enhancement

Sonographic and Anatomic Description of the Subtalar Joint

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mandl, Peter; Bong, David; Balint, Peter V

2018-01-01

Our study provides a detailed anatomic and sonographic description of the subtalar joint, a single joint that, anatomically, is divided into the anterior subtalar joint (ASTJ) and the posterior subtalar joint (PSTJ). Cadaver specimens of the ankle and foot were examined in detail by ultrasound (US......), and the subtalar joints of all the specimens were injected with colored latex of a contrasting color under US guidance. Compatible with other studies, examination of the sections revealed lack of communication between the ASTJ and the PSTJ and communication between the PSTJ and the posterior recess...... of agreement between images acquired in cadaver specimens and images acquired in four centers using healthy patients....

Sonographic Characteristics and Interval Changes of Subacute Thyroiditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yoo Jin; Kim, Dong Wook

2016-08-01

This study aimed to assess the sonographic characteristics and interval changes of subacute thyroiditis using follow-up sonography. From January 2008 to December 2014, 85 patients with clinically suspected subacute thyroiditis underwent sonographic examinations by a single radiologist. Subacute thyroiditis was confirmed on the basis of the clinical, sonographic, and cytohistopathologic findings. On the initial and follow-up sonograms, the individual sonographic findings and interval changes were retrospectively investigated by the same radiologist. According to the sonographic configuration, subacute thyroiditis lesions were categorized as nodular or non-nodular. The interval changes in the lesions were classified as follows: "disappeared," "decreased," "increased," "eventually smaller," "eventually larger," or "no interval change." Subacute thyroiditis was confirmed in 64 of the 85 patients. In these 64 patients, nodular (n = 39) and non-nodular (n = 35) lesions were found; 10 patients had both nodular and non-nodular lesions. Of the 64 patients, 41 underwent sonographic follow-up. In both nodular and non-nodular lesions, the common interval changes included disappeared, decreased, and eventually smaller patterns. Although the increased pattern was found only in 4 nodular lesions, there was no significant difference in the interval changes between nodular and non-nodular lesions. On follow-up sonography, a new lesion was detected in 6 patients. The prevalence rate of nodular subacute thyroiditis lesions on sonography was high, and the interval changes in the lesions were variable.

Sonographic Features of Nodular Hashimoto Thyroiditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Oppenheimer, Daniel Corey; Giampoli, Ellen; Montoya, Simone; Patel, Swapnil; Dogra, Vikram

2016-09-01

The aim of the study was to analyze the sonographic features of nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) in patients with diffuse background thyroiditis and normal background thyroid parenchyma. Eighty-six patients who had fine-needle aspiration biopsy of 100 thyroid nodules confirmed to be HT and a thyroid ultrasound within 1 year of the biopsy were included in the study. Retrospective analysis of several sonographic features of each nodule was then performed. The mean age of patients with nodular HT was 53 years, 84% of which were female. Nodular HT occurred in a background of diffuse thyroiditis in 85% and in a homogeneous normal background in 15%. Ninety-three percent of nodules were completely solid and 7% of nodules were cystic and solid. Although the sonographic appearance of nodular HT was variable, the most common appearance was a solid (93/100) and hypoechoic nodule (44/100) with a thin hypoechoic halo (42/100) without calcifications (96/100). On color Doppler, 17% of nodules showed peripheral hypervascularity, 14% of nodules were diffusely hypervascular, 34% were iso vascular, 32% were hypovascular, and 3% were avascular. The sonographic appearance of nodular HT was not significantly different in patients with diffuse background thyroiditis compared with those without background thyroiditis. The sonographic appearance of nodular HT is variable, but the most common appearance is a solid sharply circumscribed hypoechoic nodule with thin hypoechoic halo without calcification. There was no significant difference in the appearance of nodular HT in patients with diffuse background thyroiditis compared with patients with normal background thyroid parenchyma.

Sonographic evaluation of acute osteomyelitis in infants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Ji Young; Lee, Sun Wha; Kim, Yoo Kyung

2002-01-01

To analyze the related sonographic findings and to determine the value of sonography in establishing the diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis in infants. The sonographic findings of eleven infants aged 10 days-4 months (mean, 45 days) with acute osteomyelitis were retrospectively evaluated. The involved bones were the femur (n=5), humerus (n=2), tibia (n=2), rib(n=1), sternum (n=1), and calcaneus (n=1). Discontinuity or destruction of cortical margins, echotexture of the metaphysis and epiphysis, the presence of subperiosteal hypoechoic lesion, adjacent soft tissue swelling, distension of the joint capsule, the echotexture of joint effusion, and dislocation or subluxation of the involved joint were evaluated. The sonographic findings were compared with the plain radiographic (n=12) and MR (n=5) findings, with special attention to the identification of the metaphyseal or epiphyseal bony lesions and the involvement of adjacent joints. The sonographic findings of osteomyelitis were cortical discontinuity or destruction (n=12), hypoechoic lesions with an echogenic rim in the metaphysis (n=12), subperiosteal hypoechoic lesions (n=8), soft tissue swelling (n=9), a distended hip joint, with echogenic fluid (n=5), ill-demarcated echogenic lesions in the capital femoral epiphysis (n=5), and a subluxated hip joint (n=3). Plain radiographs revealed well or ill-defined osteolytic lesions in the metaphysis, accompanied by cortical destruction (n=8), new periosteal bone formation (n=3) and reactive sclerosis (n=2). Abnormality of the femoral epiphyses and joint involvement were not detected on plain radiographs, and in four cases no abnormality was noted. MR imaging showed that at T1WI, affected bony lesions were of low signal intensity and enhaned, with high signal intensity at T2WI. In all cases, both metaphyseal and epiphyseal lesions were demonstrated at MRI, but in one of the three cases in which an epiphyseal lesion was seen at MRI, this was not detected at US. Sonography is

Sonographic evaluation of acute osteomyelitis in infants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Ji Young; Lee, Sun Wha; Kim, Yoo Kyung [College of Medicine, Ewha Womans Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2002-03-01

To analyze the related sonographic findings and to determine the value of sonography in establishing the diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis in infants. The sonographic findings of eleven infants aged 10 days-4 months (mean, 45 days) with acute osteomyelitis were retrospectively evaluated. The involved bones were the femur (n=5), humerus (n=2), tibia (n=2), rib(n=1), sternum (n=1), and calcaneus (n=1). Discontinuity or destruction of cortical margins, echotexture of the metaphysis and epiphysis, the presence of subperiosteal hypoechoic lesion, adjacent soft tissue swelling, distension of the joint capsule, the echotexture of joint effusion, and dislocation or subluxation of the involved joint were evaluated. The sonographic findings were compared with the plain radiographic (n=12) and MR (n=5) findings, with special attention to the identification of the metaphyseal or epiphyseal bony lesions and the involvement of adjacent joints. The sonographic findings of osteomyelitis were cortical discontinuity or destruction (n=12), hypoechoic lesions with an echogenic rim in the metaphysis (n=12), subperiosteal hypoechoic lesions (n=8), soft tissue swelling (n=9), a distended hip joint, with echogenic fluid (n=5), ill-demarcated echogenic lesions in the capital femoral epiphysis (n=5), and a subluxated hip joint (n=3). Plain radiographs revealed well or ill-defined osteolytic lesions in the metaphysis, accompanied by cortical destruction (n=8), new periosteal bone formation (n=3) and reactive sclerosis (n=2). Abnormality of the femoral epiphyses and joint involvement were not detected on plain radiographs, and in four cases no abnormality was noted. MR imaging showed that at T1WI, affected bony lesions were of low signal intensity and enhaned, with high signal intensity at T2WI. In all cases, both metaphyseal and epiphyseal lesions were demonstrated at MRI, but in one of the three cases in which an epiphyseal lesion was seen at MRI, this was not detected at US. Sonography is

Sonographic findings of thyroid cancer initially assessed as no suspicious malignancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Do Youn; Kang, Seok Seon; Ji, Eun Kyung; Kwon, Tae Hee; Park, Hae Lin; Shim, Jeong Yun

2008-01-01

To review the retrospective imaging findings of thyroid cancer initially assessed as no suspicious malignancy. Of 338 nodules confirmed to be thyroid cancer, this study included 38 patients with 39 nodules assessed as no suspicious malignancy on initial sonography. (mean age:39 years, 36 females and 2 males). We evaluated sonographic findings by shape, margin, echogenecity, calcification, cystic degeneration and peripheral hypoechoic rim retrospectively. We analyzed whether sonographic findings were different according to the size (standard:1 cm). The most frequent sonographic findings were avoid to round shape 90%, well-defined smooth margin 64%, hypoechogenecity 54%, no calcification 92%, no cystic degeneration 77% and peripheral hypoechoic rim 56%. Suspicious malignancy findings were taller than wide shape 10%, well-defined spiculated margin 36%, markedly hypoechogenecity 10% and microcalcifications 8%. Isoechogenecity, cystic degeneration and peripheral hypoechoic rim were common in 1 cm more than nodules. Well-defined spiculated margin was common in 1 cm less than nodules. In retrospective, 56% showed no suspicious malignancy finding. Although nodules assessed as no suspicious malignancy on initial US had many retrospectively suspicious malignancy findings, still many nodules showed no suspicious malignancy finding. Suspicious findings were ignored due to equivocal finding in small size, isoechogenecity, cystic degeneration or peripheral hypoechoic rim. We need careful observation

Comparing Physical Examination With Sonographic Versions of the Same Examination Techniques for Splenomegaly.

Science.gov (United States)

Cessford, Tara; Meneilly, Graydon S; Arishenkoff, Shane; Eddy, Christopher; Chen, Luke Y C; Kim, Daniel J; Ma, Irene W Y

2017-12-08

To determine whether sonographic versions of physical examination techniques can accurately identify splenomegaly, Castell's method (Ann Intern Med 1967; 67:1265-1267), the sonographic Castell's method, spleen tip palpation, and the sonographic spleen tip technique were compared with reference measurements. Two clinicians trained in bedside sonography patients recruited from an urban hematology clinic. Each patient was examined for splenomegaly using conventional percussion and palpation techniques (Castell's method and spleen tip palpation, respectively), as well as the sonographic versions of these maneuvers (sonographic Castell's method and sonographic spleen tip technique). Results were compared with a reference standard based on professional sonographer measurements. The sonographic Castell's method had greater sensitivity (91.7% [95% confidence interval, 61.5% to 99.8%]) than the traditional Castell's method (83.3% [95% confidence interval, 51.6% to 97.9%]) but took longer to perform [mean ± SD, 28.8 ± 18.6 versus 18.8 ± 8.1 seconds; P = .01). Palpable and positive sonographic spleen tip results were both 100% specific, but the sonographic spleen tip method was more sensitive (58.3% [95% confidence interval, 27.7% to 84.8%] versus 33.3% [95% confidence interval, 9.9% to 65.1%]). Sonographic versions of traditional physical examination maneuvers have greater diagnostic accuracy than the physical examination maneuvers from which they are derived but may take longer to perform. We recommend a combination of traditional physical examination and sonographic techniques when evaluating for splenomegaly at the bedside. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Abdominal cocoon: sonographic features.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayaraghavan, S Boopathy; Palanivelu, Chinnusamy; Sendhilkumar, Karuppusamy; Parthasarathi, Ramakrishnan

2003-07-01

An abdominal cocoon is a rare condition in which the small bowel is encased in a membrane. The diagnosis is usually established at surgery. Here we describe the sonographic features of this condition.

Sonographic findings of common musculoskeletal disease in patients with diabetes mellitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Min Ho; Park, Ji Seon [Dept. of Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Sung Eun; Ryu, Kyung Nam [Dept. of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, So Young; Jin, Wook [Dept. of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-04-15

Diabetes mellitus (DM) can accompany many musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases. It is difficult to distinguish the DM-related MSK diseases based on clinical symptoms alone. Sonography is frequently used as a first imaging study for these MSK symptoms and is helpful to differentiate the various DM-related MSK diseases. This pictorial essay focuses on sonographic findings of various MSK diseases that can occur in diabetic patients.

Sonographic Findings of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Associated Nodular Lesions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Bong Joo; Park, Young Ha; Jung, So Lyung; Chung, Soo Kyo [Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2007-12-15

To evaluate the sonographic findings of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and associated nodular lesions. We retrospectively reviewed the sonographic findings of twenty patients who had surgically confirmed Hashimoto's thyroiditis between 1 March 2005, and 26 November 2005. In these patients, we reviewed the sonographic findings of the associated focal nodular lesion. Assessed were size, homogeneity, and echogenicity of the diseased thyroid gland and shape, echogenicity, margin, rim, microcal cification of the associated nodules. Without knowledge of the pathological diagnosis of the nodular lesions, based on the sonographic criteria, the nodules were classified as either malignant or benign. Hashimoto's thyroiditis demonstrates a variety of sonographic findings for size, homogeneity, and echogenicity. Among the nineteen nodules that were sonographically diagnosed and pathologically confirmed, nine papillary cancers, seven nodular hyperplasias, two Huthle cell adenomas, and one focal hyalinized fibrosing nodule were included. All of the nine papillary cancers showed more than one malignant finding such as marked hypoechogenicity, an irregular shape, a taller than wide shape, a spiculated margin, or microcalcifications that were classified as malignant nodulea, and all of the ten benign nodules showed no malignant findings. Circumscribed isoechoic, hyperechoic, or hypoechoic nodules without calcification were classified as bending nodules. Hashimoto's thyroiditis demonstrates various findings on a sonographic examination,and associated various benign and malignant lesions. Moreover, a sonographic examination is helpful to differentiate between malignant and benign lesions in Hashimoto's thyroiditis as in the normal thyroid

Evaluation of critical thinking application in medical ultrasound practice among sonographers in south-eastern Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agwu, K.K.; Ogbu, S.O.I.; Okpara, E.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the application of critical thinking (CT) in medical ultrasound by sonographers in south-eastern Nigeria as a measure of the quality of practice. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire based on six elements of CT was distributed to 82 sonographers selected through a simple random sampling. The questionnaire investigated the application of the elements of interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation and self-regulation involved in CT by medical sonographers. The data for each respondent were categorized into age, experience and the elements of CT. Statistical analyses were done using mean and Spearman's Rank correlation. Results: The overall mean score of the practitioners on all the elements of CT application was 8.65 ± 6.76 against a total of 60. The application of CT did not show any correlation with age or clinical experience using Spearman's Rank correlation (r = -0.017; p > 0.05 and r = -0.086; p > 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: The results show that there is poor application of CT by medical sonographers in the locality which may impact negatively on the outcome of this diagnostic process. Increase in the number of formal training programmes in sonography and inclusion of CT skills in the curriculum are recommended

A ?snapshot? of the visual search behaviours of medical sonographers

OpenAIRE

Carrigan, Ann J; Brennan, Patrick C; Pietrzyk, Mariusz; Clarke, Jillian; Chekaluk, Eugene

2015-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Visual search is a task that humans perform in everyday life. Whether it involves looking for a pen on a desk or a mass in a mammogram, the cognitive and perceptual processes that underpin these tasks are identical. Radiologists are experts in visual search of medical images and studies on their visual search behaviours have revealed some interesting findings with regard to diagnostic errors. In Australia, within the modality of ultrasound, sonographers perform the diag...

Sonographic appearances of juvenile fibroadenoma of the breast.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Suk Jung; Park, Young Mi; Jung, Soo Jin; Lee, Kwang Hwi; Kim, Ok Hwa; Ryu, Ji Hwa; Choi, Gi Bok; Lee, Sun Joo; Choo, Hye Jung; Jeong, Hae Woong

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate characteristic features of juvenile fibroadenoma of the breast on sonography. Our study included 34 juvenile fibroadenomas confirmed by surgical biopsy or sonographically guided 8-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsy in 23 patients (age range, 15-47 years; mean age, 25 years). Sonographic findings of the lesions were analyzed retrospectively by 2 radiologists in consensus according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon. The BI-RADS final assessment category was also established. On sonography, all fibroadenomas presented as masses. The mean size was 30 mm. Regarding shape, there were 29 oval, 2 round, and 3 irregular masses. The margins were circumscribed in 24, indistinct in 5, microlobulated in 4, and angular in 1. Regarding echogenicity, 16 masses were hypoechoic, 16 isoechoic, and 2 complex echoic. Posterior acoustic characteristics included posterior acoustic enhancement in 22 masses (65%), posterior shadowing in 1, and no posterior acoustic features in 9; this information was not available in 2. The lesion boundary presented as an abrupt interface in 32 and an echogenic halo in 2. The orientation was parallel in 32 and nonparallel in 2. Calcifications were present in 3 cases and absent in 31. On color Doppler sonography, the masses were usually hypervascular with vessel counts of 5 or more (87%). The BI-RADS final assessment categories were 3 in 24 and 4a in 10. The dominant sonographic presentation of juvenile fibroadenoma is a circumscribed oval hypoechoic or isoechoic mass, which resembles that of simple fibroadenoma. Juvenile fibroadenomas frequently show posterior acoustic enhancement and hypervascularity on color Doppler sonography. © 2014 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Sonographic evaluation of femoral articular cartilage in the knee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Sung Hwan; Kong Keun Young; Chung, Hye Won; Choi, Young Ho; Song, Yeong Wook; Kang, Heung Sik

2000-01-01

To investigate the usefulness of sonography for the evaluation of osteoarthritic articular cartilage. Ten asymptomatic volunteers and 20 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee underwent sonographic evaluation. For this, the knee was maintained of full flexion in order to expose the deep portion of femoral condylar cartilage. Both transverse and longitudinal scans were obtained in standardized planes. Sonographic images of the articular cartilages were analyzed in terms of surface sharpness, echogenicity and thickness, along with associated bone changes. Normal cartilages showed a clearly-defined surface, homogeneously low echogenicity and regular thickness. Among 20 patients, the findings for medial and lateral condyles, respectively, were as follows: poorly defined cartilage surface, 16 (80%) and ten (50%); increased echogenicity of cartilage, 17 (85%) and 16 (80%); cartilage thinning, 16 (80%) and 14 (70%) (two medial condyles demonstrated obvious cartilage thickening); the presence of thick subchondral hyperechoic bands, five (25%) and four (20%); the presence of osteophytes, 13 (65%) and 12 (60%). Sonography is a convenient and accurate modality for the evaluation of femoral articular cartilage. In particular, it can be useful for detecting early degenerative cartilaginous change and for studying such change during clinical follow-up. (author)

Comparison of mammographic and sonographic findings in typical and atypical medullary carcinomas of the breast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yilmaz, E.; Lebe, B.; Balci, P.; Sal, S.; Canda, T.

2002-01-01

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the contribution of mammographic and sonographic findings to the discrimination of typical and atypical histopathologic groups of medullary carcinomas of the breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Imaging findings were retrospectively assessed in 33 women with medullary carcinomas (15 typical medullary carcinomas and 18 atypical medullary carcinomas) identified during pre-operative mammography. Twenty-nine of these women also had ultrasound and these findings were reviewed. RESULTS: Mammography showed a well circumscribed mass in 10 of the 15 (67%) typical medullary carcinomas and in four of the 17 (24%) atypical medullary carcinomas (P < 0.02). One small tumour in a woman with atypical medullary carcinoma was missed on mammography and was shown only on sonography. Sonographically, an irregular margin surrounding the whole mass or part of it was seen in three out of 14 (21%) patients with typical medullary carcinoma and in nine out of 15 (60%) patients with atypical medullary carcinomas (P < 0.05). Posterior acoustic shadowing was more often observed in the typical medullary carcinoma group than in atypical medullary carcinoma and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). None of the other mammographic and sonographic findings were sufficiently characteristic to allow for a differentiation between two groups. CONCLUSION: When typical medullary carcinomas were compared with atypical medullary carcinomas according to imaging features, they tended to be well circumscribed masses on both mammography and sonography, and a posterior acoustic shadow was not found on sonography. However, the imaging findings in these two subgroups often resembled each other and histopathology will always be required to confirm the diagnosis. Yilmaz, E. et al. (2002)

Comparison of mammographic and sonographic findings in typical and atypical medullary carcinomas of the breast

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Yilmaz, E.; Lebe, B.; Balci, P.; Sal, S.; Canda, T

2002-07-01

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the contribution of mammographic and sonographic findings to the discrimination of typical and atypical histopathologic groups of medullary carcinomas of the breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Imaging findings were retrospectively assessed in 33 women with medullary carcinomas (15 typical medullary carcinomas and 18 atypical medullary carcinomas) identified during pre-operative mammography. Twenty-nine of these women also had ultrasound and these findings were reviewed. RESULTS: Mammography showed a well circumscribed mass in 10 of the 15 (67%) typical medullary carcinomas and in four of the 17 (24%) atypical medullary carcinomas (P < 0.02). One small tumour in a woman with atypical medullary carcinoma was missed on mammography and was shown only on sonography. Sonographically, an irregular margin surrounding the whole mass or part of it was seen in three out of 14 (21%) patients with typical medullary carcinoma and in nine out of 15 (60%) patients with atypical medullary carcinomas (P < 0.05). Posterior acoustic shadowing was more often observed in the typical medullary carcinoma group than in atypical medullary carcinoma and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). None of the other mammographic and sonographic findings were sufficiently characteristic to allow for a differentiation between two groups. CONCLUSION: When typical medullary carcinomas were compared with atypical medullary carcinomas according to imaging features, they tended to be well circumscribed masses on both mammography and sonography, and a posterior acoustic shadow was not found on sonography. However, the imaging findings in these two subgroups often resembled each other and histopathology will always be required to confirm the diagnosis. Yilmaz, E. et al. (2002)

Occupational burnout among radiographers, sonographers and radiologists in Australia and New Zealand: Findings from a national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Nabita; Knight, Kellie; Wright, Caroline; Baird, Marilyn; Akroyd, Duane; Adams, Robert D; Schneider, Michal E

2017-06-01

Evidence demonstrates that health care professionals are more prone to burnout than other professionals due to the emotionally taxing interactions they have with their patients on a daily basis. The aims of this study were to measure occupational burnout levels among sonographers, radiographers and radiologists and to examine predictors of burnout according to demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional online survey was administered in 2010 to radiographers, sonographers and radiologists who were members of the following professional bodies: Australian Institute of Radiography, Australian Sonographers Association and The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to measure burnout levels for each profession. Data were analysed using SPSS Ver 20 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) statistical software. A total of 613 radiographers, 121 sonographers and 35 radiologists participated in the survey. Radiographers, sonographers and radiologists had a high mean (±SD) burnout score for emotional exhaustion (39.9 ± 8.5, 42.2 ± 8.5 and 44.9 ± 7.1 respectively) and depersonalization (18.9 ± 5.5, 20.3 ± 5.8 and 20.6 ± 5.6) compared to MBI norms. Radiographers also had low personal achievement (30.8 ± 5.5) compared to MBI norms. Radiographers and sonographers who were male, worked >10 hours overtime and spent <10% of their time training students per week had significantly higher depersonalization scores (p < 0.05). Burnout levels among radiographers, sonographers and radiologists are high and likely to vary according to some demographic and work-related factors. Further research is needed to examine ways to alleviate burnout in these professions so that loss of experienced staff due to burnout can be minimized and quality of patient care can be maintained. © 2016 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Sonographic ally Detected Architectural Distortion: Clinical Significance

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Kim, Shin Kee; Seo, Bo Kyoung; Yi, Ann; Cha, Sang Hoon; Kim, Baek Hyun; Cho, Kyu Ran; Kim, Young Sik; Son, Gil Soo; Kim, Young Soo; Kim, Hee Young [Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan (Korea, Republic of)

2008-12-15

Architectural distortion is a suspicious abnormality for the diagnosis of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of sonographic ally detected architectural distortion. From January 2006 to June 2008, 20 patients were identified who had sonographic ally detected architectural distortions without a history of trauma or surgery and abnormal mammographic findings related to an architectural distortion. All of the lesions were pathologically verified. We evaluated the clinical and pathological findings and then assessed the clinical significance of the sonographic ally detected architectural distortions. Based on the clinical findings, one (5%) of the 20 patients had a palpable lump and the remaining 19 patients had no symptoms. No patient had a family history of breast cancer. Based on the pathological findings, three (15%) patients had malignancies. The malignant lesions included invasive ductal carcinomas (n = 2) and ductal carcinoma in situ (n = 1). Four (20%) patients had high-risk lesions: atypical ductal hyperplasia (n = 3) and lobular carcinoma in situ (n = 1). The remaining 13 (65%) patients had benign lesions, however, seven (35%) out of 13 patients had mild-risk lesions (three intraductal papillomas, three moderate or florid epithelial hyperplasia and one sclerosing adenosis). Of the sonographic ally detected architectural distortions, 35% were breast cancers or high-risk lesions and 35% were mild-risk lesions. Thus, a biopsy might be needed for an architectural distortion without an associated mass as depicted on breast ultrasound, even though the mammographic findings are normal

Sonographic ally Detected Architectural Distortion: Clinical Significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Shin Kee; Seo, Bo Kyoung; Yi, Ann; Cha, Sang Hoon; Kim, Baek Hyun; Cho, Kyu Ran; Kim, Young Sik; Son, Gil Soo; Kim, Young Soo; Kim, Hee Young

2008-01-01

Architectural distortion is a suspicious abnormality for the diagnosis of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of sonographic ally detected architectural distortion. From January 2006 to June 2008, 20 patients were identified who had sonographic ally detected architectural distortions without a history of trauma or surgery and abnormal mammographic findings related to an architectural distortion. All of the lesions were pathologically verified. We evaluated the clinical and pathological findings and then assessed the clinical significance of the sonographic ally detected architectural distortions. Based on the clinical findings, one (5%) of the 20 patients had a palpable lump and the remaining 19 patients had no symptoms. No patient had a family history of breast cancer. Based on the pathological findings, three (15%) patients had malignancies. The malignant lesions included invasive ductal carcinomas (n = 2) and ductal carcinoma in situ (n = 1). Four (20%) patients had high-risk lesions: atypical ductal hyperplasia (n = 3) and lobular carcinoma in situ (n = 1). The remaining 13 (65%) patients had benign lesions, however, seven (35%) out of 13 patients had mild-risk lesions (three intraductal papillomas, three moderate or florid epithelial hyperplasia and one sclerosing adenosis). Of the sonographic ally detected architectural distortions, 35% were breast cancers or high-risk lesions and 35% were mild-risk lesions. Thus, a biopsy might be needed for an architectural distortion without an associated mass as depicted on breast ultrasound, even though the mammographic findings are normal

Anatomic Illustrations of Cranial Ultrasound Images Obtained Through the Mastoid Fontanelle in Neonates

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Kim, Bong Man; Lee, Young Seok [Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

2011-09-15

Neonatal cranial sonography performed through the mastoid fontanelle is more useful to evaluate the peripheral structures at the convexity of the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem rather than that performed through the anterior fontanelle. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the anatomy of the extracerebral CSF space and brainstem and to suggest appropriate scan planes for performing neonatal cranial sonography through the mastoid fontanelle using MRI and multiplanar reconstruction programs. A neonate with normal features on ultrasonography and good image quality on MRI, including the 3D-SPGR axial scans, was selected. We made the reconstructed MR images corresponding to the sonongraphic planes and the anatomic models of the neonatal cranial sonographic images by using axial MRI as the standard reference on the same screen. We demonstrated the sonographic images at the levels of the body of the caudate nucleus and lentiform nucleus, the head of the caudate nucleus and thalamus, the third ventricle and midbrain, and the midbrain and cerebellar vermis on the oblique axial scans. Four oblique coronal images at the levels of the periventricular white matter, basal ganglia, thalamus and tentorium were also obtained. We illustrated the anatomic atlas with including four oblique axial scans and four oblique coronal scans that corresponded to the neonatal cranial sonographic images through the mastoid fontanelle. We objectively analyzed the anatomy of the extracerebral CSF space and brainstem by using MRI and multiplanar reconstruction programs and we provided the standardized sonographic scan planes through the mastoid fontanelle. This study will be very helpful for evaluating the abnormalities of the peripheral structures at the convexity of the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem

Echinococcus cysticus of the liver - sonographic pattern suggestive of solid tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosser, G.; Hauenstein, K.H.; Henke, W.

1985-01-01

In a patient with Hodgkin's disease, an intrahepatic echodense mass was diagnosed incidentally by ultrasonography. The sonographic pattern suggested a solid tumor. Despite negative or borderline serology, computed tomography establised the diagnosis of echinococcus cysticus by documentation of one ''daughter'' cyst; this diagnosis was confirmed by surgery. The criteria of echinococcus cysticus in modern imaging methods like sonography and computed tomography are summarized and the diagnostic value of various procedures including diagnostic procedure in seronegative cases are discussed. (orig.) [de

Spontaneous perforation of gallbladder with intrahepatic biloma formation: sonographic signs and correlation with computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollanda, Erick Sabbagh de; Torres, Ulysses dos Santos; Gual, Fabiana; Oliveira, Eduardo Portela de; Cardoso, Luciana Vargas; Criado, Divanei Aparecida Bottaro, E-mail: usantor@yahoo.com.br [Faculdade de Medicina de Sao Jose do Rio Preto (Famerp), SP (Brazil). Hospital de Base

2013-09-15

Spontaneous perforation of gallbladder is a severe and infrequent complication of acute cholecystitis that requires early and accurate diagnosis. Concomitant development of intrahepatic collections is rarely observed in such cases. The present report emphasizes the relevance of imaging studies in this setting, describing the typical sonographic and tomographic findings for the diagnosis of such condition. (author)

Uterine myoma and adenomyosis: sonographic findings and differentiation

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Lee, Yeong Hwan; Yun, Kwang Myeong; Kim, Ok Dong; Chung, Duck Soo [College of Medicine, Taegu Catholic Hospital, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

1990-07-15

Uterine myoma and adenomyosis are the two most likely diagnoses in women with hypermenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and an enlarged uterus, but it is often not possible to make a distinction between them preoperatively. But their treatments can differ : myoma can be treated through myomectomy whereas adenomyosis require hysterectomy. In order to establish the characteristic and differential findings of myoma and adenomyosis sonographically, sonographic findings of 125 cases of pathologically proven myoma and adenomyosis were reviewed retrospectively. Histologic diagnosis were myoma in 94 patients and adenomyosis in 31 patients. The results were as follows : 1. The common sonographic findings of uterine myoma were globular enlargement or bulging contour of uterus 77.8%, loss of central endometrial echoes 66.0%, and homogeneous decreased internal echoes 35.1% or heterogeneous internal echoes 44.7%. 2. The common sonographic findings of adenomyosis were diffuse enlargement without contour change 80.6%, homogeneous hypoechoic or isoechoic internal textures 96.8%, preserved central endometrial echoes 80.6%, and thickening of posterior uterine wall 64.5%. 3. Adenomyosis was highly suggested if the uterus showed diffuse enlargement without contour change or visible nodule, homogeneous hypoechoic textures, and especially thickened posterior wall with anteriorly displaced central endometrial echoes. 4. Adenomyosis could be excluded if the patient was under 30 or above 50 years old, and especially had no previous obstetric history.

Uterine myoma and adenomyosis: sonographic findings and differentiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yeong Hwan; Yun, Kwang Myeong; Kim, Ok Dong; Chung, Duck Soo

1990-01-01

Uterine myoma and adenomyosis are the two most likely diagnoses in women with hypermenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and an enlarged uterus, but it is often not possible to make a distinction between them preoperatively. But their treatments can differ : myoma can be treated through myomectomy whereas adenomyosis require hysterectomy. In order to establish the characteristic and differential findings of myoma and adenomyosis sonographically, sonographic findings of 125 cases of pathologically proven myoma and adenomyosis were reviewed retrospectively. Histologic diagnosis were myoma in 94 patients and adenomyosis in 31 patients. The results were as follows : 1. The common sonographic findings of uterine myoma were globular enlargement or bulging contour of uterus 77.8%, loss of central endometrial echoes 66.0%, and homogeneous decreased internal echoes 35.1% or heterogeneous internal echoes 44.7%. 2. The common sonographic findings of adenomyosis were diffuse enlargement without contour change 80.6%, homogeneous hypoechoic or isoechoic internal textures 96.8%, preserved central endometrial echoes 80.6%, and thickening of posterior uterine wall 64.5%. 3. Adenomyosis was highly suggested if the uterus showed diffuse enlargement without contour change or visible nodule, homogeneous hypoechoic textures, and especially thickened posterior wall with anteriorly displaced central endometrial echoes. 4. Adenomyosis could be excluded if the patient was under 30 or above 50 years old, and especially had no previous obstetric history

Heterotopic pregnancy: Sonographic findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Tae Hee

1999-01-01

To evaluate the sonographic findings of the heterotopic pregnancy which is increasing recently. Thirty-nine cases of heterotopic pregnancy after ovulation induction and IVF-ET (In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer) during the recent 3 years were analyzed. They were diagnosed by ultrasonography and proved surgically afterwards. Sonographic findings were analyzed focusing on gestational week of intrauterine pregnancy and location of ectopic pregnancy. In particular, adnexal mass was evaluated with regard to size and the characteristic findings such as ectopic gestational sac (echogenic ring). Also, overian cyst and fluid collection in cul-de-sac space were reviewed carefully. Heterotopic pregnancy was proved surgically by salpingectomy in 33 cases and by resection of cornus in six cases. Sonographic diagnosis using transvaginal ultrasound was made from five weeks to nine weeks two days (six weeks and four days in average) from last menstral period in all 39 cases. Ectopic pregnancy was identified in ampullary part in 29 cases, in the isthmic portion of tube in four cases and in the cornus of uterus in six cases. The intrauterine pregnancy was diagnosed by identifying the intrauterine gestational saccontaining a yolk sac in seven cases and the embryo with fetal heart beat in the remaining 32 cases. Adnexal masses of heterotopic pregnancy were less than 3 cm in diameter in 2 cases (57%), 3-4 cm in 11 cases (28%) and more than 4 cm in 6 cases (15%). A characteristic finding of ectopic mass was echogenic ring which was visible in 33 (84.6%) cases by transvaginal ultrasound. Six cases had pelvic hematosalpinx and two had pelvic hematoma. Of 10 cases (26%) which were identified to have ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, eight (21%) had large amount of fluid collection in cul-de-sac and abdomen. Ultrasonographic identification of the intrauterine pregnancy and the ectopic chorion ring is effective for the early diagnosis of the heterotopic pregnancy.

Echinococcus cysticus of the liver - sonographic pattern suggestive of solid tumor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grosser, G.; Hauenstein, K.H.; Henke, W.

1985-09-01

In a patient with Hodgkin's disease, an intrahepatic echodense mass was diagnosed incidentally by ultrasonography. The sonographic pattern suggested a solid tumor. Despite negative or borderline serology, computed tomography establised the diagnosis of echinococcus cysticus by documentation of one ''daughter'' cyst; this diagnosis was confirmed by surgery. The criteria of echinococcus cysticus in modern imaging methods like sonography and computed tomography are summarized and the diagnostic value of various procedures including diagnostic procedure in seronegative cases are discussed.

Serial Sonographic Assessment of Pulmonary Edema in Patients With Hypertensive Acute Heart Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Martindale, Jennifer L; Secko, Michael; Kilpatrick, John F; deSouza, Ian S; Paladino, Lorenzo; Aherne, Andrew; Mehta, Ninfa; Conigiliaro, Alyssa; Sinert, Richard

2018-02-01

Objective measures of clinical improvement in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine whether repeated lung sonography could semiquantitatively capture changes in pulmonary edema (B-lines) in patients with hypertensive AHF early in the course of treatment. We conducted a feasibility study in a cohort of adults with acute onset of dyspnea, severe hypertension in the field or at triage (systolic blood pressure ≥ 180 mm Hg), and a presumptive diagnosis of AHF. Patients underwent repeated dyspnea and lung sonographic assessments using a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS) and an 8-zone scanning protocol. Lung sonographic assessments were performed at the time of triage, initial VAS improvement, and disposition from the emergency department. Sonographic pulmonary edema was independently scored offline in a randomized and blinded fashion by using a scoring method that accounted for both the sum of discrete B-lines and degree of B-line fusion. Sonographic pulmonary edema scores decreased significantly from initial to final sonographic assessments (P < .001). The median percentage decrease among the 20 included patient encounters was 81% (interquartile range, 55%-91%). Although sonographic pulmonary edema scores correlated with VAS scores (ρ = 0.64; P < .001), the magnitude of the change in these scores did not correlate with each other (ρ = -0.04; P = .89). Changes in sonographic pulmonary edema can be semiquantitatively measured by serial 8-zone lung sonography using a scoring method that accounts for B-line fusion. Sonographic pulmonary edema improves in patients with hypertensive AHF during the initial hours of treatment. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Prenatal Sonographic Diagnosis of Acardiac Twins

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Kim, Jeong Ah; Song, Mi Jin [Cheil General Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2006-09-15

This study was performed to present the prenatal sonographic findings and the associated abnormalities of acardiac twins. Seven cases of acardiac twins were reviewed retrospectively. Prenatal ultrasonography was performed in all patients at a gestational age between 12 and 27 weeks (mean 17.6 weeks). Autopsy was performed in four cases. The sonographic and autopsy findings were reviewed to report the associated abnormalities of the acardiac and donor fetuses. The diagnosis of acardiac twins was made on the basis of ultrasonography (n=6) or autopsy (n=1). The associated abnormalities of the acardiac fetuses were single umbilical artery (SUA) (n=5), abdominal wall defect (n=4), club feet (n=4), scoliosis (n=1), cleft lip and palate (n=1), digital anomaly (n=1), and umbilical cord cyst (n=1). In four of the donor fetuses, sonographic abnormalities were found. Autopsy was performed in three of the four cases to reveal hydropic change (n=2), diaphragmatic hernia (n=1) and multiple structural abnormalities of interventricular septal defect, polydactyly, club feet and SUA (n=1). Intrauterine fetal death occurred in five donors and follow-up was lost in the remaining two. Meticulous sonography enables the diagnosis of acardiac twins at an early gestational age and can reveal the associated abnormalities of the donor fetus as well as the acardiac fetus

Prenatal Sonographic Diagnosis of Acardiac Twins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeong Ah; Song, Mi Jin

2006-01-01

This study was performed to present the prenatal sonographic findings and the associated abnormalities of acardiac twins. Seven cases of acardiac twins were reviewed retrospectively. Prenatal ultrasonography was performed in all patients at a gestational age between 12 and 27 weeks (mean 17.6 weeks). Autopsy was performed in four cases. The sonographic and autopsy findings were reviewed to report the associated abnormalities of the acardiac and donor fetuses. The diagnosis of acardiac twins was made on the basis of ultrasonography (n=6) or autopsy (n=1). The associated abnormalities of the acardiac fetuses were single umbilical artery (SUA) (n=5), abdominal wall defect (n=4), club feet (n=4), scoliosis (n=1), cleft lip and palate (n=1), digital anomaly (n=1), and umbilical cord cyst (n=1). In four of the donor fetuses, sonographic abnormalities were found. Autopsy was performed in three of the four cases to reveal hydropic change (n=2), diaphragmatic hernia (n=1) and multiple structural abnormalities of interventricular septal defect, polydactyly, club feet and SUA (n=1). Intrauterine fetal death occurred in five donors and follow-up was lost in the remaining two. Meticulous sonography enables the diagnosis of acardiac twins at an early gestational age and can reveal the associated abnormalities of the donor fetus as well as the acardiac fetus

Educational value of pocket-sized ultrasound devices to improve understanding of ultrasound examination principles and sonographic anatomy for medical student.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun Young Kim

Full Text Available Medical students must understand the principles of ultrasonography (US, because US examinations are an important component of patient care in clinical practice. Pocket-sized ultrasound devices have the benefits of accessibility and ease of use. The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the educational value of these devices in terms of improving medical student interest and understanding of US and sonographic anatomy.We added a US training program comprised of a self-study learning module and a hands-on training session to a two-week block curriculum of medical imaging for first year medical students (n = 40. Multiple pocket-sized US devices were used on a small-group basis during a single afternoon. Students were asked to complete a questionnaire before and after the US training session; these two questionnaires contained 6 and 10 questions, respectively, which were rated by students using a five-point Likert scale. In addition, understanding of sonographic anatomy was tested before and after the training program.Forty students completed the two questionnaires and the anatomy-related tests. Students found the program educationally valuable (4.37 ± 0.54 of 5 and reported that US practice was useful for improving their understanding of the principles of US examinations (4.23 ± 0.66 of 5 and sonographic anatomy (4.40 ± 0.55 of 5. Overall confidence at performing US examinations and understanding of sonographic anatomy were significantly increased after US training (increased overall confidence score, 1.87 ± 0.91 and improvement in sonographic anatomy score, 6.55 ± 1.55, p values < 0.001.US training using pocket-sized ultrasound devices was found to be educationally valuable for medical students in terms of improving understanding of US principles and familiarizing students with sonographic anatomy.

Comparison study among conventional, tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic images to evaluate pleural effusion and ascites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Hwan Hoon; Kim, Yun Hwan; Kang, Chang Ho; Park, Bum Jin; Chung, Kyoo Byung; Suh, Won Hyuck

2000-01-01

To determine the most useful sonographic technique to evaluate pleural effusion and ascites by comparing conventional, tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic images. 12 patients having pleural effusion and 14 patients having ascites were included in this study. 18 patients were male and 8 patients were female. Average age was 54.8 yrs (25-77). We compared images which had been taken at the same section with 3 above mentioned sonographic techniques. Evaluation was done by 3 radiologists in consensus and grades were given to 3 techniques from 1 to 3. Evaluating points were 1) normal structures that border the fluid such as liver, peritoneal lining, pleura, 2) septation in fluid, 3) debris floating in fluid, and 4) artifacts. Pulse inversion harmonic image was the best in image quality for normal structures, followed by tissue harmonic and conventional image (p<0.05). Pulse inversion harmonic image was better than conventional image to evaluate septation in fluid (p<0.05), but there were no statistically significant difference between pulse inversion and tissue harmonic images, and tissue harmonic and conventional images. Tissue harmonic image was better than pulse inversion harmonic and conventional images to evaluate debris floating in fluid (p<0.05) but there was no statistically significant difference between these two latter techniques. Artifacts were most prominent on conventional image followed by tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic image (p<0.05). Pulse inversion harmonic image was the best sonographic technique to evaluate pleural effusion or ascites, However, Tissue harmonic image was the best for evaluation of debris.

Comparison study among conventional, tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic images to evaluate pleural effusion and ascites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Hwan Hoon; Kim, Yun Hwan; Kang, Chang Ho; Park, Bum Jin; Chung, Kyoo Byung; Suh, Won Hyuck [Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2000-12-15

To determine the most useful sonographic technique to evaluate pleural effusion and ascites by comparing conventional, tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic images. 12 patients having pleural effusion and 14 patients having ascites were included in this study. 18 patients were male and 8 patients were female. Average age was 54.8 yrs (25-77). We compared images which had been taken at the same section with 3 above mentioned sonographic techniques. Evaluation was done by 3 radiologists in consensus and grades were given to 3 techniques from 1 to 3. Evaluating points were 1) normal structures that border the fluid such as liver, peritoneal lining, pleura, 2) septation in fluid, 3) debris floating in fluid, and 4) artifacts. Pulse inversion harmonic image was the best in image quality for normal structures, followed by tissue harmonic and conventional image (p<0.05). Pulse inversion harmonic image was better than conventional image to evaluate septation in fluid (p<0.05), but there were no statistically significant difference between pulse inversion and tissue harmonic images, and tissue harmonic and conventional images. Tissue harmonic image was better than pulse inversion harmonic and conventional images to evaluate debris floating in fluid (p<0.05) but there was no statistically significant difference between these two latter techniques. Artifacts were most prominent on conventional image followed by tissue harmonic and pulse inversion harmonic image (p<0.05). Pulse inversion harmonic image was the best sonographic technique to evaluate pleural effusion or ascites, However, Tissue harmonic image was the best for evaluation of debris.

Sonographic diagnosis of abscess following breast-conserving surgery with insertion of nonabsorbable mesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Sung Eun; Seo, Bo Kyoung; Son, Gil-Soo; Kim, Young-Sik

2014-09-01

Immediate mesh insertion has been recently used for breast reconstruction after breast-conserving surgery. We report a case of abscess formation following immediate nonabsorbable mesh insertion with breast-conserving surgery. In this article, we demonstrate multimodal breast imaging features and pathologic correlations of the case. In addition, we illustrate characteristic sonographic findings of nonabsorbable mesh fibers to differentiate them from a gossypiboma caused by a retained surgical sponge or tumor recurrence. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intrauterine shelves in pregnancy: sonographic observations.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, D L; Felker, R E; Emerson, D S

1989-10-01

Twenty-five shelves of tissue, all having a free edge within the uterine cavity, were identified by sonography in 24 singleton pregnancies. In no case did the shelf attach to the fetus or restrict fetal motion. The fetus was sonographically normal in 23 pregnancies, and no fetus developed amniotic-band syndrome. One fetus had anencephaly, probably unrelated to amniotic-band syndrome. Although these shelves may be due to synechiae, only eight (32%) of the patients had a history of dilatation and curettage or cesarean delivery, which predispose the patient to formation of synechiae. This experience suggests that when a shelf of tissue with a free edge is present within the pregnant uterus, there should be no concern for the development of amniotic-band syndrome as long as a complete sonographic survey of the fetus reveals no abnormalities.

Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of diastrophic dwarfism.

Science.gov (United States)

Tongsong, Theera; Wanapirak, Chanane; Sirichotiyakul, Supatra; Chanprapaph, Pharuhas

2002-02-01

A healthy 27-year-old pregnant woman underwent sonographic examination because her uterine size was large for 20 weeks' menstrual age. Sonograms showed short fetal limbs with hitchhiker thumbs and toes, thoracic scoliosis, clubbed feet, and polyhydramnios. The ossification of all bony structures appeared normal, and there was no evidence of fractures. On the basis of these sonographic findings, we diagnosed skeletal dysplasia and short-limbed dwarfism, most likely diastrophic dwarfism. We counseled the parents, and the pregnancy was continued. At 37 weeks menstrual age, the patient vaginally delivered a male infant that weighed 2,560 g. The infant survived with respiratory support during his first few days of life. Postnatal physical and radiologic examinations confirmed the prenatal diagnosis of diastrophic dwarfism. Sonography is the modality of choice for prenatal detection of diastrophic dwarfism. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Satisfactory rate of postprocessing visualization of standard fetal cardiac views from 4-dimensional cardiac volumes acquired during routine ultrasound practice by experienced sonographers in peripheral centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzo, Giuseppe; Capponi, Alessandra; Pietrolucci, Maria Elena; Capece, Giuseppe; Cimmino, Ernesto; Colosi, Enrico; Ferrentino, Salvatore; Sica, Carmine; Di Meglio, Aniello; Arduini, Domenico

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of visualizing standard cardiac views from 4-dimensional (4D) cardiac volumes obtained at ultrasound facilities with no specific experience in fetal echocardiography. Five sonographers prospectively recorded 4D cardiac volumes starting from the 4-chamber view on 500 consecutive pregnancies at 19 to 24 weeks' gestation undergoing routine ultrasound examinations (100 pregnancies for each sonographer). Volumes were sent to the referral center, and 2 independent reviewers with experience in 4D fetal echocardiography assessed their quality in the display of the abdominal view, 4-chamber view, left and right ventricular outflow tracts, and 3-vessel and trachea view. Cardiac volumes were acquired in 474 of 500 pregnancies (94.8%). The 2 reviewers respectively acknowledged the presence of satisfactory images in 92.4% and 93.6% of abdominal views, 91.5% and 93.0% of 4-chamber views, in 85.0% and 86.2% of left ventricular outflow tracts, 83.9% and 84.5% of right ventricular outflow tracts, and 85.2% and 84.5% of 3-vessel and trachea views. The presence of a maternal body mass index of greater than 30 altered the probability of achieving satisfactory cardiac views, whereas previous maternal lower abdominal surgery did not affect the quality of reconstructed cardiac views. In conclusion, cardiac volumes acquired by 4D sonography in peripheral centers showed high enough quality to allow satisfactory diagnostic cardiac views.

MRI quality control: six imagers studied using eleven unified image quality parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ihalainen, T.; Sipilae, O.; Savolainen, S.

2004-01-01

Quality control of the magnetic resonance imagers of different vendors in the clinical environment is non-harmonised, and comparing the performance is difficult. The purpose of this study was to develop and apply a harmonised long-term quality control protocol for the six imagers in our organisation in order to assure that they fulfil the same basic image quality requirements. The same Eurospin phantom set and identical imaging parameters were used with each imager. Values of 11 comparable parameters describing the image quality were measured. Automatic image analysis software was developed to objectively analyse the images. The results proved that the imagers were operating at a performance level adequate for clinical imaging. Some deficiencies were detected in image uniformity and geometry. The automated analysis of the Eurospin phantom images was successful. The measurements were successfully repeated after 2 weeks on one imager and after half a year on all imagers. As an objective way of examining the image quality, this kind of comparable and objective quality control of different imagers is considered as an essential step towards harmonisation of the clinical MRI studies through a large hospital organisation. (orig.)

Impact of real-time virtual sonography, a coordinated sonography and MRI system that uses an image fusion technique, on the sonographic evaluation of MRI-detected lesions of the breast in second-look sonography.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakano, Shogo; Kousaka, Junko; Fujii, Kimihito; Yorozuya, Kyoko; Yoshida, Miwa; Mouri, Yukako; Akizuki, Miwa; Tetsuka, Rie; Ando, Takahito; Fukutomi, Takashi; Oshima, Yukihiko; Kimura, Junko; Ishiguchi, Tsuneo; Arai, Osamu

2012-08-01

The aim of this study was to verify the utility of second-look sonography using real-time virtual sonography (RVS)-a coordinated sonography with an MRI system that uses an image fusion technique with magnetic navigation-on the sonographic evaluation of MRI-detected lesions of the breast. Of the 196 consecutive patients who were examined with breast MRI in our hospital from 2006 to 2009, those patients who underwent second-look sonography to identify MRI-detected lesions were enrolled in this study. MRI was performed using a 1.5-T imager with the patient in a supine position. To assess the efficacy benefits of RVS, the correlations between lesion detection rates, MRI features, distribution, and histopathological classification on second-look sonography using conventional B-mode or RVS were analyzed. Of the 196 patients, 55 (28 %) demonstrated 67 lesions initially detected by MRI, followed by second-look sonography. Of the 67 MRI-detected lesions, 18 (30 %) were identified with second-look sonography using conventional B-mode alone, whereas 60 (90 %) lesions were detected with second-look sonography using RVS (p use of RVS on second-look sonography significantly increases the sonographic detection rate of MRI-detected lesions without operator dependence.

Imaging Food Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Flemming

Imaging and spectroscopy have long been established methods for food quality control both in the laboratories and online. An ever increasing number of analytical techniques are being developed into imaging methods and existing imaging methods to contain spectral information. Images and especially...... spectral images contain large amounts of data which should be analysed appropriately by techniques combining structure and spectral information. This dissertation deals with how different types of food quality can be measured by imaging techniques, analysed with appropriate image analysis techniques...... and finally use the image data to predict or visualise food quality. A range of different food quality parameters was addressed, i.e. water distribution in bread throughout storage, time series analysis of chocolate milk stability, yoghurt glossiness, graininess and dullness and finally structure and meat...

Sonographic patterns of renal lymphoma in B-mode imaging and in contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)—A retrospective evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trenker, C.; Neesse, A.; Görg, C.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Retrospective analysis of sonographic patterns of renal lymphoma in B-mode imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Patients/methods: From January 2000 to June 2014, 27 patients with clinical or histologically confirmed renal lymphoma were examined with B-mode imaging, followed by CEUS in 8 cases. Results: In B-mode imaging renal lymphoma were hypoechoic in all 27 cases (100%). 9 patients (33.3%) had a bilateral, 18 (66.7%) patients had an unilateral lymphoma infiltration of the kidneys. 8 (29.6%) cases of small nodular, 5 (18.5%) cases of large nodular and 6 (22.2%) cases of perirenal lymphoma infiltration of the kidney were observed in B-mode imaging. Bulky-formation of renal lymphoma was detected in 6 (22.2%) patients and 2 (7.4%) patients had a diffuse lymphoma infiltration of the kidneys. In CEUS an arterial isoechoic enhancement was observed in 5 (62.5%)- and, an arterial hypoechoic enhancement was observed in 3 (37.5%) cases of renal lymphoma. A hypoechoic enhancement in the parenchymal phase was observed in 8 (100%) cases of renal lymphoma infiltration. Conclusion: In B-mode-imaging, nodular lymphoma infiltration of the kidneys is the most common of all renal lymphoma patterns in B-mode imaging. In CEUS, renal lymphoma presented an arterial iso- or hypoechoic enhancement, followed by a hypoechoic enhancement in the parenchymal phase. In regard to the differentiation of renal lymphoma to benign lesions of the kidney, CEUS may be helpful. However, the differentiation of renal lymphoma from other malignant lesions of the kidney like renal cell carcinoma is not feasible by CEUS

Sonographic features of tubo-ovarian abscess mimicking an endometrioma and review of cystic adnexal masses

OpenAIRE

Velcani, Artur; Conklin, Patrick; Specht, Neil

2010-01-01

A 36-year-old female presented with constant, worsening left lower quadrant pain without associated fever or vaginal discharge. Pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound examinations were performed which demonstrated a large complex cystic structure in the left adnexa with peripheral flow on color Doppler imaging. Given the sonographic appearance and patient symptoms, possibilities included endometrioma or hemorrhagic cyst. Tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) and other cystic ovarian masses were considered l...

Renal perfusion image using harmonic ultrasound with microbble contrast agent: preliminary study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jung Hoon; Choi, Jae Ho; Han, Dong Chul; Lee, Hi Bahl; Choi, Deuk Lin; Eun, Hyo Won; Lee, Hun Jae

2003-01-01

To compare, in terms of their feasibility and normal range, 99m Tc-DTPA renal perfusion imaging and renal perfusion imaging using harmonic ultrasound (US) with a microbubble contrast agent for the evaluation of renal perfusion after renal transplantation. During a six-month period, thirty patients who had received a renal transplant underwent both 99m Tc-DTPA renal perfusion imaging and renal perfusion imaging using harmonic US with a microbubble contrast agent. Sonographic renal perfusion images were obtained before and after a bolus injection of the microbubble contrast agent Levovist TM (SH U 5084; Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) every 3 seconds for 3 minutes. Sonographic renal perfusion images were converted into a renal perfusion curve by a computer program and T peak of the curve thus obtained was compared with that of the 99m Tc-DTPA curve. Average T peak of the 99m Tc-DTPA renal perfusion curve was 16.2 seconds in the normal group and 39.6 seconds in the delayed perfusion group, while average T peak of the sonographic renal perfusion curve was 23.7 seconds and 46.2 seconds, respectively. T peak of the sonographic renal perfusion curve showed a good correlation with that of the 99m Tc-DTPA curve (correlation coefficient=0.8209; p=0.0001). The cut-off value of T peak of the sonographic renal perfusion curve was 35 seconds (sensitivity=90%, specificity=95%). In patients who have received a renal transplant, the findings of renal perfusion imaging using harmonic US with a microbubble contrast agent show close correlation with those of 99m Tc-DTPA renal perfusion imaging. The optimal cut-off value of T peak of the sonographic renal perfusion curve was 35 seconds

Social image quality

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Guoping; Kheiri, Ahmed

2011-01-01

Current subjective image quality assessments have been developed in the laboratory environments, under controlledconditions, and are dependent on the participation of limited numbers of observers. In this research, with the help of Web 2.0 and social media technology, a new method for building a subjective image quality metric has been developed where the observers are the Internet users. A website with a simple user interface that enables Internet users from anywhere at any time to vote for a better quality version of a pair of the same image has been constructed. Users' votes are recorded and used to rank the images according to their perceived visual qualities. We have developed three rank aggregation algorithms to process the recorded pair comparison data, the first uses a naive approach, the second employs a Condorcet method, and the third uses the Dykstra's extension of Bradley-Terry method. The website has been collecting data for about three months and has accumulated over 10,000 votes at the time of writing this paper. Results show that the Internet and its allied technologies such as crowdsourcing offer a promising new paradigm for image and video quality assessment where hundreds of thousands of Internet users can contribute to building more robust image quality metrics. We have made Internet user generated social image quality (SIQ) data of a public image database available online (http://www.hdri.cs.nott.ac.uk/siq/) to provide the image quality research community with a new source of ground truth data. The website continues to collect votes and will include more public image databases and will also be extended to include videos to collect social video quality (SVQ) data. All data will be public available on the website in due course.

Sonographic features of lethal multiple pterygium syndrome at 14 weeks.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Min; Chan, Gavin Shueng Wai; Lee, Chin Peng; Tang, Mary Hoi Yin

2005-06-01

Lethal multiple pterygium syndrome is a rare inherited disorder. Previous reports suggest that the diagnosis may be based on prenatal sonographic demonstration of severe limb flexion, absence of fetal motion, and a large cystic hygroma in the second and third trimesters. We present the sonographic features and postmortem features of a fetus with lethal multiple pterygium syndrome at 13 weeks of gestation, which shows that the condition can possibly be diagnosed in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Sonographic Analysis of the Collapsed Gall Bladder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Sang Suk; Choi, Jae Young; Choi, Seok Jin; Eun, Chung Ki; Nam, Kyung Jin; Lee, Jeong Mi

1996-01-01

This study was done to find answers for further following questions in cases of the collapsed gallbladder (GB) : What is the probability of the presence of stone when stony echo is visible in GB area? What is the probability of the presence of stone when only acoustic shadow is visible from GB area? What are the associated GB pathologies except stone or cholecystitis in previously mentioned situations and is it possible to differentiate them? What are the underlying pathologies of GB collapse without stony echo or acoustic shadow and is it possible to differentiate them sonographic ally? What are the rate and causes of re-expansion of the collapsed GB on follow-up study? Prospective study was done in 157 cases of collapsed GB with no visible or nearly no visible bile filled lumen in recent 3 years. Sonographic analysis for GB lesions was done in 61 confirmed cases. Changing pattern of GB lumen on follow-up study and their underlying pathologies were analyzed in 28 cases. Initial sonographic examination was done with 3 or 3.5 MHz transducer. No other transducer was used in cases showing stony echo or acoustic shadow in GB area, but additional examination was done with 5 or 7-4 MHz transducer in cases without stony echo or acoustic shadow. Among 31 cases, which showed stony echo, stone was found in 30 cases and milk of calcium bile in one case. Stone was present in all of the 11 cases which showed only acoustic shadow from the collapsed GB without stony echo. GB cancer was accompanied in 2 cases among upper 42 cases, and its possibility could be suspected sonographic ally. Underlying pathologies of the 19cases without stony echo or acoustic shadow were as follows : GB stone (3), cholecystitis (6), GB cancer (1), bile plug syndrome (1), hepatitis (5), and ascites (3). And sonographic differentiation of the underlying causes for the collapse was possible in only 1 case of GB cancer. Among 28 cases of the follow-up study, 20 cases showed re-expansion of the GB lumen and

Sonographic Findings of Morel-Lavalle'e Lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Yu Jin; Yang, Ik; Lee, Yul; Woo, Ji Young; Hong, Hye Suk; Jung, Ah Young; Jeh, Su Kyung

2011-01-01

We reviewed the sonographic features of Morel-Lavalle'e lesions by correlating the US image findings with a lesion's age. We obtained the sonography reports of 20 Morel-Lavalle'e lesions of the hip and extremities from 18 patients with a history of trauma. The US images were reviewed to characterize the echogenicity, shape, homogeneity, margins, location and size of the lesions. The results were correlated with the age of the lesions and the clinical histories. All the Morel-Lavalle'e lesions were hypoechoic or anechoic fluid collections located between the subcutaneous fat and the underlying fascia. Regarding the shape of the fluid collections, the lobular shaped lesions were all less than 21 days for the lesion's age, and the flat fluid collections were all greater than 1 month of age. Regarding the homogeneity, the heterogeneous fluid collections were all less than 25 days of age, and the homogeneous fluid collections were all greater than 1 month of age. A Morel-Lavalle'e lesion is seen as a posttraumatic fluid collection in the potential space between the subcutaneous fat and the underlying fascia on an ultrasound examination. Acute Morel-Lavalle'e lesions tended to be heterogeneous and lobular, and they became more homogeneous and flat in shape as the lesions evolved. Awareness of these imaging findings will help us to properly diagnose Morel- Lavalle'e lesions

Sonographic analysis of adult polycystic kidney disease ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-03-24

Mar 24, 2014 ... local incidence and peculiarities in clinical and sonographic characteristics are unknown. ... Click here to download free Android application for this journal ..... as well as in the authors' country[15,16,58] must be a source.

CCT and sonographic findings in congenital craniopharyngioma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helmke, K.; Hausdorf, G.; Moehrs, D.; Laas, R.

1984-11-01

In a case of congenital craniopharyngioma results of the sonographic and CCT examinations are reported and compared with postmortem macroscopic cuts. Comparison is made of clinical data from six cases with congenital craniopharyngioma as reported in the literature.

CCT and sonographic findings in congenital craniopharyngioma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helmke, K.; Hausdorf, G.; Moehrs, D.; Laas, R.

1984-01-01

In a case of congenital craniopharyngioma results of the sonographic and CCT examinations are reported and compared with postmortem macroscopic cuts. Comparison is made of clinical data from six cases with congenital craniopharyngioma as reported in the literature. (orig.)

Atypical sonographic patterns of fibroadenoma of the breast : pathologic correlation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kook, Shin Ho; Kim, Myung Sook; Pae, Won Kil [Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1999-03-01

To correlate the atypical sonographic patterns of fibroadenoma of the breast with the pathologic findings. Among 203 surgically proven 43 which were sonographically atypical fibroadenomas, were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnostic criteria for atypical variety, as seen on sonography, were an ill-defined margin, microlobulated or irregular shape, heterogeneous internal echo-pattern, posterior shadowing, microcalcification, and clefts. The atypical sonographic patterns of these 43 fibroadenomas were analysed and compared with the pathologic findings. Among 43 lesions, ill-defined margins or irregular shapes were seen in 15 cases, heterogeneous internal echo-patterns in 27, posterior attenuation in nine, and clefts in seven. Thirty-seven (86%) of the 43 were predominantly ductal or had a mixed ductal and stromal component. Eleven (73.3%) of fifteen ill-defined margin or irregular shaped lesions were caused by interdigitation of surrounding normal breast parenchyma and mass. Twenty two (81.5%) of 27 heterogeneous internal echo-pat-terns were related to dilated ducts, phyllodes features, collagen bundles, adenosis, microcalcification, or fat vacuoles. Eight (88.9%) of nine posterior attenuations were caused by collagen bundles, microcalcification, ductal proliferation or dilatation. All seven cases showing clefts revealed phyllodes features and dilated ducts. Most atypical fibroadenomas had a predominantly ductal or mixed component. Ill-defined margin or irregular shape was mainly due to interdigitation of normal surrounding parenchyma. Variable histologic features were related to the heterogeneous internal echo-pattern, posterior shadowing, and the clefts revealed by atypical sonographic findings.

Atypical sonographic patterns of fibroadenoma of the breast : pathologic correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kook, Shin Ho; Kim, Myung Sook; Pae, Won Kil

1999-01-01

To correlate the atypical sonographic patterns of fibroadenoma of the breast with the pathologic findings. Among 203 surgically proven 43 which were sonographically atypical fibroadenomas, were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnostic criteria for atypical variety, as seen on sonography, were an ill-defined margin, microlobulated or irregular shape, heterogeneous internal echo-pattern, posterior shadowing, microcalcification, and clefts. The atypical sonographic patterns of these 43 fibroadenomas were analysed and compared with the pathologic findings. Among 43 lesions, ill-defined margins or irregular shapes were seen in 15 cases, heterogeneous internal echo-patterns in 27, posterior attenuation in nine, and clefts in seven. Thirty-seven (86%) of the 43 were predominantly ductal or had a mixed ductal and stromal component. Eleven (73.3%) of fifteen ill-defined margin or irregular shaped lesions were caused by interdigitation of surrounding normal breast parenchyma and mass. Twenty two (81.5%) of 27 heterogeneous internal echo-pat-terns were related to dilated ducts, phyllodes features, collagen bundles, adenosis, microcalcification, or fat vacuoles. Eight (88.9%) of nine posterior attenuations were caused by collagen bundles, microcalcification, ductal proliferation or dilatation. All seven cases showing clefts revealed phyllodes features and dilated ducts. Most atypical fibroadenomas had a predominantly ductal or mixed component. Ill-defined margin or irregular shape was mainly due to interdigitation of normal surrounding parenchyma. Variable histologic features were related to the heterogeneous internal echo-pattern, posterior shadowing, and the clefts revealed by atypical sonographic findings

Mammographic density in asymptomatic menopausal women: correlation with clinical and sonographic findings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatriz Regina Alvares

2012-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mammographic breast density in asymptomatic menopausal women in correlation with clinical and sonographic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mammograms and clinical and sonographic findings of 238 asymptomatic patients were retrospectively reviewed in the period from February/2022 to June/2006. The following variables were analyzed: mammographic density patterns, sonographic findings, patients' age, parity, body mass index and use of hormone replacement therapy. RESULTS: Age, parity and body mass index showed a negative correlation with breast density pattern, while use of hormone replacement therapy showed a positive correlation. Supplementary breast ultrasonography was performed in 103 (43.2% patients. Alterations which could not be visualized at mammography were found in 34 (33% of them, most frequently in women with breast density patterns 3 and 4. CONCLUSION: The authors concluded that breast density patterns were influenced by age, parity, body mass index and time of hormone replacement therapy. Despite not having found any malignant abnormality in the studied cases, the authors have observed a predominance of benign sonographic abnormalities in women with high breast density patterns and without mammographic abnormalities, proving the relevance of supplementary ultrasonography to identify breast lesions in such patients.

Sonographic evaluation of penile in patients with erectile dysfunction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urena Trigueros, Christian

2012-01-01

A review of the current state of knowledge is made on sonographic evaluation of penile in patients with erectile dysfunction. This sonography is developed with high resolution ultrasound on gray scale, combined with color Doppler ultrasonography; which the arteries of penile are examined before and during the erection. The penile ultrasonography has meant an important tool in the evaluation of specific patients who have submitted erectile dysfunction, particularly, in those with record of trauma and history of Peyronie's disease. In addition, through a sonographic evaluation has permitted to prove manifestations of the pathophysiological phenomena of the patient in order to establish their classification and guide their treatment [es

Comparison of sonographic features in benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Won Young; Hong, Hyun Sook; Kang, Eun Young; Seol, Hae Young; Suh, Won Hyuck

1988-01-01

Transrectal sonography of prostate was sensitive to textural changes produced by both benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancers. During recent 4 years, twenty cases of BPH and twenty cases of prostate cancers proven histologically were analyzed in their sonographic features, retrospectively, by using transrectal prostate sonography and suprapubic prostate sonography. The results were as follows: 1. Mean weights of BPH and prostate cancers was 40.4g and 47.6g, respectively. 2. Sonographic features of BPH revealed isoechogenecity in 11 cases, homogeneity in 18 cases, well defined capsular margins in 19 cases, and calcification in 16 cases. 3. Sonographic features of prostate cancers revealed mixed echogenecity in 14 cases, inhomogeneity in 15 cases, poorly defined capsular margin in 14 cases, and calcifications in 13 cases. 4. Authors concluded that prostate sonography were valuable diagnostic modality in the differentiation of BPH and prostate cancers.

Characterization of the major histopathological components of thyroid nodules using sonographic textural features for clinical diagnosis and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shao-Jer; Yu, Sung-Nien; Tzeng, Jeh-En; Chen, Yen-Ting; Chang, Ku-Yaw; Cheng, Kuo-Sheng; Hsiao, Fu-Tsung; Wei, Chang-Kuo

2009-02-01

In this study, the characteristic sonographic textural feature that represents the major histopathologic components of the thyroid nodules was objectively quantified to facilitate clinical diagnosis and management. A total of 157 regions-of-interest thyroid ultrasound image was recruited in the study. The sonographic system used was the GE LOGIQ 700), (General Electric Healthcare, Chalfant St. Giles, UK). The parameters affecting image acquisition were kept in the same condition for all lesions. Commonly used texture analysis methods were applied to characterize thyroid ultrasound images. Image features were classified according to the corresponding pathologic findings. To estimate their relevance and performance to classification, ReliefF was used as a feature selector. Among the various textural features, the sum average value derived from co-occurrence matrix can well reflect echogenicity and can effectively differentiate between follicles and fibrosis base thyroid nodules. Fibrosis shows lowest echogenicity and lowest difference sum average value. Enlarged follicles show highest echogenicity and difference sum average values. Papillary cancer or follicular tumors show the difference sum average values and echogenicity between. The rule of thumb for the echogenicity is that the more follicles are mixed in, the higher the echo of the follicular tumor and papillary cancer will be and vice versa for fibrosis mixed. Areas with intermediate and lower echo should address the possibility of follicular or papillary neoplasm mixed with either follicles or fibrosis. These areas provide more cellular information for ultrasound guided aspiration

Sonographically detected costo-chondral dislocation in an abused child - A new sonographic sign to the radiological spectrum of child abuse

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.J. Smeets (A.); S.G.F. Robben (Simon); M. Meradji (Morteza)

1990-01-01

textabstractA case of an abused child with fractures of the skull, ribs and long bones is presented. Sonographically a costochondral dislocation of the left lower ribs was detected, which has not been reported in the literature.

Fibroadenomas: Sonographic-pathologic correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Mi Sung; Choi, Hye Young; Kim, Eun Ah; Lee, Sun Wha; Sung, Soon Hee

1999-01-01

To correlate sonographic appearance and histopathologic findings of fibroadenomas. Forty-one biopsy-proven fibroadenomas were retrospectively evaluate for sonographic-pathologic correlation. The fibroadenomas were histologically classified into sclerotic, myxoid, glandular and mixed type. The stromal cellularity and fibrosis were also classified into mild and severe. The internal echotexture and posterior acoustic enhancement of mass in ultrasonogram were correlated with histopathologic findings. The pathologic types of fibroadenomas were sclerotic in sixteen, myxoid in thirteen, and glandular or mixed in each of six cases. Most of the sclerotic type showed hypoechoic internal echotexture (68.8%) and myxoid and glandular types showed isoechoic internal echotexture (84.6%, 83.3% respectively). The hypoechoic masses showed 12 cases of mild (75.0%) and 4 cases of severe (25.0%) in cellularity and 3 cases of mild (18.7%) and 13 cases (81.3%) of sever degree in fibrosis. Most of the myxoid type (77%) showed posterior enhancement, and most of the sclerotic type (87.5%) did not show posterior enhancement on ultrasonogram. Posterior enhancement was absent in 22 cases, in which 4 cases (18.2%) showed mild and 18 cases (81.2%) showed severe degree of fibrosis. Sclerotic type with mild cellularity and severe fibrosis on histopathology showed hypoechogenicity on ultrasonogram; whereas myxoid and glandular types were predominantly isoechoic. Most of the myxoid type showed posterior enhancement. Sclerotic type with mild cellularity and severe fibrosis did not show posterior enhancement.

Multifaces of sonographic findings of galactocele : comparison according to it's association with pregnancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Mi Suk; Oh, Ki Keun; Kim, Eun Kyung; Lee, Sung Il

2000-01-01

To compare the sonographic findings of galactocele according to it's association with pregnancy. We reviewed the sonographic findings of 21 lesions in 20 patients confirmed by surgery (n=3D15) or fine needle aspiration (n=3D6) as galactoceles. The patients were divided into two groups, according to the period from the most recent pregnancy or lactation. In the first group (n=3D8,mean age=3D28.6 years), this was less than one year and in the second group (n=3D13, mean age=3D45.6 years), was more than one year. In our study, pregnancy-unrelated galactoceles (n=3D13) were more common than pregnancy-related galactoceles (n=3D8). The sonographic findings of galactocele of the first group were as follows; ovoid anechoic cystic mass (n=3D5), cystic mass with fatfluid level (n=3D2), and well defined heterogeneous mass (n=3D1). Those of the second group were as follows; irregularly bordered deeply hypoechoic mass (n=3D3), irregularly bordered hypoechoic mass with internal nodules (n=3D3), homogeneous hypoechoic mass with smooth margin (n=3D4), and lobulated anechoic mass with posterior acoustic enhancement and internal debris (n=3D3). Pregnancy-unrelated galactoceles demonstrated the variable sonographic findings of solid f mass, whereas most of pregnancy-related galactoceles demonstrated the sonographic features of cysts. (author)

Sonographic measurements of ocular biometry of indigenous ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was aimed at conducting ophthalmic sonographic examination of Nigerian indigenous dogs to provide baseline information on some major ocular parameters. Healthy eyes of eighty (80) indigenous dogs were used for the study. The dogs were adequately restrained physically and the structure of the ocular ...

The sonographic findings of the scrotal pathology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Hyen Sook; Han, Chun Hee; Lee, Jung Hee; Chung, Kyu Byung; Suh, Won Hyuck

1988-01-01

Clinical differentiation of the various pathological conditions affecting scrotal contents can be difficult. The superficial location of scrotum is suited for sonographic examination. March, 1984 to december, 1987 authors experienced 23 cases of the inflammatory and tumorous condition, which were confirmed by operation and clinical follow up. The results are as follows : 1. Sonographic examination is safe, noninvasive, and useful in screening test of scrotum. 2. Sonography is useful for the confirmation of complicated epididymitis. 3. In palpable mass cases, sonography can differentiate intratesticular and extratesticular lesions. 4. Sonography is useful for detection of primary tumor in clinically uncertain conditions. 5. In epididymitis, sonography shows enlargement and decreased echogenecity of epididymis, reactive hydrocele, and thickening of scrotal wall. 6. In testicular tumor : Seminoma shows hypoechoic solid mass lesion with enlargement. Embryonal cell carcinoma shows ill defined hypoechoic testicular enlargement. Rhabdomyosarcoma shows ill defined hypoechoic mass with central necrosis. Metastatic testicular tumor shows bilaterallity and ill defined abnormal echogenecity, more older age distribution

Modification of a sonographic enthesitis score to differentiate between psoriatic arthritis and young healthy volunteers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wervers, K. (K.); M. Vis (M.); Rasappu, N. (N.); M. van der Ven (Myrthe); I. Tchetverikov (Ilja); Kok, M. (M.); A.H. Gerards (Andreas); J.M.W. Hazes (Mieke); J.J. Luime (Jolanda)

2017-01-01

textabstractObjectives: We aimed to describe sonographic structural and inflammatory changes in entheses of patients with recently diagnosed psoriatic arthritis (PsA), patients with established PsA, and young healthy volunteers, and to investigate whether the MAdrid Sonographic Enthesitis Index

Robot-assisted ultrasound imaging: overview and development of a parallel telerobotic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Monfaredi, Reza; Wilson, Emmanuel; Azizi Koutenaei, Bamshad; Labrecque, Brendan; Leroy, Kristen; Goldie, James; Louis, Eric; Swerdlow, Daniel; Cleary, Kevin

2015-02-01

Ultrasound imaging is frequently used in medicine. The quality of ultrasound images is often dependent on the skill of the sonographer. Several researchers have proposed robotic systems to aid in ultrasound image acquisition. In this paper we first provide a short overview of robot-assisted ultrasound imaging (US). We categorize robot-assisted US imaging systems into three approaches: autonomous US imaging, teleoperated US imaging, and human-robot cooperation. For each approach several systems are introduced and briefly discussed. We then describe a compact six degree of freedom parallel mechanism telerobotic system for ultrasound imaging developed by our research team. The long-term goal of this work is to enable remote ultrasound scanning through teleoperation. This parallel mechanism allows for both translation and rotation of an ultrasound probe mounted on the top plate along with force control. Our experimental results confirmed good mechanical system performance with a positioning error of < 1 mm. Phantom experiments by a radiologist showed promising results with good image quality.

Sonographic diagnosis of intestinal obstruction in the dog.

Science.gov (United States)

Manczur, F; Vörös, K; Vrabély, T; Wladár, S; Németh, T; Fenyves, B

1998-01-01

Ultrasonography was performed on 44 dogs to decide whether small bowel obstruction was present. The sonographic criteria for small bowel obstruction were (1) the presence of pendulous movement of the ingesta inside the dilated bowel, (2) observation of invaginated intestines or an ingested intraluminal foreign body, (3) observation of non-uniform peristaltic activity of the dilated intestines, or (4) observation of akinetic intestinal loops together with abdominal fluid accumulation. By using these criteria, obstruction was correctly diagnosed by ultrasonography in 11 of the 13 dogs with mechanical ileus, and obstruction was correctly excluded in 29 of the 31 non-obstructive cases. Thus, the above-mentioned sonographic criteria had 85% sensitivity and positive predictive value, and 94% specificity and negative predictive value. The present study suggests that ultrasonography is a valuable tool for diagnosing small intestinal obstruction in the dog.

Sonographic Evaluation of Renal Parameters in Individuals with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-05-22

May 22, 2018 ... sonographic parameters can be used to indirectly assess renal function or status. Ultrasound is an ... Hypertension seems to have more effect in the renal cortex than the medulla. ..... due to cost and use of ionizing radiation.

Sonographic determination of the irradiated pulmonary volume in case of irradiation of the thoracic wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wittich, G.; Hohenberg, G.; Seitz, W.; Vienna Univ.

1983-01-01

In order to determine the irradiated pulmonary volume, comparative examinations by sonography and computed tomography were made in ten patients submitted to postoperative radiotherapy for mammary carcinoma. The physical and anatomical conditions of sonographic volumetry are discussed. In all cases irradiated with tangential contralateral fields, the irradiated pulmonary volume was less than 200 ccm (118 ccm on an average). The sonographic results did not differ essentially from those of computed tomography, so that the sonographic examination can be offered as a simple and sufficient precise method of documentation within the frame of an individual therapy planning. (orig.) [de

Cystic periventricular leukomalacia in the neonate: analysis of sequential sonographic findings and neurologic outcomes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young Seok; Yoo, Dong Soo [Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

2003-07-01

To analyse the sequential sonographic findings of cystic PVL and to evaluate relationship between sonographic grading of PVL and patterns of neurologic outcomes. Authors have retrospectively analysed the sequential sonographic findings of 36 cases of PVL in the preterm neonates. Initial sonographic features done within 3 days of life were divided into 3 patients such as normal, localized, and diffuse hyperechogenic flare. Grading of PVL confirmed by follow-up studies was classified as involvement of one lobe (grade 1), two lobes (grade 2) and more than extent of grade 2 (grade 3). The relationship between sonographic grading of leukomalacia and later neurologic outcomes were also analysed. Initial sonographic patterns according to grading of PVL were normal pattern in seven of nine (77.8%) of grade 1, diffuse hyperechogenic flares in five of eight cases of grade 2 and in 13 of 16 cases of grade 3. There was a significant difference between the grades and frequency of pattern of diffuse hyperechoic flare (p=0.021). Average detection timing of cystic PVL was 38.4{+-}18.9 days in grade 1, 29.8{+-}14 days in grade 2, and 19.1{+-}5.6 days in grade 3 with a significant statistical difference between the detection time and grades (p=0.037). Cerebral palsy has occurred in 62.5% of grade 1 and 100% of grade 2 and grade 3 (p=0.043). Frequency of spastic quadriplegia was higher in grade 3 (76.5%) than in grade 1 (25%) and grade 2 (12.5%) (p=0.001). Most of grade 1 cystic PVL revealed normal pattern of white matter echogenicity in initial ultrasonography and needed follow up examination over one month period. Spastic quadriplegia occured mainly in patients with grade 3 cystic PVL.

Cystic periventricular leukomalacia in the neonate: analysis of sequential sonographic findings and neurologic outcomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young Seok; Yoo, Dong Soo

2003-01-01

To analyse the sequential sonographic findings of cystic PVL and to evaluate relationship between sonographic grading of PVL and patterns of neurologic outcomes. Authors have retrospectively analysed the sequential sonographic findings of 36 cases of PVL in the preterm neonates. Initial sonographic features done within 3 days of life were divided into 3 patients such as normal, localized, and diffuse hyperechogenic flare. Grading of PVL confirmed by follow-up studies was classified as involvement of one lobe (grade 1), two lobes (grade 2) and more than extent of grade 2 (grade 3). The relationship between sonographic grading of leukomalacia and later neurologic outcomes were also analysed. Initial sonographic patterns according to grading of PVL were normal pattern in seven of nine (77.8%) of grade 1, diffuse hyperechogenic flares in five of eight cases of grade 2 and in 13 of 16 cases of grade 3. There was a significant difference between the grades and frequency of pattern of diffuse hyperechoic flare (p=0.021). Average detection timing of cystic PVL was 38.4±18.9 days in grade 1, 29.8±14 days in grade 2, and 19.1±5.6 days in grade 3 with a significant statistical difference between the detection time and grades (p=0.037). Cerebral palsy has occurred in 62.5% of grade 1 and 100% of grade 2 and grade 3 (p=0.043). Frequency of spastic quadriplegia was higher in grade 3 (76.5%) than in grade 1 (25%) and grade 2 (12.5%) (p=0.001). Most of grade 1 cystic PVL revealed normal pattern of white matter echogenicity in initial ultrasonography and needed follow up examination over one month period. Spastic quadriplegia occured mainly in patients with grade 3 cystic PVL

The long and winding road to achieving professional registration for sonographers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibbs, Vivien

2013-01-01

The rapid growth in the use of ultrasound as a diagnostic imaging technology over the past forty years, has led to a demand for a workforce with the appropriate skills to perform and interpret the scans. In the UK, ultrasound investigations now comprise the largest group of all diagnostic imaging examinations. 1 However, there remains no statutory regulation of the practice of sonography in the UK, and little recognition of the considerable training that many practitioners have undertaken to obtain the skills to become safe and competent sonographers. Many in the field consider that this should change, and are working to obtain professional status for the practice of sonography. 2–5 Although the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) has recommended regulation of sonography practice, this is unlikely to happen in the near future. This paper discusses the evolution of sonography practice and explores some of the complex issues associated with the professionalisation of sonography

Validation of a Novel 3-Dimensional Sonographic Method for Assessing Gastric Accommodation in Healthy Adults

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buisman, Wijnand J; van Herwaarden-Lindeboom, MYA; Mauritz, Femke A; El Ouamari, Mourad; Hausken, Trygve; Olafsdottir, Edda J; van der Zee, David C; Gilja, Odd Helge

OBJECTIVES: A novel automated 3-dimensional (3D) sonographic method has been developed for measuring gastric volumes. This study aimed to validate and assess the reliability of this novel 3D sonographic method compared to the reference standard in 3D gastric sonography: freehand magneto-based 3D

Sonographically guided core biopsy of the breast: comparison of 14-gauge automated gun and 11-gauge directional vacuum-assisted biopsy methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Nariya; Moon, Woo Kyung; Cha, Joo Hee

2005-01-01

To compare the outcomes of 14-gauge automated biopsy and 11-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsy for the sonographically guided core biopsies of breast lesions. We retrospectively reviewed all sonographically guided core biopsies performed from January 2002 to February 2004. The sonographically guided core biopsies were performed with using a 14-gauge automated gun on 562 breast lesions or with using an 11-gauge vacuum-assisted device on 417 lesions. The histologic findings were compared with the surgical, imaging and follow-up findings. The histologic underestimation rate, the repeat biopsy rate and the false negative rates were compared between the two groups. A repeat biopsy was performed on 49 benign lesions because of the core biopsy results of the high-risk lesions (n=24), the imaging-histologic discordance (n=5), and the imaging findings showing disease progression (n=20). The total underestimation rates, according to the biopsy device, were 55% (12/22) for the 14-gauge automated gun biopsies and 36% (8/22) for the 11-gauge vacuum-assisted device (ρ = 0.226). The atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) underestimation (i.e., atypical ductal hyperplasia at core biopsy and carcinoma at surgery) was 58% (7/12) for the 14-gauge automated gun biopsies and 20% (1/5) for the 11-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsies. The ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) underestimation rate (i.e., ductal carcinoma in situ upon core biopsy and invasive carcinoma found at surgery) was 50% (5/10) for the 14-gauge automated gun biopsies and 41% (7/17) for the 11-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsies. The repeat biopsy rates were 6% (33/562) for the 14-gauge automated gun biopsies and 3.5% (16/417) for the 11-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsies. Only 5 (0.5%) of the 979 core biopsies were believed to have missed the malignant lesions. The false-negative rate was 3% (4 of 128 cancers) for the 14-gauge automated gun biopsies and 1% (1 of 69 cancers) for the 11-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsies. The outcomes of the

Mammographic and sonographic findings of steatocystoma multiplex presenting as breast lumps.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, John Mun Chin; Wong, Jill Su Lin; Tee, Shang-Ian

2012-12-01

Steatocystoma multiplex (SM) is an uncommon cutaneous disorder characterised by multiple intradermal cysts distributed over the trunk and proximal extremities. This condition affects both genders and is often inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, although sporadic cases have been described. This report describes the mammographic and sonographic features of the cysts, which presented as breast lumps, for evaluation. The cysts appeared as numerous well-circumscribed, radiolucent nodules with thin radiodense rims on mammography. On sonography, the cysts could be hypoechoic, isoechoic or demonstrate mixed echoes containing debris-fluid levels, depending on the amount of clear oily liquid and keratinous material. SM can be diagnosed based on a clinical setting of multiple asymptomatic small intradermal nodules over the trunk and proximal extremities, positive family history and imaging findings.

Sonographic evaluation of recurrent parotitis in childhood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chun, Eun Ju; Lee, Sun Wha

2000-01-01

To evaluate the sonographic features and assess the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in recurrent parotitis during childhood which is characterized by intermittent, unilateral or bilateral painful swellings of the parotid glands. Ten children (5 boys and 5 girls, age between 2-14 yrs), who complained for more than two times of painful swellings in the parotid gland without underlying systemic diseases, were studied by a high resolution with 7MHz linear transducer. The parotid glands (n=20) were evaluated in their size, parenchymal echogenecity and vascular signals on the color Doppler study. CT was also performed at 3 children and sialography was used on 1 child. Follow-ups on ultrasonography were performed on 5 children from 3 months to 2 years since the initial sonographic examination. Ultrasonography demonstrated abnormalities in the 13 parotid glands, enlarged diffusion (n=9); decrease in diffusion of parenchymal echoes with multiple small round hypoechoic lesions measuring about 1-4 mm in diameter (n=13); increased color Doppler vascular signals (n=10). There was symptomatic glands (n=12) and an asymptomatic gland (n=1). CT revealed multiple tiny low density lesions scattered about in the inhomogenously enhanced parotid glands. Sialography showed minimal sialectasis of the peripheral ducts. Follow-ups on sonogreaphy demonstrated near complete subsidence of enlargement, increased Doppler vascular signals, and persistence of multiple small hypoechoic lesions of the parotid glands in 6 cases who were clinically free of symptoms. In 1 case, multiple hypoechoic lesions were newly developed in the previously healthy parotid gland. The sonography features of features of recurrent parotitis in childhood were decreased diffusion of the parenchymal echoes with multiple small round hypoechoic areas and increased Doppler flow signals. We consider the sonographic evaluation of the parotid gland with the color Doppler study to be useful in diagnosing and monitoring the

Hashimoto thyroiditis: Part 1, sonographic analysis of the nodular form of Hashimoto thyroiditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Lauren; Middleton, William D; Teefey, Sharlene A; Reading, Carl C; Langer, Jill E; Desser, Terry; Szabunio, Margaret M; Hildebolt, Charles F; Mandel, Susan J; Cronan, John J

2010-07-01

The purpose of this article is to analyze the sonographic appearance of nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis. As part of an ongoing multiinstitutional study, patients who underwent ultrasound examination and fine-needle aspiration of one or more thyroid nodules were analyzed for multiple predetermined sonographic features. Patients completed a questionnaire, including information about thyroid function and thyroid medication. Patients (n = 61) with fine-needle aspiration cytologic results consistent with nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis (n = 64) were included in the study. The mean (+/- SD) diameter of nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis was 15 +/- 7.33 mm. Nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis occurred as a solitary nodule in 36% (23/64) of cases and in the setting of five or more nodules in 23% (15/64) of cases. Fifty-five percent (35/64) of the cases of nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis occurred within a sonographic background of diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis, and 45% (29/64) of cases occurred within normal thyroid parenchyma. The sonographic appearance was extremely variable. It was most commonly solid (69% [42/61] of cases) and hypoechoic (47% [27/58] of cases). Twenty percent (13/64) of nodules had calcifications (seven with nonspecific bright reflectors, four with macrocalcifications, and three eggshell), and 5% (3/64) of nodules had colloid. Twenty-seven percent (17/64) of nodules had a hypoechoic halo. The margins were well defined in 60% (36/60) and ill defined in 40% (24/60) of nodules. On Doppler analysis, 35% (22/62) of nodules were hypervascular, 42% (26/62) were isovascular or hypovascular, and 23% (14/62) were avascular. The sonographic features and vascularity of nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis were extremely variable.

Sonographic Findings of Morel-Lavalle'e Lesions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Yu Jin; Yang, Ik; Lee, Yul; Woo, Ji Young; Hong, Hye Suk; Jung, Ah Young; Jeh, Su Kyung [Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2011-09-15

We reviewed the sonographic features of Morel-Lavalle'e lesions by correlating the US image findings with a lesion's age. We obtained the sonography reports of 20 Morel-Lavalle'e lesions of the hip and extremities from 18 patients with a history of trauma. The US images were reviewed to characterize the echogenicity, shape, homogeneity, margins, location and size of the lesions. The results were correlated with the age of the lesions and the clinical histories. All the Morel-Lavalle'e lesions were hypoechoic or anechoic fluid collections located between the subcutaneous fat and the underlying fascia. Regarding the shape of the fluid collections, the lobular shaped lesions were all less than 21 days for the lesion's age, and the flat fluid collections were all greater than 1 month of age. Regarding the homogeneity, the heterogeneous fluid collections were all less than 25 days of age, and the homogeneous fluid collections were all greater than 1 month of age. A Morel-Lavalle'e lesion is seen as a posttraumatic fluid collection in the potential space between the subcutaneous fat and the underlying fascia on an ultrasound examination. Acute Morel-Lavalle'e lesions tended to be heterogeneous and lobular, and they became more homogeneous and flat in shape as the lesions evolved. Awareness of these imaging findings will help us to properly diagnose Morel- Lavalle'e lesions

Sonographic diagnosis of gallbladder cancer: analysis of mis-diagnosed cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ji Hyun; Moon, Jung Mi; Ahn, Sang Won; Song, Ik Hoon

1993-01-01

Ultrasonography is the most valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of gallbladder (GB) diseases. Although sonographic findings in GB cancer have been well described, the diagnostic accuracy has not been clearly analyzed. Our purpose of this report was to discuss diagnostic difficulties and analyze causes of misdiagnosis of GB cancer based on our recent experience and so may result in more accurate diagnosis of GB cancer. We analyzed 13misdiagnosed cases out of 24 cases of GB cancer with special emphasis on diagnostic difficulties and causes of misidagnosis. The most common type of misdiagnosed GB cancer was thickened wall type which was found in 10 cases. Preoperative sonographic diagnosis of these cases was empyema in 4 cases, cholecystitis in 3, and non-specific GB wall thickening in 1. In 2 cases, any lesion could not be detected at ultrasonography. Two cases with intraluminal type of GB cancer were misdiagnosed ; one being misdiagnosed as cholecystitis with stone, and the other being completely missed. Three cases that were completely missed consist of 2 with focal wall thickening and 1 involving GB neck. In conclusion, sonographic diagnosis of GB cancer is difficult, because the wall thickening type, that mimicks the cholecystitis, is frequent. Thorough and careful investigation of GB is mandatory for eliminating misdiagnosis

[Sonographically detectable splenic disorders in dogs with malignant lymphoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Eberhardt, F; Köhler, C; Krastel, D; Winter, K; Alef, M; Kiefer, I

2015-01-01

To evaluate the frequency of different sonographic splenic disorders in dogs with different anatomic forms of malignant lymphoma. Additionally, the occurrence of the moth-eaten pattern in the parenchyma of the spleen in patients with diseases other than lymphoma should be investigated. Retrospective analysis of patient data collected from dogs histologically or cytologically diagnosed with malignant lymphoma and for which ultrasonographic images were available before the initiation of therapy. Patient data from dogs with a moth-eaten pattern within the splenic parenchyma were evaluated separately. Exclusion criterion was the administration of cytostatic agents prior to diagnosis. In 84% of 164 dogs with malignant lymphoma, an altered pattern of the spleen was diagnosed ultrasonographically. Ninety-four of these 137 patients had a moth-eaten pattern of the splenic parenchyma and 43 dogs displayed abnormalities in the form of splenomegaly, coarse echotexture or other changes of the parenchyma. When a moth-eaten pattern was diagnosed, the affected dogs suffered significantly more often from a multicentric lymphoma (95%) than from any other anatomical lymphoma form. Only one dog displayed a moth-eaten pattern of the splenic parenchyma without diagnosis of a malignant lymphoma. The positive predictive value of the moth-eaten pattern for malignant lymphoma was 99% and, in particular, for the multicentric lymphoma this was 95%. In total, 84% of the 164 dogs displayed a multicentric lymphoma, 5% a mediastinal or a cutaneous lymphoma, respectively, 4% a gastrointestinal lymphoma, and one animal had an ocular or renal lymphoma, respectively. Sonographic changes of the spleen are often diagnosed in dogs with malignant lymphoma, independent of the anatomical lymphoma form. When the moth-eaten pattern is observed, it is very likely that the affected dog suffers from a malignant lymphoma, most probably a multicentric lymphoma.

Mammographic and sonographic spectrum of non-puerperal mastitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.H. Lequin (Maarten); J. van Spengler (J.); R. van Pel; C.H.J. van Eijck (Casper); H. van Overhagen (H.)

1995-01-01

textabstractThe goal of this study was to explore possible specific mammographic and sonographic features in women with non-puerperal mastitis (NPM), in order to make an accurate diagnosis and prevent unnecessary surgical procedures. From a group of 93 patients with NPM diagnosed between 1987 and

Sonographic assessment of splanchnic arteries and the bowel wall

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dietrich, C.F. [Medical Department II, Caritas-Krankenhaus, Uhlandstr. 7, D-97980 Bad Mergentheim (Germany)], E-mail: Christoph.dietrich@ckbm.de; Jedrzejczyk, M.; Ignee, A. [Medical Department II, Caritas-Krankenhaus, Uhlandstr. 7, D-97980 Bad Mergentheim (Germany)

2007-11-15

The intestinal wall can be visualized using high resolution transabdominal ultrasound. The normal intestinal wall thickness in the terminal ileum, cecum, and right and left colon is <2 mm when examined with graded compression. It is important to appreciate that a contracted intestinal segment can be misinterpreted as a thickened wall. Vascularisation can be mainly displayed in the second hyperechoic layer (submucosal layer) as well as vessels penetrating the muscularis propria. Imaging of the gastrointestinal wall is dependent on the experience of the examiner as well dependent on the equipment used. Acute or chronic inflammation of the intestinal wall is accompanied by increased perfusion of the mesentery, which can be displayed non-quantitatively with colour duplex. In contrast, ischemia is characterised by hypoperfusion of the mesenteric arteries and the bowel wall. The most promising sonographic approach in assessing splanchnic arteries and the bowel wall is combining the analysis of superior and inferior mesenteric inflow by pulsed Doppler scanning (systolic and diastolic velocities, resistance index) with the end-organ vascularity by colour Doppler imaging diminishing the influence of examination technique only displaying bowel wall vascularity. Colour Doppler imaging has been described as helpful in a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, particularly in patients with Crohn's disease, celiac disease, mesenteric artery stenosis and other ischemic gastrointestinal diseases, graft versus host disease and hemorrhagic segmental colitis.

Ultrasound Image Quality Assessment: A framework for evaluation of clinical image quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hemmsen, Martin Christian; Pedersen, Mads Møller; Nikolov, Svetoslav Ivanov

2010-01-01

Improvement of ultrasound images should be guided by their diagnostic value. Evaluation of clinical image quality is generally performed subjectively, because objective criteria have not yet been fully developed and accepted for the evaluation of clinical image quality. Based on recommendation 50...... information, which is fast enough to get sufficient number of scans under realistic operating conditions, so that statistical evaluation is valid and reliable....

Intraindividual right-left comparison of sonographic features in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Köninger, Angela; Koch, Laura; Edimiris, Philippos; Nießen, Stefanie; Kasimir-Bauer, Sabine; Kimmig, Rainer; Strowitzki, Thomas; Schmidt, Börge

2014-10-01

Sonographic features of polycystic ovaries consist of elevated antral follicle count or ovarian volume of at least one ovary. The aim of this prospective cross-sectional study was to estimate intraindividual differences in sonographic measurements between the both ovaries of PCOS patients and controls and clinical consequences. Both ovaries of 85 PCOS patients and 48 controls were scanned transvaginally and agreement of sonographic measurements was analyzed using the Bland-Altman method. Concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) were computed. Mean differences between right and left ovaries were 0.24 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: -0.32-0.80) follicles for AFC and 1.14 (95% CI: 0.34-1.92)ml for OV in the whole study population, 0.14 (95% CI: -0.68-0.96) follicles for AFC and 1.48 (95% CI: 0.39-2.58)ml for OV in PCOS patients, 0.42 (95% CI: -0.19-1.02) follicles for AFC and 0.53 (95% CI: -0.50-1.56)ml for OV in controls. Rather wide limits of agreement and low CCCs (ovaries for both sonographic measurements. Width between lower and upper limits of agreement was higher for PCOS patients than for controls. 23.5% of the PCOS patients showed polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM) only in one ovary, resulting in 9.4% potentially missed PCOS diagnosis according to the Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM-Sponsored PCOS Consensus Workshop Group. Substantial differences in antral follicle count and ovarian volume between the right and left ovary were observed. In approximately 10% of the PCOS patients in our study only the examination of both ovaries has led to a reliable diagnosis of PCOS. In clinical practice it is recommended to scan both ovaries for a reliable diagnosis of abnormal sonographic findings in PCOM and PCOS diagnosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sonographic image of cervix epithelioid trophoblastic tumor coexisting with mucinous adenocarcinoma in a postmenopausal woman: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yi; Zhang, Guo-Nan; Zhang, Rui-Bo; Shi, Yu; Wang, Deng-Feng; He, Rong

2017-09-01

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a distinctive but rare gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) composed of chorionic-type intermediate trophoblast cells. Approximately 50% ETT arose from the uterine cervix or lower uterine segment following a previous pregnancy with vaginal bleeding. With its unusual ability to simulate an invasive epithelioid neoplasm, ETT frequently poses a diagnostic challenge, especially involving the uterine cervix. We herein report the case of a 60-year-old female with persistent vaginal bleeding and middle-level elevation of serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Ultrasound revealed a 3.0 × 2.7 cm well-circumscribed, strongly echogenic lesion in the cervix, with a peripheral pattern of Doppler signals. The enhanced pattern by contrast-enhanced ultrasound displayed strong peripheral enhancement accompanied with globular appearance, then centripetal filling completely, and fading away rapidly. The final pathological diagnosis was ETT accompanying mucinous adenocarcinoma. Due to the pre-operative evaluation of a presumed IB2 cervix mucinous adenocarcinoma, the patient was treated with 2 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy. The patient is currently disease-free for the past 1 year. This case report demonstrates that sonographic image of tumor shapes and blood flow could be helpful in differentiating ETT from another GTN and enable more accurate diagnosis before treatment.

Sonographic findings of renal tuberculosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Chong Hyun; Lee, Chang Joon; Kim, Seung Hyun

1990-01-01

In order to determine sonographic characteristic of renal tuberculosis, we retrospectively collected 27 cases during a 5 year period. Infected kidneys showed large size (52%) and lobulating contour (76%). In 19 cases of increased parenchymal echogenicity, most of them (16 cases) showed decreased parenchymal thickness. We divided hydronephrotic patterns into 4 categories; predominant calyceal dilatation with mild or no pelvic dilatation (67%), focal calyectasis without pelvic dilation (15%), parenchymal cavitation without hydronephrosis (11%) and proportional hydronephrosis with calyceal deformity (7%). Our findings suggest that disproportional hydronephrosis would be the characteristic finding of renal tuberculosis

Sonographic evaluation of the chest in children

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reither, M.

1983-02-01

Although limited by osseous structures and gas the sonographic evaluation of the chest may be useful for certain conditions. Illustrated by three cases - supradiaphragmatic and parasternal tumor, subpulmonic effusion, and pleural effusion combined with a mediastinal tumor - the indications for ultrasound studies in children are discussed. In many cases the ultrasound may be helpful considering the diagnostic procedure and therapeutic consequences.

Using a web-based image quality assurance reporting system to improve image quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Czuczman, Gregory J; Pomerantz, Stuart R; Alkasab, Tarik K; Huang, Ambrose J

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study is to show the impact of a web-based image quality assurance reporting system on the rates of three common image quality errors at our institution. A web-based image quality assurance reporting system was developed and used beginning in April 2009. Image quality endpoints were assessed immediately before deployment (period 1), approximately 18 months after deployment of a prototype reporting system (period 2), and approximately 12 months after deployment of a subsequent upgraded department-wide reporting system (period 3). A total of 3067 axillary shoulder radiographs were reviewed for correct orientation, 355 shoulder CT scans were reviewed for correct reformatting of coronal and sagittal images, and 346 sacral MRI scans were reviewed for correct acquisition plane of axial images. Error rates for each review period were calculated and compared using the Fisher exact test. Error rates of axillary shoulder radiograph orientation were 35.9%, 7.2%, and 10.0%, respectively, for the three review periods. The decrease in error rate between periods 1 and 2 was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Error rates of shoulder CT reformats were 9.8%, 2.7%, and 5.8%, respectively, for the three review periods. The decrease in error rate between periods 1 and 2 was statistically significant (p = 0.03). Error rates for sacral MRI axial sequences were 96.5%, 32.5%, and 3.4%, respectively, for the three review periods. The decrease in error rates between periods 1 and 2 and between periods 2 and 3 was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). A web-based system for reporting image quality errors may be effective for improving image quality.

Process perspective on image quality evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Leisti, Tuomas; Halonen, Raisa; Kokkonen, Anna; Weckman, Hanna; Mettänen, Marja; Lensu, Lasse; Ritala, Risto; Oittinen, Pirkko; Nyman, Göte

2008-01-01

The psychological complexity of multivariate image quality evaluation makes it difficult to develop general image quality metrics. Quality evaluation includes several mental processes and ignoring these processes and the use of a few test images can lead to biased results. By using a qualitative/quantitative (Interpretation Based Quality, IBQ) methodology, we examined the process of pair-wise comparison in a setting, where the quality of the images printed by laser printer on different paper grades was evaluated. Test image consisted of a picture of a table covered with several objects. Three other images were also used, photographs of a woman, cityscape and countryside. In addition to the pair-wise comparisons, observers (N=10) were interviewed about the subjective quality attributes they used in making their quality decisions. An examination of the individual pair-wise comparisons revealed serious inconsistencies in observers' evaluations on the test image content, but not on other contexts. The qualitative analysis showed that this inconsistency was due to the observers' focus of attention. The lack of easily recognizable context in the test image may have contributed to this inconsistency. To obtain reliable knowledge of the effect of image context or attention on subjective image quality, a qualitative methodology is needed.

PLEIADES-HR IMAGE QUALITY COMMISSIONING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Lebègue

2012-07-01

Full Text Available PLEIADES is the highest resolution civilian earth observing system ever developed in Europe. This imagery program is conducted by the French National Space Agency, CNES. It operates since 2012 a first satellite PLEIADES-HR launched on 2011 December 17th, a second one should be launched by the end of the year. Each satellite is designed to provide optical 70 cm resolution coloured images to civilian and defence users. The Image Quality requirements were defined from users studies from the different spatial imaging applications, taking into account the trade-off between on-board technological complexity and ground processing capacity. The assessment of the image quality and the calibration operation have been performed by CNES Image Quality team during the 6 month commissioning phase that followed the satellite launch. These activities cover many topics gathered in two families : radiometric and geometric image quality. The new capabilities offered by PLEIADES-HR agility allowed to imagine new methods of image calibration and performance assessment. Starting from an overview of the satellite characteristics, this paper presents all the calibration operations that were conducted during the commissioning phase and also gives the main results for every image quality performance.

Retinal image quality during accommodation.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Gil, Norberto; Martin, Jesson; Liu, Tao; Bradley, Arthur; Díaz-Muñoz, David; Thibos, Larry N

2013-07-01

We asked if retinal image quality is maximum during accommodation, or sub-optimal due to accommodative error, when subjects perform an acuity task. Subjects viewed a monochromatic (552 nm), high-contrast letter target placed at various viewing distances. Wavefront aberrations of the accommodating eye were measured near the endpoint of an acuity staircase paradigm. Refractive state, defined as the optimum target vergence for maximising retinal image quality, was computed by through-focus wavefront analysis to find the power of the virtual correcting lens that maximizes visual Strehl ratio. Despite changes in ocular aberrations and pupil size during binocular viewing, retinal image quality and visual acuity typically remain high for all target vergences. When accommodative errors lead to sub-optimal retinal image quality, acuity and measured image quality both decline. However, the effect of accommodation errors of on visual acuity are mitigated by pupillary constriction associated with accommodation and binocular convergence and also to binocular summation of dissimilar retinal image blur. Under monocular viewing conditions some subjects displayed significant accommodative lag that reduced visual performance, an effect that was exacerbated by pharmacological dilation of the pupil. Spurious measurement of accommodative error can be avoided when the image quality metric used to determine refractive state is compatible with the focusing criteria used by the visual system to control accommodation. Real focusing errors of the accommodating eye do not necessarily produce a reliably measurable loss of image quality or clinically significant loss of visual performance, probably because of increased depth-of-focus due to pupil constriction. When retinal image quality is close to maximum achievable (given the eye's higher-order aberrations), acuity is also near maximum. A combination of accommodative lag, reduced image quality, and reduced visual function may be a useful

Quality Control in Mammography: Image Quality and Patient Doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciraj Bjelac, O.; Arandjic, D.; Boris Loncar, B.; Kosutic, D.

2008-01-01

Mammography is method of choice for early detection of breast cancer. The purpose of this paper is preliminary evaluation the mammography practice in Serbia, in terms of both quality control indicators, i.e. image quality and patient doses. The survey demonstrated considerable variations in technical parameters that affect image quality and patients doses. Mean glandular doses ranged from 0.12 to 2.8 mGy, while reference optical density ranged from 1.2 to 2.8. Correlation between image contrast and mean glandular doses was demonstrated. Systematic implementation of quality control protocol should provide satisfactory performance of mammography units and maintain satisfactory image quality and keep patient doses as low as reasonably practicable. (author)

A universal color image quality metric

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Toet, A.; Lucassen, M.P.

2003-01-01

We extend a recently introduced universal grayscale image quality index to a newly developed perceptually decorrelated color space. The resulting color image quality index quantifies the distortion of a processed color image relative to its original version. We evaluated the new color image quality

Quality Assurance of Ultrasonic Diagnosis in Breast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Soo Young; Kim, Hong Dae [Hallym University, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2006-06-15

Sonography is a subjective diagnostic method which is highly dependent on the experience of the operator and the equipment quality which requires real-time adjustments. Breast screening examination currently consists of clinical examination and mammography. Breast sonography, either supplementary to mammography or independently, is indicated for the dense breast, especially in younger women. Breast sonography is especially applicable for Korean women because of the denser breast parenchyma and the approximately 10-year younger incidence rate of breast cancer of Korean women compared to western women. To avoid unnecessary breast biopsy because of the high rate of false positive lesions in breast parenchyma, which is different from other body organs such as the liver or the kidney, a quality assurance program for breast sonography is essential. The quality assurance of breast ultrasound involves quality assurance of the equipment, imaging display and acquisition of clinical images, personnel qualifications and other aspects such as unification of lexicon, guideline of diagnostic examination and reporting system; US BI-RAD reporting system, assessment items and organization, education program, medical audit, certification issues, and medicolegal issues. A breast sonographic quality assurance system should be established before a scheme to initiate governmental medical insurance for breast sonography

Quality Assurance of Ultrasonic Diagnosis in Breast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Soo Young; Kim, Hong Dae

2006-01-01

Sonography is a subjective diagnostic method which is highly dependent on the experience of the operator and the equipment quality which requires real-time adjustments. Breast screening examination currently consists of clinical examination and mammography. Breast sonography, either supplementary to mammography or independently, is indicated for the dense breast, especially in younger women. Breast sonography is especially applicable for Korean women because of the denser breast parenchyma and the approximately 10-year younger incidence rate of breast cancer of Korean women compared to western women. To avoid unnecessary breast biopsy because of the high rate of false positive lesions in breast parenchyma, which is different from other body organs such as the liver or the kidney, a quality assurance program for breast sonography is essential. The quality assurance of breast ultrasound involves quality assurance of the equipment, imaging display and acquisition of clinical images, personnel qualifications and other aspects such as unification of lexicon, guideline of diagnostic examination and reporting system; US BI-RAD reporting system, assessment items and organization, education program, medical audit, certification issues, and medicolegal issues. A breast sonographic quality assurance system should be established before a scheme to initiate governmental medical insurance for breast sonography

Sonographic Determination of Spleen to Left Kidney Ratio among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Clinical determination of mild splenomegaly is notoriously inaccurate. Objectives: To determine sonographically the spleen to left kidney ratio according to age and somatometric parameters among school age children in a tropical environment. Methods: A cross sectional study and convenience sampling were ...

Sonographic evaluation of intra-abdominal adhesions during the third trimester of pregnancy: a novel technique in women undergoing repeated cesarean section.

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, Joel; Tirosh, Dan; Mastrolia, Salvatore Andrea; Ben-Haroush, Yigal; Schwartz, Shoshana; Kerner, Yoav; Hershkovitz, Reli

2018-03-25

Intra-abdominal adhesions may result in an increased risk of major complications in case of a repeated cesarean section, such as bladder and bowel injury, hemorrhage, infection, and hysterectomy. In an attempt to predict intra-abdominal adhesions before a repeated cesarean delivery, we suggest the use of a novel technique employing a simple and feasible ultrasound imaging technique. The study included pregnant women who underwent one or more cesarean deliveries in their obstetric history and were evaluated during the third trimester of the ongoing pregnancy. In order to diagnose intra-abdominal adhesions, we used a sonographic sliding sign of the uterus under the inner part of the fascia of the abdominal muscles, and considered women 1) at high risk for severe adhesions in the absence of sonographic uterine sliding; or 2) at a low risk for severe adhesions in the presence of an obvious or moderate uterine sliding. A comparison between sonographic findings and intra-abdominal adhesions as evaluated by the surgeons during surgery was performed. We examined 63 patients with one or more previous cesarean delivery. Out of these 63 patients, 59 had completed the study and underwent repeated cesarean section at our Institution. In 16 out of the19 cases assigned to the high risk for severe adhesions group, the suspicion was confirmed at surgery, with a sensitivity of 76.2%. In addition, the suspicion for low risk for adhesions was confirmed in 35 out of 40 patients, with a specificity of 92.1%. The inter and intra-observer correlation using Cohen's Kappa (k) coefficient were 0.52 and 0.77 respectively. Our data show that a simple sonographic sign might predict both high and low risk for intra-abdominal adhesions in patients who underwent previous cesarean delivery. This technique may aid clinical decisions regarding repeated cesarean section approach. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Sonographic differentiation of pneumobilia from intrahepatic stone: U.F.O. sign

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Sang Suk; Kim, S. S.; Kwon, D. Y.; Kim, C. D.; Cha, S. S.; Jeon, J. R.; Jung, D. H.

1990-01-01

Pneumobilia is one of the most troublesome problem in the sonographic examination of the hepatobiliary system, and the differentiation of air from intrahepatic stone is very important. We have analyzed the sonographic characteristics of 42 cases of pneumobilia dn 56 cases of intrahepatic stones over a period of 4 years. New findings of pneumobilia we observed were U.F.O. sign, wing like artefact, and nonvisualization of the lumen of the bile filled duct. Findings of pneumobilia only were U.F.O. sign, nng down and wing like artefact. Findings of stone only were ecdhogenic foci larger than 1.5cm, heterogeneous echo, wedge, shell, or sandwich like contour, and visible lumen of the bile duct

Splenectomy in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital: A comparison of sonographic correlation with intra-operative findings in trauma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oludolapo Afuwape

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Missed or inappropriately-treated splenic injury is a significant cause of preventable trauma-related death. Physical examination and abdominal ultrasonography are essential tools for early diagnosis of splenic injury. However, some injuries may not be accurately diagnosed by ultrasonography at initial evaluation. Aim: The aim of this study was to audit indications for splenectomy at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and to compare the intra-operative findings in trauma-related cases with the sonographic findings. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all adult (12 years and older patients′ records who had splenectomy between July 2003 and June 2010. The data extracted included patient demographics and indications for splenectomy. In trauma cases, the mode of injury and vital signs at presentation, sonographic findings, and operation findings were recorded. The intervals between injury and sonography and duration to surgery were also noted respectively. Results: Eighty-four patients were reviewed in the 7-year review period. The male to female ratio was approximately 2:1. The ages ranged from 14 to 76 years with a peak incidence in the third decade. Elective indications for splenectomy were 14 (16.6%, while 70 (83.3% were emergency cases. Forty-four of the trauma-related patients had pre-operative abdominal ultrasound, of which 31 (70% was reported as sonographically normal prior to surgery, while the rest of the trauma-related cases were considered too ill for ultrasonography. Conclusion: Potentially significant injuries may be missed with screening sonography. For this reason, a physician must maintain a high index of suspicion and consider the patient′s clinical status or an alternative imaging modality in excluding a diagnosis of splenic injury.

Sonographic Findings of Paratesticular Tumors - Report of Three Cases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sun Mi; Kim, Sung Tae; Choi, Moon Hwan; Koh, Byung Hee; Rhim, Hyun Chul; Cho, On Koo; Hahm, Chang Kok [Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1995-06-15

Paratesticular tumors are tumors that arise from the spermatic cord, epididymis, and scrotal tunics. The malignant, rate of paratesticular tumor is lower than that of testicular tumor. We report three paratesticulartumors (one lipo sarcoma, one mesothelioma, one leiomyoma) with special emphasis on sonographic findings

Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging With Cascaded Dual-Polarity Waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Guo, Yuexin; Lee, Wei-Ning

2018-04-01

Ultrafast ultrasound imaging using plane or diverging waves, instead of focused beams, has advanced greatly the development of novel ultrasound imaging methods for evaluating tissue functions beyond anatomical information. However, the sonographic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of ultrafast imaging remains limited due to the lack of transmission focusing, and thus insufficient acoustic energy delivery. We hereby propose a new ultrafast ultrasound imaging methodology with cascaded dual-polarity waves (CDWs), which consists of a pulse train with positive and negative polarities. A new coding scheme and a corresponding linear decoding process were thereby designed to obtain the recovered signals with increased amplitude, thus increasing the SNR without sacrificing the frame rate. The newly designed CDW ultrafast ultrasound imaging technique achieved higher quality B-mode images than coherent plane-wave compounding (CPWC) and multiplane wave (MW) imaging in a calibration phantom, ex vivo pork belly, and in vivo human back muscle. CDW imaging shows a significant improvement in the SNR (10.71 dB versus CPWC and 7.62 dB versus MW), penetration depth (36.94% versus CPWC and 35.14% versus MW), and contrast ratio in deep regions (5.97 dB versus CPWC and 5.05 dB versus MW) without compromising other image quality metrics, such as spatial resolution and frame rate. The enhanced image qualities and ultrafast frame rates offered by CDW imaging beget great potential for various novel imaging applications.

Image quality in mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haus, A.G.; Doi, K.; Metz, C.E.; Bernstein, J.

1976-01-01

In mammography, image quality is a function of the shape, size, and x-ray absorption properties of the anatomic part to be radiographed and of the lesion to be detected; it also depends on geometric unsharpness, and the resolution, characteristic curve and noise properties of the recording system. X-ray energy spectra, modulation transfer functions, Wiener spectra, characteristic and gradient curves, and radiographs of a breast phantom and of a resected breast specimen containing microcalcifications are used in a review of some current considerations of the factors, and the complex relationship among factors, that affect image quality in mammography. Image quality and patient radiation exposure in mammography are interrelated. An approach to the problem of evaluating the trade-off between diagnostic certainty and the cost or risk of performing a breast imaging procedure is discussed

Sonographic Evaluation of the Splenic Length in Normal Pregnancy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods: A prospective descriptive cross sectional study of the sonographic measurements of the splenic length was performed on 150 healthy normal pregnant women correlating this with the body mass index, gestational age and parity. Data were analyzed using software SPSS version 15 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Sonographic findings of hepatobiliary fascioliasis accompanied by extrahepatic expansion and ectopic lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Teke, Memik; Önder, Hakan; Çiçek, Mutalip; Hamidi, Cihad; Göya, Cemil; Çetinçakmak, Mehmet Güli; Hattapoğlu, Salih; Ülger, Burak Veli

2014-12-01

The aim of the study was to describe the sonographic findings of hepatobiliary fascioliasis with extrahepatic expansion and ectopic lesions. The study included 45 patients with fascioliasis. All diagnoses were confirmed via serologic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Sonographic findings in the hepatobiliary system, extrahepatic expansion, and ectopic lesions were defined. The most common hepatic lesions were subcapsular localized, small, confluent, multiple hypoechoic nodules with poorly defined borders. We also detected ectopic lesion in 5 patients (11.1%) and live parasites in the gallbladder and bile duct in 11 (24.4%). The large spectrum of entities in the differential diagnosis of hepatobiliary fascioliasis may lead to misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment. However, the diagnosis can be made when the characteristic sonographic features are seen, such as heterogeneity of the liver with multiple poorly defined hypoechoic-isoechoic lesions and multiple echogenic nonshadowing particles in the gallbladder or common bile ducts. Nonetheless, the differential diagnosis of fascioliasis versus other hepatic lesions may still be difficult. In these situations, pathologic confirmation should be performed to exclude the possibility of malignancy. © 2013 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Sonographic detection of portal venous gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Wang Yul; Lee, S. K.; Cho, O. K.

1989-01-01

Portal venous gas suggests underlying bowel disease such as strangulating intestinal obstruction and its demonstration carries with it an important implications with respect to patient management. Radiography has been the gold standard for the detection of portal venous gas. We have experienced two cases of portal venous gas diagnosed by ultrasound. Sonographic findings were floating echoes in the main portal vein and highly echogenic linear or patchy echoes within the hepatic parenchyma. Simple abdominal films of those cases failed to demonstrate gas in the portal venous system

18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography for Primary Thyroid Cancer: Correlation with the Clinical, Pathologic and Sonographic Findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung Eun; Kim, Eun Kyung; Moon, Hee Jung; Kwak, Jin Young

2011-01-01

We wanted to investigate the incidence and the clinicopathologic and sonographic characteristics of thyroid cancers that exhibit positive PET scans. From January 2007 to February 2008, 156 patients with thyroid cancer underwent both sonography and FDG-PET for the purpose of staging the cancer. We conducted a retrospective review of their clinical, radiologic and pathologic records and we evaluated the incidence of PET-positive thyroid cancer, as well as the associated clinicopathologic aggressiveness and the sonographic features. The incidence of PET-positive thyroid carcinoma was 78.2% (122/156). On univariate analysis, PET-positive thyroid cancer was significantly associated with tumor size, extracapsular invasion and central lymph node metastasis, but there was no association between the sonographic features of the thyroid cancer or the sonographic features of the 2 groups of tumor (1. probably benign and 2. suspicious for malignancy) and the FDG uptake. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between PET positivity and both extrathyroidal extension and a higher cancer stage (III/IV) (p < 0.05). The incidence of PET positive thyroid carcinoma is high (78.2%) and PET positivity is significantly associated with tumor size, extracapsular extension and a higher stage. However, there is no significant association between PET positivity and the sonographic features of thyroid carcinoma

Image Quality Assessment via Quality-aware Group Sparse Coding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minglei Tong

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Image quality assessment has been attracting growing attention at an accelerated pace over the past decade, in the fields of image processing, vision and machine learning. In particular, general purpose blind image quality assessment is technically challenging and lots of state-of-the-art approaches have been developed to solve this problem, most under the supervised learning framework where the human scored samples are needed for training a regression model. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised learning approach that work without the human label. In the off-line stage, our method trains a dictionary covering different levels of image quality patch atoms across the training samples without knowing the human score, where each atom is associated with a quality score induced from the reference image; at the on-line stage, given each image patch, our method performs group sparse coding to encode the sample, such that the sample quality can be estimated from the few labeled atoms whose encoding coefficients are nonzero. Experimental results on the public dataset show the promising performance of our approach and future research direction is also discussed.

Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among sonographers in China: results from a national web-based survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Danying; Huang, Hanlin

2017-11-25

The aims of present study were to determine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) among sonographers in China and to provide evidence for appropriate intervention measures to be taken. A self-reported questionnaire was used to screen WRMSDs experienced by sonographers during the past 12 months. This questionnaire survey was created and hosted on the WeChat official account platform for sonographers. In the present study, 567 sonographers from 521 medical institutions completed the questionnaire. The vast majority (99.3%) of respondents reported experiencing symptoms of WRMSDs for at least one body region during the past 12 months. Work-related musculoskeletal pain or discomfort was most frequently reported for the neck (95.1%), right shoulder (84.1%), lower back (82.4%), right wrist/hand (81.0%), upper back (78.1%), right forearm/elbow (72.0%), and left shoulder (66.1%). Scanning hours per day, number of patients per day, and years of experience were positively associated with the occurrence and frequency of experiencing WRMSDs of some common and specific anatomical regions. Taking a regular rest break during the scanning working day was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs of the right shoulder and right wrist/hand. Adopting a sitting posture while performing scanning was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs, particularly for the lower back and the neck. Performing regular physical activity during leisure time was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs of the neck. The prevalence of WRMSDs among sonographers in China was extremely high. It is necessary and essential to reduce the number of scanning hours and patients per day, adopt a sitting posture while performing scanning, schedule regular rest breaks during the scanning working day, and encourage performance of regular physical activity during leisure time to alleviate this WRMSD issue experienced by sonographers.

Image quality analysis of digital mammographic equipments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mayo, P.; Pascual, A.; Verdu, G. [Valencia Univ. Politecnica, Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Dept. (Spain); Rodenas, F. [Valencia Univ. Politecnica, Applied Mathematical Dept. (Spain); Campayo, J.M. [Valencia Univ. Hospital Clinico, Servicio de Radiofisica y Proteccion Radiologica (Spain); Villaescusa, J.I. [Hospital Clinico La Fe, Servicio de Proteccion Radiologica, Valencia (Spain)

2006-07-01

The image quality assessment of a radiographic phantom image is one of the fundamental points in a complete quality control programme. The good functioning result of all the process must be an image with an appropriate quality to carry out a suitable diagnostic. Nowadays, the digital radiographic equipments are replacing the traditional film-screen equipments and it is necessary to update the parameters to guarantee the quality of the process. Contrast-detail phantoms are applied to digital radiography to study the threshold contrast detail sensitivity at operation conditions of the equipment. The phantom that is studied in this work is C.D.M.A.M. 3.4, which facilitates the evaluation of image contrast and detail resolution. One of the most extended indexes to measure the image quality in an objective way is the Image Quality Figure (I.Q.F.). This parameter is useful to calculate the image quality taking into account the contrast and detail resolution of the image analysed. The contrast-detail curve is useful as a measure of the image quality too, because it is a graphical representation in which the hole thickness and diameter are plotted for each contrast-detail combination detected in the radiographic image of the phantom. It is useful for the comparison of the functioning of different radiographic image systems, for phantom images under the same exposition conditions. The aim of this work is to study the image quality of different images contrast-detail phantom C.D.M.A.M. 3.4, carrying out the automatic detection of the contrast-detail combination and to establish a parameter which characterize in an objective way the mammographic image quality. This is useful to compare images obtained at different digital mammographic equipments to study the functioning of the equipments. (authors)

Image quality analysis of digital mammographic equipments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayo, P.; Pascual, A.; Verdu, G.; Rodenas, F.; Campayo, J.M.; Villaescusa, J.I.

2006-01-01

The image quality assessment of a radiographic phantom image is one of the fundamental points in a complete quality control programme. The good functioning result of all the process must be an image with an appropriate quality to carry out a suitable diagnostic. Nowadays, the digital radiographic equipments are replacing the traditional film-screen equipments and it is necessary to update the parameters to guarantee the quality of the process. Contrast-detail phantoms are applied to digital radiography to study the threshold contrast detail sensitivity at operation conditions of the equipment. The phantom that is studied in this work is C.D.M.A.M. 3.4, which facilitates the evaluation of image contrast and detail resolution. One of the most extended indexes to measure the image quality in an objective way is the Image Quality Figure (I.Q.F.). This parameter is useful to calculate the image quality taking into account the contrast and detail resolution of the image analysed. The contrast-detail curve is useful as a measure of the image quality too, because it is a graphical representation in which the hole thickness and diameter are plotted for each contrast-detail combination detected in the radiographic image of the phantom. It is useful for the comparison of the functioning of different radiographic image systems, for phantom images under the same exposition conditions. The aim of this work is to study the image quality of different images contrast-detail phantom C.D.M.A.M. 3.4, carrying out the automatic detection of the contrast-detail combination and to establish a parameter which characterize in an objective way the mammographic image quality. This is useful to compare images obtained at different digital mammographic equipments to study the functioning of the equipments. (authors)

Sonographic Examination of The Fetus Vis-à-Vis Shoulder Dystocia: A Vexing Promise.

Science.gov (United States)

Doty, Morgen S; Al-Hafez, Leen; Chauhan, Suneet P

2016-12-01

Since antepartum and intrapartum risk factors are poor at identifying women whose labor is complicated by shoulder dystocia, sonographic examination of the fetus holds promise. Though there are several measurements of biometric parameters to identify the parturient who will have shoulder dystocia, none are currently clinically useful. Three national guidelines confirm that sonographic measurements do not serve as appropriate diagnostic tests to identify women who will have shoulder dystocia with or without concurrent injury. In summary, biometric measurements of the fetus should not be used to alter clinical management with the aim of averting shoulder dystocia.

Assessing product image quality for online shopping

Science.gov (United States)

Goswami, Anjan; Chung, Sung H.; Chittar, Naren; Islam, Atiq

2012-01-01

Assessing product-image quality is important in the context of online shopping. A high quality image that conveys more information about a product can boost the buyer's confidence and can get more attention. However, the notion of image quality for product-images is not the same as that in other domains. The perception of quality of product-images depends not only on various photographic quality features but also on various high level features such as clarity of the foreground or goodness of the background etc. In this paper, we define a notion of product-image quality based on various such features. We conduct a crowd-sourced experiment to collect user judgments on thousands of eBay's images. We formulate a multi-class classification problem for modeling image quality by classifying images into good, fair and poor quality based on the guided perceptual notions from the judges. We also conduct experiments with regression using average crowd-sourced human judgments as target. We compute a pseudo-regression score with expected average of predicted classes and also compute a score from the regression technique. We design many experiments with various sampling and voting schemes with crowd-sourced data and construct various experimental image quality models. Most of our models have reasonable accuracies (greater or equal to 70%) on test data set. We observe that our computed image quality score has a high (0.66) rank correlation with average votes from the crowd sourced human judgments.

Improving image quality in portal venography with spectral CT imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Li-qin; He, Wen; Li, Jian-ying; Chen, Jiang-hong; Wang, Ke-yang; Tan, Li

2012-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effect of energy spectral CT on the image quality of CT portal venography in cirrhosis patients. Materials and methods: 30 portal hypertension patients underwent spectral CT examination using a single-tube, fast dual tube voltage switching technique. 101 sets of monochromatic images were generated from 40 keV to 140 keV. Image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for portal veins from the monochromatic images were measured. An optimal monochromatic image set was selected for obtaining the best CNR for portal veins. The image noise and CNR of the intra-hepatic portal vein and extra-hepatic main stem at the selected monochromatic level were compared with those from the conventional polychromatic images. Image quality was also assessed and compared. Results: The monochromatic images at 51 keV were found to provide the best CNR for both the intra-hepatic and extra-hepatic portal veins. At this energy level, the monochromatic images had about 100% higher CNR than the polychromatic images with a moderate 30% noise increase. The qualitative image quality assessment was also statistically higher with monochromatic images at 51 keV. Conclusion: Monochromatic images at 51 keV for CT portal venography could improve CNR for displaying hepatic portal veins and improve the overall image quality.

Improving image quality in portal venography with spectral CT imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Li-qin, E-mail: zhaolqzr@sohu.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); He, Wen, E-mail: hewen1724@sina.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); Li, Jian-ying, E-mail: jianying.li@med.ge.com [CT Advanced Application and Research, GE Healthcare, 100176 China (China); Chen, Jiang-hong, E-mail: chenjianghong1973@hotmail.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); Wang, Ke-yang, E-mail: ke7ke@sina.com [Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing,100050 (China); Tan, Li, E-mail: Litan@ge.com [CT product, GE Healthcare, 100176 China (China)

2012-08-15

Objective: To investigate the effect of energy spectral CT on the image quality of CT portal venography in cirrhosis patients. Materials and methods: 30 portal hypertension patients underwent spectral CT examination using a single-tube, fast dual tube voltage switching technique. 101 sets of monochromatic images were generated from 40 keV to 140 keV. Image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for portal veins from the monochromatic images were measured. An optimal monochromatic image set was selected for obtaining the best CNR for portal veins. The image noise and CNR of the intra-hepatic portal vein and extra-hepatic main stem at the selected monochromatic level were compared with those from the conventional polychromatic images. Image quality was also assessed and compared. Results: The monochromatic images at 51 keV were found to provide the best CNR for both the intra-hepatic and extra-hepatic portal veins. At this energy level, the monochromatic images had about 100% higher CNR than the polychromatic images with a moderate 30% noise increase. The qualitative image quality assessment was also statistically higher with monochromatic images at 51 keV. Conclusion: Monochromatic images at 51 keV for CT portal venography could improve CNR for displaying hepatic portal veins and improve the overall image quality.

Hyperspectral Image Analysis of Food Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arngren, Morten

inspection.Near-infrared spectroscopy can address these issues by offering a fast and objectiveanalysis of the food quality. A natural extension to these single spectrumNIR systems is to include image information such that each pixel holds a NIRspectrum. This augmented image information offers several......Assessing the quality of food is a vital step in any food processing line to ensurethe best food quality and maximum profit for the farmer and food manufacturer.Traditional quality evaluation methods are often destructive and labourintensive procedures relying on wet chemistry or subjective human...... extensions to the analysis offood quality. This dissertation is concerned with hyperspectral image analysisused to assess the quality of single grain kernels. The focus is to highlight thebenefits and challenges of using hyperspectral imaging for food quality presentedin two research directions. Initially...

Correlation of Imaging Findings with Pathologic Findings of Sclerosing Adenosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Bo Bae; Shu, Kwang Sun

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mammographic and sonographic findings of pure sclerosing adenosis. We retrospectively reviewed the mammographic and sonographic findings in 40 cases of pure sclerosing adenosis confirmed by core needle biopsy (n = 23), vacuum-assisted biopsy (n = 7), excision biopsy (n = 9), and lumpectomy (n = 1) from January 2002 to March 2010. All imaging findings were analyzed according to the American College of Radiology (ACR) breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS). Radiologic features were correlated with pathologic findings. Although most mammograms showed negative findings (57%), calcification was the most common abnormal finding of sclerosing adenosis. On sonography, the most common finding was a circumscribed oval hypoechoic mass without posterior features (78%). Most masses showed BI-RADS category 3, (75%, 27/36). Five cases showed categories 4 or 5 (14%, 5/36). Most mammographic and sonographic findings of sclerosing adenosis are non-specific and non-pathognomonic, even though sometimes sclerosing adenosis can be radiologically or histopathologically confused with malignancy

Sonographic demonstration of a gallstone ileus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uebel, H.E.; Wilhelm, F.

1987-01-01

A woman of 60 years of age with acute abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation and radiological signs of small bowel obstruction was subjected to sonographic examination. Careful examination of the entire abdomen demonstrated a hyperechoic object within the distended terminal ileum with an intensive acoustic shadow. The gallbladder was not visible. This strongly suggested gallstone ileus, especially since the patient had a history of gallbladder disease. She was treated immediately by enterotomy and extraction of a noncalcified obstructing stone. The value of ultrasound in detecting gallstones causing small bowel obstruction is discussed. (orig.) [de

Sonographic demonstration of a gallstone ileus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uebel, H.E.; Wilhelm, F.

1987-04-01

A woman of 60 years of age with acute abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation and radiological signs of small bowel obstruction was subjected to sonographic examination. Careful examination of the entire abdomen demonstrated a hyperechoic object within the distended terminal ileum with an intensive acoustic shadow. The gallbladder was not visible. This strongly suggested gallstone ileus, especially since the patient had a history of gallbladder disease. She was treated immediately by enterotomy and extraction of a noncalcified obstructing stone. The value of ultrasound in detecting gallstones causing small bowel obstruction is discussed.

[Assessment of the sonographer's knowledge on the second trimester ultrasound recommendations of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound].

Science.gov (United States)

Matar, M; Picone, O; Dalmon, C; Ayoubi, J-M

2013-09-01

To evaluate the sonographers' knowledge of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound's recommendations concerning second trimester ultrasound. Anonymous questionnaire was sent by e-mails containing 25 questions about demographic elements, the practice of second trimester ultrasound and the recommendations of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound about second trimester ultrasound. Six hundred and eighty-four responses were obtained. Six hundred and fifty-three upon 684 (95%) of respondents practice second trimester ultrasound and 635 upon 653 (97%) know about the existence of the report of the National Technical Committee of Ultrasound. The rates of correct answers concerning recommended biometrical images vary between 97% for the biparietal diameter and head circumference, 98% for abdominal circumference and 100% for the femur length. While for morphological images, rates vary between 52% and 100%. A subgroup analysis (whether the respondents have already read the recommendations or not) showed that those who had read the recommendations have significantly better results than those who did not. Those who have already read the recommendations have better knowledge and global knowledge can be improved. National recommendations serve to promote a policy of quality assurance of ultrasound and may be used in medicolegal issues. The societies that make recommendations should more diffuse their work and practitioners should make effort to pursue the continuing medical education and to implement the recommendations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Sonographic features of neonatal mastitis and breast abscess.

Science.gov (United States)

Borders, Heather; Mychaliska, George; Gebarski, K Stiennon

2009-09-01

Neonatal mastitis and neonatal breast abscess are uncommon. Although well described in the pediatric and surgical literature, there is a paucity of reports describing their sonographic features. To describe and illustrate the sonographic features of neonatal mastitis and neonatal breast abscess. We reviewed the medical database of a large children's health-care center from 2000 through 2008 for patients presenting in the first 8 weeks of life with mastitis. The findings were correlated with clinical presentation and course, laboratory findings and clinical outcome. Four neonates (three girls and one boy) presented with mastitis. They all had prominent breast buds on the affected side with poorly defined margins, slightly more echogenic focally or diffusely compared to normal with hyperemia on color flow Doppler US. The surrounding subcutaneous tissue was thick and echogenic. Two abscesses presented as avascular areas without color flow on Doppler US, subtly increased through-transmission and surrounding hyperemia. One abscess was of increased echogenicity while the other was anechoic. Neonatal mastitis and breast abscess are unusual diseases that should be appropriately treated with antibiotics and drainage to avoid generalized sepsis, breast hypoplasia, and scarring. US is useful in distinguishing mastitis from breast abscess and guiding treatment options.

Change of sonographic findings on cervical lymph nodes before and after preoperative radiotherapy

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Chikui, Toru; Yuasa, Kenji; Tokumori, Kenji; Kanda, Shigenobu [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School of Dental Science, 3-1-1 Maidashi Higashi-ku, 812-8582, Fukuoka (Japan); Kunitake, Naonobu; Nakamura, Katsumasa [Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan); Nagata, Tetsuji [First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan); Hiraki, Akimitsu [Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan)

2004-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the power Doppler sonographic findings in patients with oral cancer undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We performed US examinations on 187 cervical lymph nodes (71 metastatic and 116 reactive nodes) excised from 52 patients before and after preoperative therapy. On Power Doppler images, we calculated the vascular index (VI) and evaluated the vascular pattern. We also assessed the diagnostic power using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Irradiation caused an increase of the VI and better visualization of the vessels within the lymph node in the reactive nodes; however, in the metastatic nodes, the VI was not significantly different between that before and after irradiation. When the reader observed the images before irradiation, the area under an ROC curve (Az values) observed by B-mode sonography were closely similar to those obtained by B-mode plus power Doppler sonography. With both images before and after irradiation, the Az value obtained by B-mode plus power Doppler sonography was higher than that by B-mode sonography alone. After irradiation, the enhanced Doppler signals contributed to a better visualization of the vessels and a better detection of any vascular abnormalities. (orig.)

Clinical Effectiveness of Prospectively Reported Sonographic Twinkling Artifact for the Diagnosis of Renal Calculus in Patients Without Known Urolithiasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Masch, William R; Cohan, Richard H; Ellis, James H; Dillman, Jonathan R; Rubin, Jonathan M; Davenport, Matthew S

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical effectiveness of prospectively reported sonographic twinkling artifact for the diagnosis of renal calculus in patients without known urolithiasis. All ultrasound reports finalized in one health system from June 15, 2011, to June 14, 2014, that contained the words "twinkle" or "twinkling" in reference to suspected renal calculus were identified. Patients with known urolithiasis or lack of a suitable reference standard (unenhanced abdominal CT with ≤ 2.5-mm slice thickness performed ≤ 30 days after ultrasound) were excluded. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio of sonographic twinkling artifact for the diagnosis of renal calculus were calculated by renal unit and stratified by two additional diagnostic features for calcification (echogenic focus, posterior acoustic shadowing). Eighty-five patients formed the study population. Isolated sonographic twinkling artifact had sensitivity of 0.78 (82/105), specificity of 0.40 (26/65), and a positive likelihood ratio of 1.30 for the diagnosis of renal calculus. Specificity and positive likelihood ratio improved and sensitivity declined when the following additional diagnostic features were present: sonographic twinkling artifact and echogenic focus (sensitivity, 0.61 [64/105]; specificity, 0.65 [42/65]; positive likelihood ratio, 1.72); sonographic twinkling artifact and posterior acoustic shadowing (sensitivity, 0.31 [33/105]; specificity, 0.95 [62/65]; positive likelihood ratio, 6.81); all three features (sensitivity, 0.31 [33/105]; specificity, 0.95 [62/65]; positive likelihood ratio, 6.81). Isolated sonographic twinkling artifact has a high false-positive rate (60%) for the diagnosis of renal calculus in patients without known urolithiasis.

Sonographic appearance of thyroid cancer in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Durfee, Sara M; Benson, Carol B; Arthaud, Dylan M; Alexander, Erik K; Frates, Mary C

2015-04-01

To determine whether the sonographic appearance of thyroid cancer differs in patients with and without Hashimoto thyroiditis. Patients with histologically proven thyroid cancer who had thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies measured and sonography performed preoperatively were included. We evaluated each nodule for size, echogenicity, composition, margins, halo, and vascularity and evaluated the background heterogeneity of the gland. There were 162 thyroid cancers in 145 patients. Forty-two patients (29.0%) had Hashimoto thyroiditis with positive TPO antibodies, and 103 patients (71.0%) had negative TPO antibodies. The background echogenicity was more often heterogeneous in TPO antibody-positive patients compared to those who had negative TPO antibodies (57.1% versus 26.2%; P= .0005). Comparing cancers in TPO antibody-positive to TPO antibody-negative patients, there was no significant difference in the size, echogenicity, composition, margins, halo presence, calcification presence and type, or vascularity of the cancerous nodule (P > .05). Among TPO antibody-positive patients, comparing thyroid cancerous nodules in patients with heterogeneous glands to those with homogeneous glands, there was no significant difference in any sonographic characteristic except the margin of the nodule, which was more often irregular or poorly defined in heterogeneous glands and more often smooth in homogeneous glands (Pthyroid cancer are similar in patients with and without Hashimoto thyroiditis. Among patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and thyroid cancer, the sonographic appearance of the cancerous nodule is similar, except that cancerous nodule margins are more likely to be irregular or poorly defined when the gland is heterogeneous. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Imaging Findings of Fibrous Hamartoma of Infancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rho, Byung Hak; Lee, Hee Jung; Kwon, Sun Young

2009-01-01

We wanted to evaluate the imaging findings of fibrous hamartoma of infancy (FHI). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical presentation and the sonographic (n = 5) and CT (n = 3) findings of 5 cases of surgically/pathologically confirmed FHI. The sonographic findings were evaluated according to the location, size, internal echogenicity and vascularity. The CT findings were evaluated according to the attenuation of the mass on both the pre- (n = 3) and postcontrast (n = 2) scans. The image findings were correlated with the pathologic findings. The mean age was 14.8 months (range, 7 months - 3 years). The location of lesions was all in the fatty layer of the back (n = 4) and upper arm (n = 1). All the lesions demonstrated-hypertrichosis on the overlying skin. The lesions measured 31.2 mm in the longest diameter (range: 18 mm - 50 mm). The sonographic findings were purely solid, heterogeneously hyperechoic and hypovacular for all the cases. The internal architecture revealed a 'layering' appearance (n = 3). The CT findings demonstrated isoattenuation, as compared to the adjacent muscle on both the pre- and postcontrast CT scans. The pathologic correlation demonstrated a characteristic 'organoid' mixture of fibrous, mucoid and fatty tissues in all cases. The diagnosis of FHI can be suggested by the sonographic findings of a superficially located, heterogeneous solid mass with a 'layering' appearance in the fatty layer of the back or arms of infants with local hypertrochosis on the overlying skin

Sonographic and Clinical Features of Upper Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis in Critical Care Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Blaivas

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background-Aim. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT is an increasingly recognized problem in the critically ill. We sought to identify the prevalence of and risk factors for UEDVT, and to characterize sonographically detected thrombi in the critical care setting. Patients and Methods. Three hundred and twenty patients receiving a subclavian or internal jugular central venous catheter (CVC were included. When an UEDVT was detected, therapeutic anticoagulation was started. Additionally, a standardized ultrasound scan was performed to detect the extent of the thrombus. Images were interpreted offline by two independent readers. Results. Thirty-six (11.25% patients had UEDVT and a complete scan was performed. One (2.7% of these patients died, and 2 had pulmonary embolism (5.5%. Risk factors associated with UEDVT were presence of CVC [(odds ratio (OR 2.716, P=0.007], malignancy (OR 1.483, P=0.036, total parenteral nutrition (OR 1.399, P=0.035, hypercoagulable state (OR 1.284, P=0.045, and obesity (OR 1.191, P=0.049. Eight thrombi were chronic, and 28 were acute. We describe a new sonographic sign which characterized acute thrombosis: a double hyperechoic line at the interface between the thrombus and the venous wall; but its clinical significance remains to be defined. Conclusion. Presence of CVC was a strong predictor for the development of UEDVT in a cohort of critical care patients; however, the rate of subsequent PE and related mortality was low.

Image quality and dose differences caused by vendor-specific image processing of neonatal radiographs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sensakovic, William F.; O'Dell, M.C.; Letter, Haley; Kohler, Nathan; Rop, Baiywo; Cook, Jane; Logsdon, Gregory; Varich, Laura

2016-01-01

Image processing plays an important role in optimizing image quality and radiation dose in projection radiography. Unfortunately commercial algorithms are black boxes that are often left at or near vendor default settings rather than being optimized. We hypothesize that different commercial image-processing systems, when left at or near default settings, create significant differences in image quality. We further hypothesize that image-quality differences can be exploited to produce images of equivalent quality but lower radiation dose. We used a portable radiography system to acquire images on a neonatal chest phantom and recorded the entrance surface air kerma (ESAK). We applied two image-processing systems (Optima XR220amx, by GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI; and MUSICA"2 by Agfa HealthCare, Mortsel, Belgium) to the images. Seven observers (attending pediatric radiologists and radiology residents) independently assessed image quality using two methods: rating and matching. Image-quality ratings were independently assessed by each observer on a 10-point scale. Matching consisted of each observer matching GE-processed images and Agfa-processed images with equivalent image quality. A total of 210 rating tasks and 42 matching tasks were performed and effective dose was estimated. Median Agfa-processed image-quality ratings were higher than GE-processed ratings. Non-diagnostic ratings were seen over a wider range of doses for GE-processed images than for Agfa-processed images. During matching tasks, observers matched image quality between GE-processed images and Agfa-processed images acquired at a lower effective dose (11 ± 9 μSv; P < 0.0001). Image-processing methods significantly impact perceived image quality. These image-quality differences can be exploited to alter protocols and produce images of equivalent image quality but lower doses. Those purchasing projection radiography systems or third-party image-processing software should be aware that image processing

Image quality dependence on image processing software in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Image quality dependence on image processing software in computed radiography. ... Agfa CR readers use MUSICA software, and an upgrade with significantly different image ... Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

Value of sonographic examination and differential diagnosis in cysts of the female breast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kleedorfer, D; Pflanzer, D; Pflanzer, K; Kiprov, S; Fochem, K

1982-08-01

Echography of the breast was performed in 100 women in whom palpation had prompted suspicion of the presence of a cyst. Examination was done with a real-time scanner with a 2.5 or 5 Mhz freely mobile soundhead. Cysts were detected in 56 women by this sonographic method. Approximately 9% of these were complicated cysts requiring surgical treatment. Although sonography facilitates identification of single or of multiple cysts, it will be necessary to perform pneumocystography and X-ray film examination in two projections on first examination in order to exclude complicated cysts, since mere sonographic control after puncture of the cysts is too inaccurate for identifying complicated cysts.

Image quality at synthetic brain magnetic resonance imaging in children

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Lee, So Mi; Cho, Seung Hyun; Kim, Won Hwa; Kim, Hye Jung [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Young Hun; Cheon, Jung-Eun; Kim, In-One [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Hyun-Hae [Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); You, Sun-Kyoung [Chungnam National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Sook-Hyun [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Moon Jung [GE Healthcare, MR Applications and Workflow, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-11-15

The clinical application of the multi-echo, multi-delay technique of synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) generates multiple sequences in a single acquisition but has mainly been used in adults. To evaluate the image quality of synthetic brain MR in children compared with that of conventional images. Twenty-nine children (median age: 6 years, range: 0-16 years) underwent synthetic and conventional imaging. Synthetic (T2-weighted, T1-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery [FLAIR]) images with settings matching those of the conventional images were generated. The overall image quality, gray/white matter differentiation, lesion conspicuity and image degradations were rated on a 5-point scale. The relative contrasts were assessed quantitatively and acquisition times for the two imaging techniques were compared. Synthetic images were inferior due to more pronounced image degradations; however, there were no significant differences for T1- and T2-weighted images in children <2 years old. The quality of T1- and T2-weighted images were within the diagnostically acceptable range. FLAIR images showed greatly reduced quality. Gray/white matter differentiation was comparable or better in synthetic T1- and T2-weighted images, but poorer in FLAIR images. There was no effect on lesion conspicuity. Synthetic images had equal or greater relative contrast. Acquisition time was approximately two-thirds of that for conventional sequences. Synthetic T1- and T2-weighted images were diagnostically acceptable, but synthetic FLAIR images were not. Lesion conspicuity and gray/white matter differentiation were comparable to conventional MRI. (orig.)

Balancing patient dose and image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, C.J.; Sutton, D.G.; Sharp, P.F.

1999-01-01

The formation of images in diagnostic radiology involves a complex interdependence of many factors. The ideal balance is to obtain an image which is adequate for the clinical purpose with the minimum radiation dose. Factors which affect radiation dose and image quality can be grouped under three headings; radiation quality, photon fluence and removal of scattered radiation. If optimal performance is to be achieved, it is necessary to understand how these factors influence image formation and affect radiation dose, and apply methodology for image quality and dose analysis at each stage in the development and use of X-ray equipment

Quality assurance: image production and film quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd Aziz Mhd Ramli

2004-01-01

The contents of this chapter are follows - Factors Affecting Image Quality and Patient Dose: Quality Control in Diagnostic Radiology, Mechanical Safety, Electrical Safety, Radiation Protection, Performance and Safety Standard, Calibration of QC Test Tools

The current status and future prospects of breast cancer screening using ultrasonography at our facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morikubo, Hiroshi; Ichimura, Miyuki; Abe, Satoko

2011-01-01

We report the results obtained by breast cancer screening of the general population using both ultrasonography and mammography conducted by the Tochigi Public Health Service Association. An investigation of breast cancer screening carried out on approximately 140,000 participants between 2000 and 2007 showed that ultrasonography and mammography are remarkably complementary for detection of breast cancer, particularly for women in their 40s and 50s, and that each modality improves the sensitivity of breast cancer detection by approximately 20%. The following issues are pivotal for establishing a breast cancer ultrasonography screening system that is able to maintain high precision and adequate efficiency: technical training of sonographers and physicians who must interpret the sonographic images, quality control of equipment, and an interpretation system that allows previous sonographs to be used as a reference. In independent combined screening systems using ultrasonography and mammography, the high recall rate becomes an issue. Comparative interpretation of sonographic images with previous sonographs is effective for resolving this. However, hopes abound for a comprehensive assessment system that allows simultaneous imaging and interpretation of both ultrasonography and mammography. (author)

Evaluation of clinical and sonographic features in 55 children with tularemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Oz, Fatma; Eksioglu, Ayse; Tanır, Gonul; Bayhan, Gulsum; Metin, Özge; Teke, Turkan Aydın

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics and sonographic features of lymphadenopathy (LAP) and to evaluate the treatment modalities and treatment outcomes in children with tularemia. Demographic characteristics, ultrasonographic and physical examination findings, and treatment outcomes in 55 tularemia patients (24 male and 31 female) with a mean age of 10.8 ± 4.0 years were analyzed retrospectively. Lymph node necrosis was classified in three stages based on ultrasound findings-stage 1, cortical microabscesses; stage 2, cortical and medullar abscesses; stage 3, total necrosis of the lymph node. In total, 50 (90%) of the patients had oropharyngeal, four (8%) had glandular, and one (2%) had oculoglandular tularemia. The most common symptoms were sore throat (67%) and fever (64%). LAP was the most frequently (100%) observed sign. Abscess formation was noted in 36 (65%) patients, of which seven (19%) were sonographically classified as stage 1, 20 (55%) as stage 2, and nine (26%) as stage 3. There was a statistically significant correlation between delayed treatment and stage of abscess formation in lymph nodes (p0.05). In all, nine (16%) of the patients did not respond to medical treatment, and surgical intervention was required. Tularemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with unexplained fever, sore throat, and cervical LAP in endemic areas. Sonographic findings may be useful in the evaluation and staging of this infection.

Blind image quality assessment based on aesthetic and statistical quality-aware features

Science.gov (United States)

Jenadeleh, Mohsen; Masaeli, Mohammad Masood; Moghaddam, Mohsen Ebrahimi

2017-07-01

The main goal of image quality assessment (IQA) methods is the emulation of human perceptual image quality judgments. Therefore, the correlation between objective scores of these methods with human perceptual scores is considered as their performance metric. Human judgment of the image quality implicitly includes many factors when assessing perceptual image qualities such as aesthetics, semantics, context, and various types of visual distortions. The main idea of this paper is to use a host of features that are commonly employed in image aesthetics assessment in order to improve blind image quality assessment (BIQA) methods accuracy. We propose an approach that enriches the features of BIQA methods by integrating a host of aesthetics image features with the features of natural image statistics derived from multiple domains. The proposed features have been used for augmenting five different state-of-the-art BIQA methods, which use statistical natural scene statistics features. Experiments were performed on seven benchmark image quality databases. The experimental results showed significant improvement of the accuracy of the methods.

Image quality and dose differences caused by vendor-specific image processing of neonatal radiographs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sensakovic, William F.; O' Dell, M.C.; Letter, Haley; Kohler, Nathan; Rop, Baiywo; Cook, Jane; Logsdon, Gregory; Varich, Laura [Florida Hospital, Imaging Administration, Orlando, FL (United States)

2016-10-15

Image processing plays an important role in optimizing image quality and radiation dose in projection radiography. Unfortunately commercial algorithms are black boxes that are often left at or near vendor default settings rather than being optimized. We hypothesize that different commercial image-processing systems, when left at or near default settings, create significant differences in image quality. We further hypothesize that image-quality differences can be exploited to produce images of equivalent quality but lower radiation dose. We used a portable radiography system to acquire images on a neonatal chest phantom and recorded the entrance surface air kerma (ESAK). We applied two image-processing systems (Optima XR220amx, by GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI; and MUSICA{sup 2} by Agfa HealthCare, Mortsel, Belgium) to the images. Seven observers (attending pediatric radiologists and radiology residents) independently assessed image quality using two methods: rating and matching. Image-quality ratings were independently assessed by each observer on a 10-point scale. Matching consisted of each observer matching GE-processed images and Agfa-processed images with equivalent image quality. A total of 210 rating tasks and 42 matching tasks were performed and effective dose was estimated. Median Agfa-processed image-quality ratings were higher than GE-processed ratings. Non-diagnostic ratings were seen over a wider range of doses for GE-processed images than for Agfa-processed images. During matching tasks, observers matched image quality between GE-processed images and Agfa-processed images acquired at a lower effective dose (11 ± 9 μSv; P < 0.0001). Image-processing methods significantly impact perceived image quality. These image-quality differences can be exploited to alter protocols and produce images of equivalent image quality but lower doses. Those purchasing projection radiography systems or third-party image-processing software should be aware that image

Image quality and dose differences caused by vendor-specific image processing of neonatal radiographs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sensakovic, William F; O'Dell, M Cody; Letter, Haley; Kohler, Nathan; Rop, Baiywo; Cook, Jane; Logsdon, Gregory; Varich, Laura

2016-10-01

Image processing plays an important role in optimizing image quality and radiation dose in projection radiography. Unfortunately commercial algorithms are black boxes that are often left at or near vendor default settings rather than being optimized. We hypothesize that different commercial image-processing systems, when left at or near default settings, create significant differences in image quality. We further hypothesize that image-quality differences can be exploited to produce images of equivalent quality but lower radiation dose. We used a portable radiography system to acquire images on a neonatal chest phantom and recorded the entrance surface air kerma (ESAK). We applied two image-processing systems (Optima XR220amx, by GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI; and MUSICA(2) by Agfa HealthCare, Mortsel, Belgium) to the images. Seven observers (attending pediatric radiologists and radiology residents) independently assessed image quality using two methods: rating and matching. Image-quality ratings were independently assessed by each observer on a 10-point scale. Matching consisted of each observer matching GE-processed images and Agfa-processed images with equivalent image quality. A total of 210 rating tasks and 42 matching tasks were performed and effective dose was estimated. Median Agfa-processed image-quality ratings were higher than GE-processed ratings. Non-diagnostic ratings were seen over a wider range of doses for GE-processed images than for Agfa-processed images. During matching tasks, observers matched image quality between GE-processed images and Agfa-processed images acquired at a lower effective dose (11 ± 9 μSv; P < 0.0001). Image-processing methods significantly impact perceived image quality. These image-quality differences can be exploited to alter protocols and produce images of equivalent image quality but lower doses. Those purchasing projection radiography systems or third-party image-processing software should be aware that image

Intraperitoneal fluid collection after laparoscopic appendectomy. Sonographic analysis in asymptomatic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Sales, J P; Adrien, C; Blery, M; Gayral, F

1995-07-01

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the frequency of postoperative fluid collection after laparoscopic appendectomy in patients with normal postoperative development. Twenty-eight patients were included. The surgical technique, histological data, and postoperative development during the first postoperative month were recorded. A sonographic analysis was performed on the 5th postoperative day by a radiologist who was not aware of the histological and surgical data. Ten cases of fluid collection were found (37%). The frequency was higher in cases of suppurated appendicitis and significantly higher with associated periappendicitis. Peritoneal irrigation or retrocecal dissection did not influence the occurrence of fluid collection. Postoperative serous fluid collection occurs with a high frequency after laparoscopic appendectomies, and one must be careful in interpreting sonographic analyses in looking for deep abscesses in patients with difficult postoperative development.

Tradeoffs between image quality and dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seibert, J.A.

2004-01-01

Image quality takes on different perspectives and meanings when associated with the concept of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA), which is chiefly focused on radiation dose delivered as a result of a medical imaging procedure. ALARA is important because of the increased radiosensitivity of children to ionizing radiation and the desire to keep the radiation dose low. By the same token, however, image quality is also important because of the need to provide the necessary information in a radiograph in order to make an accurate diagnosis. Thus, there are tradeoffs to be considered between image quality and radiation dose, which is the main topic of this article. ALARA does not necessarily mean the lowest radiation dose, nor, when implemented, does it result in the least desirable radiographic images. With the recent widespread implementation of digital radiographic detectors and displays, a new level of flexibility and complexity confronts the technologist, physicist, and radiologist in optimizing the pediatric radiography exam. This is due to the separation of the acquisition, display, and archiving events that were previously combined by the screen-film detector, which allows for compensation for under- and overexposures, image processing, and on-line image manipulation. As explained in the article, different concepts must be introduced for a better understanding of the tradeoffs encountered when dealing with digital radiography and ALARA. In addition, there are many instances during the image acquisition/display/interpretation process in which image quality and associated dose can be compromised. This requires continuous diligence to quality control and feedback mechanisms to verify that the goals of image quality, dose and ALARA are achieved. (orig.)

Optimization of Synthetic Aperture Image Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moshavegh, Ramin; Jensen, Jonas; Villagómez Hoyos, Carlos Armando

2016-01-01

Synthetic Aperture (SA) imaging produces high-quality images and velocity estimates of both slow and fast flow at high frame rates. However, grating lobe artifacts can appear both in transmission and reception. These affect the image quality and the frame rate. Therefore optimization of parameter...

Sigmoid stenosis caused by diverticulitis vs. carcinoma: usefulness of sonographic features for their differentiation in the emergency setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ripollés, Tomás; Martínez-Pérez, María Jesús; Gómez Valencia, Diana Patricia; Vizuete, José; Martín, Gregorio

2015-10-01

To retrospectively evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound as a diagnostic method for differentiating acute diverticulitis from colon cancer in patients with sigmoid colon stenosis. Ultrasound examinations of 91 consecutive patients with sigmoid stenosis (50 diverticulitis and 41 colon cancers) were reviewed by two trained radiologists. Sixty-five (71%) patients presented with acute abdominal symptoms. Thirteen sonographic criteria retrieved from the literature were evaluated to differentiate benign from malignant strictures. A score including all parameters which showed significant differences between benign vs. malignant was built. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive or negative predictive values of each sonographic sign, the overall diagnosis, and sonographic score were calculated. Loss of the bowel wall stratification was the most reliable criteria for the diagnosis of malignancy (92% and 94% of sensitivity and specificity, respectively), and the best inter-radiologist agreement (κ = 0.848). Adjacent lymph nodes were the most specific feature (98%) for colon cancer, but its sensitivity was low. Global assessment could differentiate both diseases with high sensitivity (92-94.9%) and specificity (98-100%). Sonographic score >3 enabled differentiation of carcinoma from diverticulitis with 95% sensitivity and 92-94% specificity, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.98-0.987. There were no significant differences in the results between patients with acute and nonacute abdominal symptoms. The combination of several morphological sonographic findings using a score can differentiate most cases of diverticulitis from colon carcinoma in sigmoid strictures.

Image quality assessment using deep convolutional networks

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yezhou; Ye, Xiang; Li, Yong

2017-12-01

This paper proposes a method of accurately assessing image quality without a reference image by using a deep convolutional neural network. Existing training based methods usually utilize a compact set of linear filters for learning features of images captured by different sensors to assess their quality. These methods may not be able to learn the semantic features that are intimately related with the features used in human subject assessment. Observing this drawback, this work proposes training a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) with labelled images for image quality assessment. The ReLU in the CNN allows non-linear transformations for extracting high-level image features, providing a more reliable assessment of image quality than linear filters. To enable the neural network to take images of any arbitrary size as input, the spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) is introduced connecting the top convolutional layer and the fully-connected layer. In addition, the SPP makes the CNN robust to object deformations to a certain extent. The proposed method taking an image as input carries out an end-to-end learning process, and outputs the quality of the image. It is tested on public datasets. Experimental results show that it outperforms existing methods by a large margin and can accurately assess the image quality on images taken by different sensors of varying sizes.

The study of surgical image quality evaluation system by subjective quality factor method

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian J.; Xuan, Jason R.; Yang, Xirong; Yu, Honggang; Koullick, Edouard

2016-03-01

GreenLightTM procedure is an effective and economical way of treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH); there are almost a million of patients treated with GreenLightTM worldwide. During the surgical procedure, the surgeon or physician will rely on the monitoring video system to survey and confirm the surgical progress. There are a few obstructions that could greatly affect the image quality of the monitoring video, like laser glare by the tissue and body fluid, air bubbles and debris generated by tissue evaporation, and bleeding, just to name a few. In order to improve the physician's visual experience of a laser surgical procedure, the system performance parameter related to image quality needs to be well defined. However, since image quality is the integrated set of perceptions of the overall degree of excellence of an image, or in other words, image quality is the perceptually weighted combination of significant attributes (contrast, graininess …) of an image when considered in its marketplace or application, there is no standard definition on overall image or video quality especially for the no-reference case (without a standard chart as reference). In this study, Subjective Quality Factor (SQF) and acutance are used for no-reference image quality evaluation. Basic image quality parameters, like sharpness, color accuracy, size of obstruction and transmission of obstruction, are used as subparameter to define the rating scale for image quality evaluation or comparison. Sample image groups were evaluated by human observers according to the rating scale. Surveys of physician groups were also conducted with lab generated sample videos. The study shows that human subjective perception is a trustworthy way of image quality evaluation. More systematic investigation on the relationship between video quality and image quality of each frame will be conducted as a future study.

Modified-BRISQUE as no reference image quality assessment for structural MR images.

Science.gov (United States)

Chow, Li Sze; Rajagopal, Heshalini

2017-11-01

An effective and practical Image Quality Assessment (IQA) model is needed to assess the image quality produced from any new hardware or software in MRI. A highly competitive No Reference - IQA (NR - IQA) model called Blind/Referenceless Image Spatial Quality Evaluator (BRISQUE) initially designed for natural images were modified to evaluate structural MR images. The BRISQUE model measures the image quality by using the locally normalized luminance coefficients, which were used to calculate the image features. The modified-BRISQUE model trained a new regression model using MR image features and Difference Mean Opinion Score (DMOS) from 775 MR images. Two types of benchmarks: objective and subjective assessments were used as performance evaluators for both original and modified-BRISQUE models. There was a high correlation between the modified-BRISQUE with both benchmarks, and they were higher than those for the original BRISQUE. There was a significant percentage improvement in their correlation values. The modified-BRISQUE was statistically better than the original BRISQUE. The modified-BRISQUE model can accurately measure the image quality of MR images. It is a practical NR-IQA model for MR images without using reference images. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

False Negative Mammogram of Breast Cancer : Analysis of Mammographic and Sonographic Findings and Correlation with Clinical Findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kil Jun; Lee, Ji Yeon; Han, Sung Nim; Jeong, Seong Ki; Tae, Seok; Shin, Kyoung Ja; Lee, Sang Chun

1995-01-01

Recent mammographic equipment have been of good quality and yielded high diagnostic accuracy for the detection of breast cancer. However, negative mammogram does not necessarily rule out breast cancer. Therefore were viewed cause of false negative mammography in confirmed breast cancer to improve diagnostic accuracy and for adequate clinical approach. We reviewed 19 cases of confirmed breast cancer, which showed false negative mammography with positive sonographic findings. Retrospective analysis was done by correlating the patient's age, sonographic finding and mass size, mammographic breast pattern and cause of false negative mammogram, and clinical symptoms. Among the 5 patients below 35 years in age, mass was not visible due to dense breast in 4 and due to small size in 1 case. In 14 patients over 35 years in age, 11 had normal mammographic findings, 4 had dense breast, and 7 had small sized mass. Remaining 3 cases showed asymmetric density in 2 and architecture distortion in 1 case. All showed mass lesion in sonography : ill defined malignant appearance in 14,well defined malignant appearance in 2, and well defined benign in 3 cases. Negative mammogram should be correlated with sonography in case of dense breast, below 35 years in age with palpable mass and under risk for breast cancer

Children's (Pediatric) Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... waves from passing into your body. The sonographer (ultrasound technologist) or radiologist then places the transducer on the skin in various locations, sweeping over the area of interest or angling the ... ultrasound images are reviewed. An ultrasound examination is usually ...

Quality assurance for image-guided radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marinello, Ginette

2008-01-01

The topics discussed include, among others, the following: Quality assurance program; Image guided radiotherapy; Commissioning and quality assurance; Check of agreement between visual and displayed scales; quality controls: electronic portal imaging device (EPID), MV-kV and kV-kV, cone-beam CT (CBCT), patient doses. (P.A.)

Hashimoto thyroiditis: Part 2, sonographic analysis of benign and malignant nodules in patients with diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Lauren; Middleton, William D; Teefey, Sharlene A; Reading, Carl C; Langer, Jill E; Desser, Terry; Szabunio, Margaret M; Mandel, Susan J; Hildebolt, Charles F; Cronan, John J

2010-07-01

The purpose of this article is to compare sonographic features of benign and malignant nodules in patients with diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis. As part of an ongoing multiinstitutional study, patients who underwent ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration of one or more thyroid nodules were analyzed for a variety of predetermined sonographic features. Patients with a sonographic appearance consistent with diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis and with coexisting nodules that could be confirmed to be benign or malignant by fine-needle aspiration or surgical pathologic analysis were included in the study. Among nodules within diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis, 84% (69/82) were benign (35 nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis, 32 nodular hyperplasia, and two follicular adenoma), and 16% (13/82) were malignant (12 papillary carcinoma and one lymphoma). Malignant nodules were more likely to be solid and hypoechoic (62% vs 19%). All types of calcifications were more prevalent among malignant nodules, including microcalcifications (39% vs 0%), nonspecific tiny bright reflectors (39% vs 6%), macrocalcifications (15% vs 3%), and eggshell (15% vs 2%). Benign nodules were more likely to be hyperechoic (46% vs 9%), to have a halo (39% vs 15%), and to lack calcifications (88% vs 23%). Benign nodules more often had ill-defined margins (36% vs 8%). Sonographic features of benign and malignant nodules within diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis are generally similar to the features typical of benign and malignant nodules in the general population. If calcifications of any type are added to the list of malignant sonographic features, the decision to biopsy a nodule in patients with diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis can be based on recommendations that have been published previously.

Image quality and dose in computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jurik, A.G.; Jessen, K.A.; Hansen, J.

1997-01-01

Radiation exposure to the patient during CT is relatively high, and it is therefore important to optimize the dose so that it is as low as possible but still consistent with required diagnostic image quality. There is no established method for measuring diagnostic image quality; therefore, a set of image quality criteria which must be fulfilled for optimal image quality was defined for the retroperitoneal space and the mediastinum. The use of these criteria for assessment of image quality was tested based on 113 retroperitoneal and 68 mediastinal examinations performed in seven different CT units. All the criteria, except one, were found to be usable for measuring diagnostic image quality. The fulfilment of criteria was related to the radiation dose given in the different departments. By examination of the retroperitoneal space the effective dose varied between 5.1 and 20.0 mSv (milli Sievert), and there was a slight correlation between dose and high percent of ''yes'' score for the image quality criteria. For examination of the mediastinum the dose range was 4.4-26.5 mSv, and there was no significant increment of image quality at high doses. The great variation of dose at different CT units was due partly to differences regarding the examination procedure, especially the number of slices and the mAs (milli ampere second), but inherent dose variation between different scanners also played a part. (orig.). With 6 figs., 6 tabs

Sonographic appearance of cervical lymphadenopathy due to infectious mononucleosis in children and young adults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, X.S.; Guo, L.M.; Lv, K.; Wang, L.; Ran, W.Q.; Tan, Q.T.; Wang, J.R.; Liu, X.

2014-01-01

Aim: To depict the grey-scale and Doppler features of cervical lymphadenopathy due to infectious mononucleosis (IM) and to compare the findings with other benign conditions and lymphoma. Materials and methods: One hundred and four patients <30 years old with 138 enlarged lymph nodes (LNs) were enrolled for sonographic analysis. These LNs were grouped as: IM LNs (59 LNs in 30 patients), lymphoma (30 LNs in 30 patients), bacterial lymphadenitis (24 LNs in 20 patients), tuberculosis (TB; 14 LNs in 13 patients), and reactive hyperplasia (11 LNs in 11 patients). Sonographic assessments included shape, echotexture, hilum, border, matting, cystic necrosis, calcification, and vascular pattern. For each sonographic feature, Fisher's exact test was performed to determine whether the difference between IM LNs and any another aetiology were statistically significant. Results: IM LNs tended to be round in shape (69%), heterogeneous in echotexture (61%), absent of echogenic hilum (66%), indistinct margins (80%), bilateral distribution (91%), and matting (83%) [even bilateral matting (66%)], and central hilar vascularity (89.8%). On analysis, bilateral matting had the highest specificity to IM LNs; however, its sensitivity was relatively low. In contrast to IM LNs, TB LNs were more likely to have unilateral matting, cystic necrosis, and calcification. Indistinct margins and decreased echogenicity of the hilum were more frequently seen in IM LNs than in bacterial LNs. Furthermore, central hilar vascularity was a common feature of IM LNs and other benignity, which can distinguish these from lymphoma and TB LNs. Conclusion: Although an individual sonographic feature had considerable overlaps between IM LNs and other aetiologies, the combination of several features may be helpful in the diagnosis of IM

Sonographic biometry of liver size among Igbo school age children of South east, Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eze, Charles Ugwoke; Agwu, Kenneth Kalu; Ezeasor, Daniel Nwagbo; Aronu, Ann Ebele

2013-01-01

Background: The endemic diseases in the locality which are associated with changes in liver size necessitate sonographic biometry of this organ. Objectives: To establish by ultrasonography the normal limits and variations of the liver size according to age, sex, height, weight, body surface area and body mass index among school age children. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, hospital based study done at university of Nigeria medical center, Nsukka between January 2011 and June 2011. Participants included 947 apparently healthy subjects comprising 496 boys and 451 girls aged 6–17 years. The intra- and inter rater reliability of sonographic measurement of the liver size was determined. The sonographic examination was performed on Shenzhen DP-1100 machine with 3.5 MHz convex transducer. The longitudinal dimension of the liver was obtained in the midclavicular plane with the subject in deep inspiration. The weight and height of the subjects were obtained with the participants wearing light weight street clothes without shoes. Results: Measurement of liver length was reliable within and between sonographers. The mean of the liver length was 116.3 ± 10.6 mm. Dimension of the liver was not statistically different in boys and girls (p > 0.05). Height correlated best with the liver dimension followed by age, body surface area, weight, body mass index, and sex. The percentile curves, normal limits and prediction model of the liver dimension were defined according to height of the subjects. Conclusion: Determination of pathologic changes in the size of the liver necessitates knowing the normal ranges of dimension for the liver especially with respect to height in this population

Retinal image quality assessment based on image clarity and content

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel-Hamid, Lamiaa; El-Rafei, Ahmed; El-Ramly, Salwa; Michelson, Georg; Hornegger, Joachim

2016-09-01

Retinal image quality assessment (RIQA) is an essential step in automated screening systems to avoid misdiagnosis caused by processing poor quality retinal images. A no-reference transform-based RIQA algorithm is introduced that assesses images based on five clarity and content quality issues: sharpness, illumination, homogeneity, field definition, and content. Transform-based RIQA algorithms have the advantage of considering retinal structures while being computationally inexpensive. Wavelet-based features are proposed to evaluate the sharpness and overall illumination of the images. A retinal saturation channel is designed and used along with wavelet-based features for homogeneity assessment. The presented sharpness and illumination features are utilized to assure adequate field definition, whereas color information is used to exclude nonretinal images. Several publicly available datasets of varying quality grades are utilized to evaluate the feature sets resulting in area under the receiver operating characteristic curve above 0.99 for each of the individual feature sets. The overall quality is assessed by a classifier that uses the collective features as an input vector. The classification results show superior performance of the algorithm in comparison to other methods from literature. Moreover, the algorithm addresses efficiently and comprehensively various quality issues and is suitable for automatic screening systems.

REMOTE SENSING IMAGE QUALITY ASSESSMENT EXPERIMENT WITH POST-PROCESSING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Jiang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper briefly describes the post-processing influence assessment experiment, the experiment includes three steps: the physical simulation, image processing, and image quality assessment. The physical simulation models sampled imaging system in laboratory, the imaging system parameters are tested, the digital image serving as image processing input are produced by this imaging system with the same imaging system parameters. The gathered optical sampled images with the tested imaging parameters are processed by 3 digital image processes, including calibration pre-processing, lossy compression with different compression ratio and image post-processing with different core. Image quality assessment method used is just noticeable difference (JND subject assessment based on ISO20462, through subject assessment of the gathered and processing images, the influence of different imaging parameters and post-processing to image quality can be found. The six JND subject assessment experimental data can be validated each other. Main conclusions include: image post-processing can improve image quality; image post-processing can improve image quality even with lossy compression, image quality with higher compression ratio improves less than lower ratio; with our image post-processing method, image quality is better, when camera MTF being within a small range.

The sonographic appearance and obstetric management of placenta accreta

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Charleen Sze-yan; Chan, Ben Chong-pun

2012-01-01

Placenta accreta is a condition of abnormal placental implantation in which the placental tissue invades beyond the decidua basalis. It may invade into or even through the myometrium and adjacent organs, such as the urinary bladder. The incidence has been rising in recent years. It is one of the important obstetric complications nowadays, leading to significant maternal morbidity and mortality. In the past, this condition was often diagnosed at the time of delivery when massive and unexpected hemorrhage occurred. Hysterectomy, associated with significant physical and psychological consequences, was usually the only management option. As more obstetricians have become aware of this condition, early identification with antenatal imaging diagnostic technology has become possible. Ultrasound scan plays an important role in the antenatal diagnosis. Various sonographic features with different specificity and sensitivity have been described in the literature. In equivocal cases, magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful. With such information, more accurate counseling can be offered to the mothers and their families before delivery. The delivery can also be arranged at a favorable time and in an institution where multidisciplinary support is available. Input from a hematologist, interventional radiologist, intensive care physician, urology surgeon, and/or other specialist are desirable. Apart from hysterectomy, various forms of conservative management can also be considered when the diagnosis is made prior to delivery. Fertility can therefore be preserved. After delivery, with or without hysterectomy performed, psychological support to the mothers and their families is essential. PMID:23239929

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia: a study of the mammographic and sonographic features

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Celliers, L., E-mail: liesl.celliers@health.wa.gov.a [Department of Radiology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia (Australia); Wong, D.D. [PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Nedlands, Western Australia (Australia); Bourke, A. [Department of Radiology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia (Australia)

2010-02-15

Aim: To review the imaging features on mammogram and ultrasound of pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) of the breast. Materials and methods: A systematic search of the breast cancer screening centre and pathology department database at a teaching hospital was performed to identify cases reported as PASH between 2000 and 2007. The findings on mammogram and ultrasound were reviewed. Information on demographics and clinical outcome were obtained from the patient's medical records. Results: Seventy-three cases of PASH were identified, which occurred in women with a mean age of 51.1 +- 10.5 years. The mean size of the lesion was 18 mm. Up to 70.8% of cases were radiologically detected and 29.2% presented as palpable masses. The most common appearance on mammography was of a solitary, non-calcified mass (30.4%) or localized increased stroma (30.4%). The distribution of mammographic findings differed in screen-detected patients compared with those presenting clinically (p = 0.015, Fisher's exact test). The most frequent sonographic appearance was of a well-defined hypoechoic mass (36.7%). Conclusion: Although there are emerging patterns associated with PASH on imaging, the features are not sufficiently specific to allow for a prospective diagnosis. Histological confirmation, preferably with core biopsy, should always be considered.

Effect of e-learning on quality of cervical-length measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

van Os, M A; van der Ven, A J; Bloemendaal, P M; Pajkrt, E; de Groot, C J M; Mol, B W J; Haak, M C

2015-09-01

To assess the effect of implementation of a newly developed e-learning module on the quality of cervical-length measurements. With the introduction of cervical-length (CL) measurement in a research setting, a CL measurement e-learning module (CLEM) was developed with the purpose to enhance the knowledge and skills of experienced ultrasonographers. CLEM was designed specifically for ultrasonographers who perform ultrasound in a general obstetrical practice but who do not regularly perform CL measurements. CLEM consists of five theoretical questions and three caliper-placement tests to learn the CL measurement technique. The quality of the CL measurements of CLEM participants was compared with images of non-participants using a CL measurement image score (CIS), defined as the sum of six items which assess the quality of the image. Each CLEM participant submitted five CL images and the images of non-CLEM participants were selected randomly from an ultrasound database. The CIS of the CLEM participants (n = 61) were significantly higher than those of non-CLEM participants (n = 23) (164.9 vs 155.6, respectively; P = 0.03). Visualization of the internal os and positioning of the calipers on the internal and external ora were found to have significantly higher CIS among the CLEM participants than among the non-CLEM participants (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Introducing CLEM may improve the quality of CL measurements obtained by trained and untrained sonographers. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Subjective matters: from image quality to image psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorovskaya, Elena A.; De Ridder, Huib

2013-03-01

From the advent of digital imaging through several decades of studies, the human vision research community systematically focused on perceived image quality and digital artifacts due to resolution, compression, gamma, dynamic range, capture and reproduction noise, blur, etc., to help overcome existing technological challenges and shortcomings. Technological advances made digital images and digital multimedia nearly flawless in quality, and ubiquitous and pervasive in usage, provide us with the exciting but at the same time demanding possibility to turn to the domain of human experience including higher psychological functions, such as cognition, emotion, awareness, social interaction, consciousness and Self. In this paper we will outline the evolution of human centered multidisciplinary studies related to imaging and propose steps and potential foci of future research.

The prevalence and clinical significance of sonographic tendon abnormalities in asymptomatic ballet dancers: a 24-month longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Comin, Jules; Cook, Jill L; Malliaras, Peter; McCormack, Moira; Calleja, Michelle; Clarke, Andrew; Connell, David

2013-01-01

Sonographic abnormalities of the achilles and patellar tendons are common findings in athletes, and tendinopathy is a common cause of pain and disability in athletes. However, it is unclear whether the sonographic changes are pathological or adaptive, or if they predict future injury. We undertook a cohort study to determine what sonographic features of the achilles and patellar tendons are consistent with changes as a result of ballet training, and which may be predictive of future development of disabling tendon symptoms. The achilles and patellar tendons of 79 (35 male, 44 female) professional ballet dancers (members of the English Royal Ballet) were examined with ultrasound, measuring proximal and distal tendon diameters and assessing for the presence of hypoechoic change, intratendon defects, calcification and neovascularity. All subjects were followed for 24 months for the development of patellar tendon or achilles-related pain or injury severe enough to require time off from dancing. Sonographic abnormalities were common among dancers, both male and female, and in both achilles and patellar tendons. Disabling tendon-related symptoms developed in 10 dancers and 14 tendons: 7 achilles (3 right, 4 left) and 7 patellar (2 right, 5 left). The presence of moderate or severe hypoechoic defects was weakly predictive for the development of future disabling tendon symptoms (p=0.0381); there was no correlation between any of the other sonographic abnormalities and the development of symptoms. There was no relationship between achilles or patellar tendons' diameter, either proximal or distal, with an increased likelihood of developing tendon-related disability. The presence of sonographic abnormalities is common in ballet dancers, but only the presence of focal hypoechoic changes predicts the development of future tendon-related disability. This suggests that screening of asymptomatic individuals may be of use in identifying those who are at higher risk of developing

A low cost tele-imaging platform for developing countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kokou eADAMBOUNOU

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To design a low cost tele-imaging method allowing real time tele-ultrasound expertise, delayed tele-ultrasound diagnosis and tele-radiology between remote peripherals hospitals and clinics (patient centres and university hospital centres (expert centre.Materials and Methods: A system of communication via internet (IP camera and remote access software enabling transfer of ultrasound videos and images between two centres, allows a real time tele-radiology expertise in the presence of a junior sonographer or radiologist at the patient centre. In the absence of a sonographer or radiologist at the patient centre, a 3D reconstruction program allows a delayed tele-ultrasound diagnosis with images acquired by a lay operator (e.g. midwife, nurse, technician. The system was tested both with high and low bandwidth. The system can further accommodate non-ultrasound tele-radiology (conventional radiography, mammography and computer tomography for example. The system was tested on 50 patients between CHR Tsevie in Togo (40km from Lomé-Togo and 4500km from Tours-France and CHU Campus at Lomé and CHU Trousseau in Tours.Results: A real time tele-expertise was successfully performed with a delay of approximately 1.5 seconds with an internet bandwidth of around 1Mbps (IP Camera and 512kbps (remote access software. A delayed tele-ultrasound diagnosis was also performed with satisfactory results. The transmission of radiological images from the patient centre to the expert centre was of adequate quality. Delayed tele-ultrasound and tele-radiology was possible even in the presence of a low bandwidth internet connection. Conclusion: This tele-imaging method, requiring nothing by readily available and inexpensive technology and equipment, offers a major opportunity for telemedicine in developing countries.

Improving the Image Quality of Synthetic Transmit Aperture Ultrasound Images - Achieving Real-Time In-Vivo Imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gammelmark, Kim

in-vivo experiments, showed, that TMS imaging can increase the SNR by as much as 17 dB compared to the traditional imaging techniques, which improves the in-vivo image quality to a highly competitive level. An in-vivo evaluation of convex array TMS imaging for abdominal imaging applications......-vivo imaging, and that the obtained image quality is highly competitive with the techniques applied in current medical ultrasound scanners. Hereby, the goals of the PhD have been successfully achieved.......Synthetic transmit aperture (STA) imaging has the potential to increase the image quality of medical ultrasound images beyond the levels obtained by conventional imaging techniques (linear, phased, and convex array imaging). Currently, however, in-vivo applications of STA imaging is limited...

Shwachman-Diamond syndrome: clinical, radiological and sonographic findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berrocal, T.; Simon, M.J.; Al-Assir, I.; Prieto, C.; Pastor, I.; Pablo, L. de; Lama, R.

1995-01-01

Six children with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome have been diagnosed and treated in our hospital since 1986. We describe the radiological and sonographic findings of this rare disease, which is characterized by metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, neutropenia and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. It presents with varying extremity shortening, ''cup'' deformation of the ribs, metaphyseal widening and hypoplasia of the iliac bones, as well as increased echogenicity of the normal-sized pancreas. We discuss the differential diagnosis and review the literature. (orig.)

Shwachman-Diamond syndrome: clinical, radiological and sonographic aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berrocal, T.; Simon, M.J.; Al-Assir, I.; Prieto, C.; Pastor, I.; Pablo, L. de; Lama, R.

1995-01-01

Six children with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome have been diagnosed and treated in our hospital since 1986. We describe the radiological and sonographic findings of this rare disease which is characterized by metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, neutropenia and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. It presents with variable extremity shortening, ''cup'' deformation of the ribs, metaphyseal widening and hypoplasia of the iliac bones, and increased echogenicity of the pancreas without change in size. We discuss the differential diagnosis and review the literature. (orig.)

Shwachman-Diamond syndrome: clinical, radiological and sonographic findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berrocal, T. [Servicio de Radiologia Pediatrica, Hospital Infantil `La Paz`, Madrid (Spain); Simon, M.J. [Servicio de Radiologia Pediatrica, Hospital Infantil `La Paz`, Madrid (Spain); Al-Assir, I. [Servicio de Radiologia Pediatrica, Hospital Infantil `La Paz`, Madrid (Spain); Prieto, C. [Servicio de Radiologia Pediatrica, Hospital Infantil `La Paz`, Madrid (Spain); Pastor, I. [Servicio de Radiologia Pediatrica, Hospital Infantil `La Paz`, Madrid (Spain); Pablo, L. de [Servicio de Radiologia Pediatrica, Hospital Infantil `La Paz`, Madrid (Spain); Lama, R. [Servicio de Gastroenterologia, Hospital Infantil `La Paz`, Madrid (Spain)

1995-07-01

Six children with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome have been diagnosed and treated in our hospital since 1986. We describe the radiological and sonographic findings of this rare disease, which is characterized by metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, neutropenia and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. It presents with varying extremity shortening, ``cup`` deformation of the ribs, metaphyseal widening and hypoplasia of the iliac bones, as well as increased echogenicity of the normal-sized pancreas. We discuss the differential diagnosis and review the literature. (orig.)

Shwachman-Diamond syndrome: clinical, radiological and sonographic aspects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berrocal, T. [Dept. of Pediatric Radiology, `La Paz` Children`s Hospital, Madrid (Spain); Simon, M.J. [Dept. of Pediatric Radiology, `La Paz` Children`s Hospital, Madrid (Spain); Al-Assir, I. [Dept. of Pediatric Radiology, `La Paz` Children`s Hospital, Madrid (Spain); Prieto, C. [Dept. of Pediatric Radiology, `La Paz` Children`s Hospital, Madrid (Spain); Pastor, I. [Dept. of Pediatric Radiology, `La Paz` Children`s Hospital, Madrid (Spain); Pablo, L. de [Dept. of Pediatric Radiology, `La Paz` Children`s Hospital, Madrid (Spain); Lama, R. [Dept. of Gastroenterology, `La Paz` Children`s Hospital, Madrid (Spain)

1995-06-01

Six children with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome have been diagnosed and treated in our hospital since 1986. We describe the radiological and sonographic findings of this rare disease which is characterized by metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, neutropenia and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. It presents with variable extremity shortening, ``cup`` deformation of the ribs, metaphyseal widening and hypoplasia of the iliac bones, and increased echogenicity of the pancreas without change in size. We discuss the differential diagnosis and review the literature. (orig.)

Likelihood ratio-based differentiation of nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis and papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients with sonographically evident diffuse hashimoto thyroiditis: preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liang; Xia, Yu; Jiang, Yu-Xin; Dai, Qing; Li, Xiao-Yi

2012-11-01

To assess the efficacy of sonography for discriminating nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis from papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients with sonographically evident diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis. This study included 20 patients with 24 surgically confirmed Hashimoto thyroiditis nodules and 40 patients with 40 papillary thyroid carcinoma nodules; all had sonographically evident diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis. A retrospective review of the sonograms was performed, and significant benign and malignant sonographic features were selected by univariate and multivariate analyses. The combined likelihood ratio was calculated as the product of each feature's likelihood ratio for papillary thyroid carcinoma. We compared the abilities of the original sonographic features and combined likelihood ratios in diagnosing nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis and papillary thyroid carcinoma by their sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index. The diagnostic capabilities of the sonographic features varied greatly, with Youden indices ranging from 0.175 to 0.700. Compared with single features, combinations of features were unable to improve the Youden indices effectively because the sensitivity and specificity usually changed in opposite directions. For combined likelihood ratios, however, the sensitivity improved greatly without an obvious reduction in specificity, which resulted in the maximum Youden index (0.825). With a combined likelihood ratio greater than 7.00 as the diagnostic criterion for papillary thyroid carcinoma, sensitivity reached 82.5%, whereas specificity remained at 100.0%. With a combined likelihood ratio less than 1.00 for nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis, sensitivity and specificity were 90.0% and 92.5%, respectively. Several sonographic features of nodular Hashimoto thyroiditis and papillary thyroid carcinoma in a background of diffuse Hashimoto thyroiditis were significantly different. The combined likelihood ratio may be superior to original sonographic features for

The effect of sonographers' professional self-concept on job satisfaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Sung Hee; Choi, Jeong Mee; Lee, Ji Soo

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a method to improve the job satisfaction of sonograpers by analyzing the factors affecting professional self-concept and job satisfaction. For data collection, total 141 sonographers working in Busan took part in the structured questionnaire survey. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS. For verification of the professional self-concept and job satisfaction, independent t-test and one way ANOVA were executed. When the statistical significance was verified, Sheffe was used for post hoc test. As a result, professional self-concept and job satisfaction were higher when got married, and also when a proper salary was paid according to work experience and professional qualification was acquired. In addition, the factors that have the greatest effect on the job satisfaction were analyzed as professional self concept. In conclusion, in order to improve the job satisfaction of sonographers, it is necessary not only to establish a professional qualification system for the job skill development but also to provide an appropriate compensation system according to work experience

Actualization regarding genetic sonographic markers in the 1 trimester of pregnancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trull Martinez, Felicia Amaralis; Pimentel Benitez, Hector; Garcia Borrego, Aniorland; Medina Ali, Frank Ernesto

2010-01-01

The topic of sonographic markers in the first trimester of pregnancy is reviewed, in order to provide an update. The predictive markers on the most frequent congenital anomalies are emphasized. It was concluded with important aspects that should be considered for a correct interpretation of these findings

Value of first trimester epidemiologic and sonographic markers as chromosome-diseases risk indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llanusa Ruiz, Celia; Nodarse Rodriguez, Alfredo; Vazquez, Yovany Enrique; Carrillo Bermudez, Lourdes; Sanchez Lombana, Rita

2009-01-01

Prenatal screening of chromosomal anomalies using epidemiological and sonographic markers during the first trimester, allow identifying pregnant with high risk of chromosome disease; we offer the cytogenetics prenatal diagnosis as option

No-reference image quality assessment for horizontal-path imaging scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Rios, Carlos; Gladysz, Szymon

2013-05-01

There exist several image-enhancement algorithms and tasks associated with imaging through turbulence that depend on defining the quality of an image. Examples include: "lucky imaging", choosing the width of the inverse filter for image reconstruction, or stopping iterative deconvolution. We collected a number of image quality metrics found in the literature. Particularly interesting are the blind, "no-reference" metrics. We discuss ways of evaluating the usefulness of these metrics, even when a fully objective comparison is impossible because of the lack of a reference image. Metrics are tested on simulated and real data. Field data comes from experiments performed by the NATO SET 165 research group over a 7 km distance in Dayton, Ohio.

The effect of image sharpness on quantitative eye movement data and on image quality evaluation while viewing natural images

Science.gov (United States)

Vuori, Tero; Olkkonen, Maria

2006-01-01

The aim of the study is to test both customer image quality rating (subjective image quality) and physical measurement of user behavior (eye movements tracking) to find customer satisfaction differences in imaging technologies. Methodological aim is to find out whether eye movements could be quantitatively used in image quality preference studies. In general, we want to map objective or physically measurable image quality to subjective evaluations and eye movement data. We conducted a series of image quality tests, in which the test subjects evaluated image quality while we recorded their eye movements. Results show that eye movement parameters consistently change according to the instructions given to the user, and according to physical image quality, e.g. saccade duration increased with increasing blur. Results indicate that eye movement tracking could be used to differentiate image quality evaluation strategies that the users have. Results also show that eye movements would help mapping between technological and subjective image quality. Furthermore, these results give some empirical emphasis to top-down perception processes in image quality perception and evaluation by showing differences between perceptual processes in situations when cognitive task varies.

Quality of radiation field imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petr, I.

1988-01-01

The questions were studied of the quality of imaging the gamma radiation field and of the limits of the quality in directional detector scanning. A resolution angle was introduced to quantify the imaging quality, and its relation was sought with the detection effective half-angle of the directional detector. The resolution angle was defined for the simplest configuration of the radiation field consisting of two monoenergetic gamma beams in one plane. It was shown that the resolution angle decreases, i.e., resolution in imaging the radiation field is better, with the effective half-angle of the directional detector. It was also found that resolution of both gamma beams deteriorated when the beams were surrounded with an isotropic background field. If the beams are surrounded with a background field showing general distribution, the angle size will be affected not only by the properties of the detector but also by the distribution of the ambient radiation field and the method of its scanning. The method described can be applied in designing a directional detector necessary for imaging the presumed radiation field in the required quality. (Z.M.). 4 figs., 3 refs

Quality assessment for online iris images

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Makinana, S

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Iris recognition systems have attracted much attention for their uniqueness, stability and reliability. However, performance of this system depends on quality of iris image. Therefore there is a need to select good quality images before features can...

Increased Frame Rate for Plane Wave Imaging Without Loss of Image Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jonas; Stuart, Matthias Bo; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

2015-01-01

Clinical applications of plane wave imaging necessitate the creation of high-quality images with the highest possible frame rate for improved blood flow tracking and anatomical imaging. However, linear array transducers create grating lobe artefacts, which degrade the image quality especially...... in the near field for λ-pitch transducers. Artefacts can only partly be suppressed by increasing the number of emissions, and this paper demonstrates how the frame rate can be increased without loss of image quality by using λ/2-pitch transducers. The number of emissions and steering angles are optimized...

Quality Assessment of Hepatic Ultrasound Images Examined After a Medical Check-up

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Pyo Nyun; Kim, Kyung Won; Byun, Jae Ho [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2009-03-15

This study was designed to determine problems associated with liver ultrasonography for healthy individuals after a medical examination by the evaluation of sonographic images. A total of 353 patients randomly selected from 341 institutions underwent liver ultrasonography. Among the patients, 14 patients were excluded from the study as they possessed digital images that were not accessible (n = 10) or underwent ultrasonography (n = 4) that did not involve the liver. Two experts each with a ten-year experience in the interpretation of ultrasonography analyzed the images with consensus based on the assessment of liver ultrasonography established by the Korean Society of Ultrasound in Medicine. The images of 339 patients consisted of digital images (n =135), films (n = 14) and prints on paper (n = 190). A total of 3514 images (range, 1-39: mean number of images per patient,10.4) were obtained from 339 patients. Of the patients, there were 232 (68.4%) patients with eight good images and 231 patients had a score greater than 60 points. The mean percent score was 64.9 for general information, 63.8 for technical information and 50.5 for a standard examination. The mean percent score for a longitudinal scan of the common bile duct and vertical scan of the left lobe were low at 20.1 and 28.9, respectively. The number of good images was sufficient at 10.4, but patient information was not exact, ultrasonographic equipment was not adjusted and a standard examination was not applied. As these findings were based on examiner ignorance and indifference, education or certification for examiners should be required

Quality Assessment of Hepatic Ultrasound Images Examined After a Medical Check-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Pyo Nyun; Kim, Kyung Won; Byun, Jae Ho

2009-01-01

This study was designed to determine problems associated with liver ultrasonography for healthy individuals after a medical examination by the evaluation of sonographic images. A total of 353 patients randomly selected from 341 institutions underwent liver ultrasonography. Among the patients, 14 patients were excluded from the study as they possessed digital images that were not accessible (n = 10) or underwent ultrasonography (n = 4) that did not involve the liver. Two experts each with a ten-year experience in the interpretation of ultrasonography analyzed the images with consensus based on the assessment of liver ultrasonography established by the Korean Society of Ultrasound in Medicine. The images of 339 patients consisted of digital images (n =135), films (n = 14) and prints on paper (n = 190). A total of 3514 images (range, 1-39: mean number of images per patient,10.4) were obtained from 339 patients. Of the patients, there were 232 (68.4%) patients with eight good images and 231 patients had a score greater than 60 points. The mean percent score was 64.9 for general information, 63.8 for technical information and 50.5 for a standard examination. The mean percent score for a longitudinal scan of the common bile duct and vertical scan of the left lobe were low at 20.1 and 28.9, respectively. The number of good images was sufficient at 10.4, but patient information was not exact, ultrasonographic equipment was not adjusted and a standard examination was not applied. As these findings were based on examiner ignorance and indifference, education or certification for examiners should be required

Reproducibility of phantom-based quality assurance parameters in real-time ultrasound imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Sipilä, Outi; Blomqvist, Päivi; Jauhiainen, Mervi; Kilpeläinen, Tiina; Malaska, Paula; Mannila, Vilma; Vinnurva-Jussila, Tuula; Virsula, Sari

2011-07-01

In a large radiological center, the ultrasound (US) quality assurance (QA) program involves several professionals. Although the operator and the parameters utilized can contribute to the results, the selected QA parameters should still reflect the quality of the US scanner, not the measuring process. To evaluate the reproducibility of recommended phantom-based US QA parameters in a realistic environment. Six sonographers measured six high-end US scanners with 20 transducers using a general purpose phantom. Every transducer was measured altogether seven times, using one frequency per transducer. The QA parameters studied were homogeneity, visualization depth, vertical and horizontal distance measurements, axial and lateral resolution, and the correct visibility of anechoic and high-contrast masses. The evaluation of the homogeneity was based on visual observations. Inter-observer interquartile ranges were computed for the grading of the masses. For the other QA parameters, the mean inter- and intra-observer coefficients of variation (CoV) were calculated. In addition, the symmetry of the reverberations when imaging air with a clean transducer was checked. The mean inter-observer CoVs were: visualization depth 11 ± 4%, vertical distance 1.7 ± 0.4%, horizontal distance 1.4 ± 0.6%, axial resolution 22 ± 7%, and lateral resolution 16 ± 8%. The mean intra-observer values were about half of these values with similar standard deviations. The visual evaluation of the homogeneity and the symmetry of the reverberations produced false-positive findings in 5% of the cases, but were found useful in detecting a defective transducer. The grading of the masses had mean interquartile ranges of 20-30% of the grading scale. The inter-observer variability in measuring phantom-based QA parameters can be relatively high. This should be considered when implementing a phantom-based QA protocol and evaluating the results.

Protocol for the realization of venous mapping by chronic venous insufficiency in lower limbs under sonographic guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanco Rojas, Diego Jose

2013-01-01

The current state of knowledge is reviewed with respect to the realization of lower limbs venous mapping. Venous mapping is obtained by the use of color and spectral Doppler ultrasound. Doppler ultrasound has provided a precise graphical representation of the superficial and deep venous systems. The performance of the venous mapping is considered essential for the correct handling of venous diseases. The anatomical and pathophysiological basic concepts are defined to realize the sonographic assessment of the veins of the lower limbs. The required technical aspects are revised for the realization of sonographic exploration of the patient with venous insufficiency. Sonographic findings are characterized to support the diagnostic of venous insufficiency of the lower limbs. The CEAP (clinical-etiologic-anatomic-pathophysiologic) classification is utilized to differentiate forms and degrees of severity of the disorder, and has allowed an interinstitutional comparison in clinical studies, the evaluation of treatment and monitoring of patients. A proposal is designed to perform reports that have served of guide surgical to vascular surgeons [es

Image quality and dose in mammographic images obtained in Mexico City hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiz-Trejo, C.; Brandan, M.-E.; Verdejo, M.; Flores, A.; Guevara, M.; Martin, J.; Madero-Preciado, L.

2001-01-01

The performance of three mammographic systems in large Mexican hospitals has been evaluated, as well as the image quality and associated dose. Quality control tests include examination of X-ray equipment, darkroom conditions, film processor, and viewboxes. Systems referred to as '1', '2', and '3' passed 50%, 75% and 75% of these tests, respectively. Quality image is assessed using five images obtained under similar nominal conditions in each X-ray equipment. System 1 generates no image of acceptable quality, while equipment 2 and 3 produce one and two, respectively. The mean glandular dose for the best images obtained in each service with an accreditation phantom has been measured, and the values are 1.4 mGy, 1.6 mGy, and 1.0 mGy, respectively. (author)

Value of sonography in establishing severity of liver cirrhosis:correlation of sonographic features with Childclass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Byung Ihn; KIm, Ho Chul; Shin, Yong Moon; Kim, Chu Wan; Lee, Hyo suk; Kim, Chung Yong

1993-01-01

This prospective study was designed to investigate the utility of sonography in establishing severity of liver cirrhosis as compared with Child class in clinical creteria. Seventy-our consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis were examined with sonography. This study included 50 males and 24 females, aged 35 to 72 years (mean ; 51) The number of patients in child A,B, and C group was 30,29,15 respectively. Sonographic features evaluated were hepatic parenchymal echo pattern, presence of nodularity of hepatic surface, degree of hepatic sonic attenuation,degree of obliteration of wall echo of the intrahepatic portal vein, size of the main portal vein, thickness of the gallbladder wall, size of the spleen, and presence of ascites. Each sonographic features was graded from 0 to depending upon the degree of severity, and was correlated with Child class of liver cirrhosis. Hepatic parenchymal echo pattern, presence of nodularity of hepatic surface, thickness of gallbladder wall, and presence of ascites were correlated well with Child class (p 0.05). In conclusion, these results indicate that careful evaluation of sonographic features are helpful in predicting severity of liver cirrhosis

CLINICAL AND SONOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF SYNOVITIS ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS DURING THERAPY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Petrov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The inflammatory process in the synovial membrane (SM, which may be a main cause of chronic pain in many patients, is one of the most significant components in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA.Objective: to study the time course of clinical and sonographic changes in patients with knee OA who used different symptomatic slow-acting agents, such as chondroitin sulfate (CS, glucosamine sulfate (GS, and diacerein, during an 18-month follow-up period in general clinical practice.Subjects and methods. The investigation enrolled 86 knee OA patients who took CS and/or GS in combination with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs and/or paracetamol in an outpatient setting for 12 months. Clinical and ultrasound (US studies of the affected knee joints (KJ were performed at the study inclusion and 12 and 18 months after follow-up initiation. The signs of active synovitis were considered to be increased synovial thickness of up to at least 3 mm and articular fluid accumulation, as evidenced by KJ US study. After 12 months, 36 patients in whom the clinical and sonographic signs of active synovitis persisted were divided into two groups: 1 19 patients took diacerein instead of CS/GS for the following 6 months; 2 17 patients in whom the treatment regimen remained unchanged.Results and discussion. 60.4% of the patients with knee OA were observed to have the sonographic signs of active synovitis, which were weakly correlated with the sizes of osteophytes and the thickness of the hyaline cartilage (r < 0.37. The rate of synovitis decreased to 41.9% during 12-month CS/GS therapy. The patients with persistent sonographically active synovitis had higher visual analogue scale and WOMAC pain scores (p < 0.05, as well as high C-reactive protein levels. They needed the more frequent and longer intake of NSAIDs and paracetamol. During the following 6 months, there was a reduction in the signs of active synovitis, as evidenced by US study, in 78

The value of Sonographic measurement of cervical length and fetal fibronectin testing in predicting preterm delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeki Salar

2007-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of both fetal fibronectin and sonographic measurement of cervical length in women with preterm labor provides a better prediction than the individual tests alone.\tMETHODS: We examined 40 women with singleton pregnancies presenting at 24–35 (median 31 weeks of gestation with regular and painful uterine contractions, intact membranes and cervical dilatation of less than 3 cm. On admission to the hospital, fetal fibronectin positivity in cervicovaginal secretions was determined and transvaginal sonographic measurement of cervical length was carried out. The primary outcome measure was delivery within 14 days of presentation.\tRESULTS: Total of 40 eligible women at a mean gestational age of 28,3±4,8 weeks were enrolled from a population of 196 subjects screened. The overall prevalence of preterm delivery CONCLUSIONS: Combined the assessment of fetal fibronectin in cervico-vaginal secretions and the sonographic cervical length measurement improve the prediction of preterm delivery within 14 days in women with threatened preterm labor

Sonographic demonstration of Cruveilhier-Baumgarten (CB) syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulze, P J; Vogel, H M

1982-02-01

The term 'CB syndrome' comprises the presence of umbilical vein collateral circulation due to portal hypertension associated with cirrhosis or other recognizable structural anomalies of the liver. Usually the dilated remnant of the umbilical vein is the main collateral pathway. Demonstration of this structure not only indicates the presence of portal hypertension but also that the underlying obstruction is intra- or posthepatic rather than prehepatic. This paper reports sonographic visualization of CB syndrome in 23 patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Questions of differential diagnosis and nomenclature are discussed with respect to developmental and anatomical preconditions.

Sonographic demonstration of Cruveilhier-Baumgarten (CB) syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulze, P.J.; Vogel, H.M.

1982-01-01

The term 'CB syndrome' comprises the presence of umbilical vein collateral circulation due to portal hypertension associated with cirrhosis or other recognizable structural anomalies of the liver. Usually the dilated remnant of the umbilical vein is the main collateral pathway. Demonstration of this structure not only indicates the presence of portal hypertension but also that the underlying obstruction is intra- or posthepatic rather than prehepatic. This paper reports sonographic visualization of CB syndrome in 23 patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Questions of differential diagnosis and nomenclature are discussed with respect to developmental and anatomical preconditions. (orig.)

Objective and Subjective Assessment of Digital Pathology Image Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prarthana Shrestha

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The quality of an image produced by the Whole Slide Imaging (WSI scanners is of critical importance for using the image in clinical diagnosis. Therefore, it is very important to monitor and ensure the quality of images. Since subjective image quality assessments by pathologists are very time-consuming, expensive and difficult to reproduce, we propose a method for objective assessment based on clinically relevant and perceptual image parameters: sharpness, contrast, brightness, uniform illumination and color separation; derived from a survey of pathologists. We developed techniques to quantify the parameters based on content-dependent absolute pixel performance and to manipulate the parameters in a predefined range resulting in images with content-independent relative quality measures. The method does not require a prior reference model. A subjective assessment of the image quality is performed involving 69 pathologists and 372 images (including 12 optimal quality images and their distorted versions per parameter at 6 different levels. To address the inter-reader variability, a representative rating is determined as a one-tailed 95% confidence interval of the mean rating. The results of the subjective assessment support the validity of the proposed objective image quality assessment method to model the readers’ perception of image quality. The subjective assessment also provides thresholds for determining the acceptable level of objective quality per parameter. The images for both the subjective and objective quality assessment are based on the HercepTestTM slides scanned by the Philips Ultra Fast Scanners, developed at Philips Digital Pathology Solutions. However, the method is applicable also to other types of slides and scanners.

STANDARDIZING QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF FUSED REMOTELY SENSED IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Pohl

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The multitude of available operational remote sensing satellites led to the development of many image fusion techniques to provide high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution images. The comparison of different techniques is necessary to obtain an optimized image for the different applications of remote sensing. There are two approaches in assessing image quality: 1. Quantitatively by visual interpretation and 2. Quantitatively using image quality indices. However an objective comparison is difficult due to the fact that a visual assessment is always subject and a quantitative assessment is done by different criteria. Depending on the criteria and indices the result varies. Therefore it is necessary to standardize both processes (qualitative and quantitative assessment in order to allow an objective image fusion quality evaluation. Various studies have been conducted at the University of Osnabrueck (UOS to establish a standardized process to objectively compare fused image quality. First established image fusion quality assessment protocols, i.e. Quality with No Reference (QNR and Khan's protocol, were compared on varies fusion experiments. Second the process of visual quality assessment was structured and standardized with the aim to provide an evaluation protocol. This manuscript reports on the results of the comparison and provides recommendations for future research.

Standardizing Quality Assessment of Fused Remotely Sensed Images

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, C.; Moellmann, J.; Fries, K.

2017-09-01

The multitude of available operational remote sensing satellites led to the development of many image fusion techniques to provide high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution images. The comparison of different techniques is necessary to obtain an optimized image for the different applications of remote sensing. There are two approaches in assessing image quality: 1. Quantitatively by visual interpretation and 2. Quantitatively using image quality indices. However an objective comparison is difficult due to the fact that a visual assessment is always subject and a quantitative assessment is done by different criteria. Depending on the criteria and indices the result varies. Therefore it is necessary to standardize both processes (qualitative and quantitative assessment) in order to allow an objective image fusion quality evaluation. Various studies have been conducted at the University of Osnabrueck (UOS) to establish a standardized process to objectively compare fused image quality. First established image fusion quality assessment protocols, i.e. Quality with No Reference (QNR) and Khan's protocol, were compared on varies fusion experiments. Second the process of visual quality assessment was structured and standardized with the aim to provide an evaluation protocol. This manuscript reports on the results of the comparison and provides recommendations for future research.

Sonographic Appearance of a Solitary Intramuscular Cysticercosis: A Case Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Ju Hee; Joo, Seung Ho; Shim, Joo Eun; Kim, Yee Jeong; Oh, Hyun Cheol; Kim, Tae Hwan

2009-01-01

The development of antiparasitic drugs and public health strategies has reduced the prevalence of cysticercosis in South Korea. In contrast, the disease is still endemic in Southeast Asia. The influx of immigrants from endemic areas has been on the increase. We report the sonographic and pathological findings of cysticercosis that presented as an intramuscular solitary mass in a 27-year-old Philippine woman

Sonographic Appearance of a Solitary Intramuscular Cysticercosis: A Case Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moon, Ju Hee; Joo, Seung Ho; Shim, Joo Eun; Kim, Yee Jeong; Oh, Hyun Cheol; Kim, Tae Hwan [NHIC Ilsan Hospital, Ilsan (Korea, Republic of)

2009-03-15

The development of antiparasitic drugs and public health strategies has reduced the prevalence of cysticercosis in South Korea. In contrast, the disease is still endemic in Southeast Asia. The influx of immigrants from endemic areas has been on the increase. We report the sonographic and pathological findings of cysticercosis that presented as an intramuscular solitary mass in a 27-year-old Philippine woman

Objective masurement of image quality in fluoroscopic x-ray equipment FluoroQuality

CERN Document Server

Tapiovaara, M

2003-01-01

The report describes FluoroQuality, a computer program that is developed in STUK and used for measuring the image quality in medical fluoroscopic equipment. The method is based on the statistical decision theory (SDT) and the main measurement result is given in terms of the accumulation rate of the signal-to-noise ratio squared (SNR sup 2 sub r sub a sub t sub e). In addition to this quantity several other quantities are measured. These quantities include the SNR of single image frames, the spatio-temporal noise power spectrum and the temporal lag. The measurement method can be used, for example, for specifying the image quality in fluoroscopic images, for optimising the image quality and dose rate in fluoroscopy and for quality control of fluoroscopic equipment. The theory behind the measurement method is reviewed and the measurement of the various quantities is explained. An example of using the method for optimising a specified fluoroscopic procedure is given. The User's Manual of the program is included a...

Image quality evaluation of full reference algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

He, Nannan; Xie, Kai; Li, Tong; Ye, Yushan

2018-03-01

Image quality evaluation is a classic research topic, the goal is to design the algorithm, given the subjective feelings consistent with the evaluation value. This paper mainly introduces several typical reference methods of Mean Squared Error(MSE), Peak Signal to Noise Rate(PSNR), Structural Similarity Image Metric(SSIM) and feature similarity(FSIM) of objective evaluation methods. The different evaluation methods are tested by Matlab, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are obtained by analyzing and comparing them.MSE and PSNR are simple, but they are not considered to introduce HVS characteristics into image quality evaluation. The evaluation result is not ideal. SSIM has a good correlation and simple calculation ,because it is considered to the human visual effect into image quality evaluation,However the SSIM method is based on a hypothesis,The evaluation result is limited. The FSIM method can be used for test of gray image and color image test, and the result is better. Experimental results show that the new image quality evaluation algorithm based on FSIM is more accurate.

No-reference visual quality assessment for image inpainting

Science.gov (United States)

Voronin, V. V.; Frantc, V. A.; Marchuk, V. I.; Sherstobitov, A. I.; Egiazarian, K.

2015-03-01

Inpainting has received a lot of attention in recent years and quality assessment is an important task to evaluate different image reconstruction approaches. In many cases inpainting methods introduce a blur in sharp transitions in image and image contours in the recovery of large areas with missing pixels and often fail to recover curvy boundary edges. Quantitative metrics of inpainting results currently do not exist and researchers use human comparisons to evaluate their methodologies and techniques. Most objective quality assessment methods rely on a reference image, which is often not available in inpainting applications. Usually researchers use subjective quality assessment by human observers. It is difficult and time consuming procedure. This paper focuses on a machine learning approach for no-reference visual quality assessment for image inpainting based on the human visual property. Our method is based on observation that Local Binary Patterns well describe local structural information of the image. We use a support vector regression learned on assessed by human images to predict perceived quality of inpainted images. We demonstrate how our predicted quality value correlates with qualitative opinion in a human observer study. Results are shown on a human-scored dataset for different inpainting methods.

Neonatal adrenal hemorrhage presenting as "Acute Scrotum"-looking beyond the obvious: a sonographic insight.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatt, Shuchi; Ahmad, Mohammad; Batra, Prerna; Tandon, Anupama; Roy, Satarupa; Mandal, Samrat

2017-09-01

Acute swelling and discoloration of scrotum in new born can have many localized causes like testicular torsion, inguinal hernia, scrotal or testicular edema, hydrocele, or even remote causes like adrenal hemorrhage. We report a neonate of adrenal hemorrhage presenting clinically as acute scrotum misguiding the clinician to rule out a local scrotal pathology. As the local clinical examination is not reliable in a newborn, it definitely requires an imaging evaluation to establish the diagnosis. This case report emphasizes being aware of the clinical association of acute adrenal hemorrhage and an acute scrotum and the role of ultrasonography in the evaluation of the various differential diagnoses leading to an acute scrotum. An optimum sonographic examination helps in suspecting an abdominal pathology as a cause of acute scrotum and in establishing the specific diagnosis of adrenal hemorrhage to avoid an unnecessary surgical exploration.

High-quality compressive ghost imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Heyan; Zhou, Cheng; Tian, Tian; Liu, Dongqi; Song, Lijun

2018-04-01

We propose a high-quality compressive ghost imaging method based on projected Landweber regularization and guided filter, which effectively reduce the undersampling noise and improve the resolution. In our scheme, the original object is reconstructed by decomposing of regularization and denoising steps instead of solving a minimization problem in compressive reconstruction process. The simulation and experimental results show that our method can obtain high ghost imaging quality in terms of PSNR and visual observation.

Vaginal progesterone in women with an asymptomatic sonographic short cervix in the midtrimester decreases preterm delivery and neonatal morbidity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Romero, Roberto; Nicolaides, Kypros; Conde-Agudelo, Agustin

2012-01-01

To determine whether the use of vaginal progesterone in asymptomatic women with a sonographic short cervix (≤ 25 mm) in the midtrimester reduces the risk of preterm birth and improves neonatal morbidity and mortality.......To determine whether the use of vaginal progesterone in asymptomatic women with a sonographic short cervix (≤ 25 mm) in the midtrimester reduces the risk of preterm birth and improves neonatal morbidity and mortality....

Developing and validating a psychometric scale for image quality assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mraity, H.; England, A.; Hogg, P.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Using AP pelvis as a catalyst, this paper explains how a psychometric scale for image quality assessment can be created using Bandura's theory for self-efficacy. Background: Establishing an accurate diagnosis is highly dependent upon the quality of the radiographic image. Image quality, as a construct (i.e. set of attributes that makes up the image quality), continues to play an essential role in the field of diagnostic radiography. The process of assessing image quality can be facilitated by using criteria, such as the European Commission (EC) guidelines for quality criteria as published in 1996. However, with the advent of new technology (Computed Radiography and Digital Radiography), some of the EC criteria may no longer be suitable for assessing the visual quality of a digital radiographic image. Moreover, a lack of validated visual image quality scales in the literature can also lead to significant variations in image quality evaluation. Creating and validating visual image quality scales, using a robust methodology, could reduce variability and improve the validity and reliability of perceptual image quality evaluations

Performance evaluation of no-reference image quality metrics for face biometric images

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xinwei; Pedersen, Marius; Charrier, Christophe; Bours, Patrick

2018-03-01

The accuracy of face recognition systems is significantly affected by the quality of face sample images. The recent established standardization proposed several important aspects for the assessment of face sample quality. There are many existing no-reference image quality metrics (IQMs) that are able to assess natural image quality by taking into account similar image-based quality attributes as introduced in the standardization. However, whether such metrics can assess face sample quality is rarely considered. We evaluate the performance of 13 selected no-reference IQMs on face biometrics. The experimental results show that several of them can assess face sample quality according to the system performance. We also analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different IQMs as well as why some of them failed to assess face sample quality. Retraining an original IQM by using face database can improve the performance of such a metric. In addition, the contribution of this paper can be used for the evaluation of IQMs on other biometric modalities; furthermore, it can be used for the development of multimodality biometric IQMs.

Sonographic evaluation of digital annular pulley tears

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinoli, C.; Derchi, L.E.; Bianchi, S.; Garcia, J.F.; Nebiolo, M.

2000-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the sonographic (US) appearance of digital annular pulley (DAP) tears in high-level rock climbers. Design and patients. We performed a retrospective analysis of the US examinations of 16 high-level rock climbers with clinical signs of DAP lesions. MRI and surgical evaluation were performed in five and three patients respectively. The normal US and MRI appearances of DAP were evaluated in 40 and three normal fingers respectively. Results. Nine of 16 patients presented a DAP tear. In eight subjects (seven with complete tears involving the fourth finger and one the fifth finger), US diagnosis was based on the indirect sign of volar bowstringing of the flexor tendons. Injured pulleys were not appreciated by US. Tears concerned the A2 and A3 in six patients and the A3 and A4 in two patients. A2 pulley thickening and hypoechogenicity compatible with a partial tear was demonstrated in one patient. MRI and surgical data correlated well with the US findings. Four patients had tenosynovitis of the flexor tendons but no evidence of pulley disruption. US examinations of three patients were normal. In the healthy subjects US demonstrated DAP in 16 of 40 digits. Conclusion. US can diagnose DAP tears and correlates with the MRI and surgical data. Because of its low cost and non-invasiveness we suggest US as the first imaging modality in the evaluation of injuries of the digital pulley. (orig.)

Sonographic evaluation of digital annular pulley tears

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinoli, C.; Derchi, L.E. [Istituto di Radiologia, Universita di Genova, Genoa (Italy); Bianchi, S.; Garcia, J.F. [Dept. de Radiologie, Hopital Cantonal Universitaire de Geneve (Switzerland); Nebiolo, M. [Reparto Pronto Soccorso Medico, Pietra Ligure (Italy)

2000-07-01

Objective. To evaluate the sonographic (US) appearance of digital annular pulley (DAP) tears in high-level rock climbers. Design and patients. We performed a retrospective analysis of the US examinations of 16 high-level rock climbers with clinical signs of DAP lesions. MRI and surgical evaluation were performed in five and three patients respectively. The normal US and MRI appearances of DAP were evaluated in 40 and three normal fingers respectively. Results. Nine of 16 patients presented a DAP tear. In eight subjects (seven with complete tears involving the fourth finger and one the fifth finger), US diagnosis was based on the indirect sign of volar bowstringing of the flexor tendons. Injured pulleys were not appreciated by US. Tears concerned the A2 and A3 in six patients and the A3 and A4 in two patients. A2 pulley thickening and hypoechogenicity compatible with a partial tear was demonstrated in one patient. MRI and surgical data correlated well with the US findings. Four patients had tenosynovitis of the flexor tendons but no evidence of pulley disruption. US examinations of three patients were normal. In the healthy subjects US demonstrated DAP in 16 of 40 digits. Conclusion. US can diagnose DAP tears and correlates with the MRI and surgical data. Because of its low cost and non-invasiveness we suggest US as the first imaging modality in the evaluation of injuries of the digital pulley. (orig.)

The influence of environment temperature on SEM image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Li; Liu, Junshan

2015-01-01

As the structure dimension goes down to the nano-scale, it often requires a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to provide image magnification up to 100 000  ×. However, SEM images at such a high magnification usually suffer from high resolution value and low signal-to-noise ratio, which results in low quality of the SEM image. In this paper, the quality of the SEM image is improved by optimizing the environment temperature. The experimental results indicate that at 100 000  ×, the quality of the SEM image is influenced by the environment temperature, whereas at 50 000  × it is not. At 100 000  × the best SEM image quality can be achieved from the environment temperature ranging 292 from 294 K, and the SEM image quality evaluated by the double stimulus continuous quality scale method can increase from grade 1 to grade 5. It is expected that this image quality improving method can be used in routine measurements with ordinary SEMs to get high quality images by optimizing the environment temperature. (paper)

ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF IMAGE QUALITY ON DIGITAL MAP GENERATION FROM SATELLITE IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Kim

2012-07-01

Full Text Available High resolution satellite images are widely used to produce and update a digital map since they became widely available. It is well known that the accuracy of digital map produced from satellite images is decided largely by the accuracy of geometric modelling. However digital maps are made by a series of photogrammetric workflow. Therefore the accuracy of digital maps are also affected by the quality of satellite images, such as image interpretability. For satellite images, parameters such as Modulation Transfer Function(MTF, Signal to Noise Ratio(SNR and Ground Sampling Distance(GSD are used to present images quality. Our previous research stressed that such quality parameters may not represent the quality of image products such as digital maps and that parameters for image interpretability such as Ground Resolved Distance(GRD and National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale(NIIRS need to be considered. In this study, we analyzed the effects of the image quality on accuracy of digital maps produced by satellite images. QuickBird, IKONOS and KOMPSAT-2 imagery were used to analyze as they have similar GSDs. We measured various image quality parameters mentioned above from these images. Then we produced digital maps from the images using a digital photogrammetric workstation. We analyzed the accuracy of the digital maps in terms of their location accuracy and their level of details. Then we compared the correlation between various image quality parameters and the accuracy of digital maps. The results of this study showed that GRD and NIIRS were more critical for map production then GSD, MTF or SNR.

Sonographic Findings of Chondral Avulsion Fractures of the Lateral Ankle Ligaments in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeda, Manabu; Maeda, Nana; Takaoka, Takanori; Tanaka, Yasuhito

2017-02-01

In this series, we aimed to describe the sonographic findings of chondral avulsion fractures that develop concomitant with lateral ankle ligament injury in children. We performed stress sonography during a manual anterior drawer stress procedure of the ankle in 9 skeletally immature patients who had recently had a lateral ankle sprain. Echo videos were obtained through the course of treatment, and all videos were reviewed. We elucidated the common features of chondral avulsion fractures of the lateral ankle ligaments in the children. The features of avulsion fractures on conventional sonography included absence of a fracture with hyperechoic spots (sonographic occult fracture type), cortical discontinuity with hyperechoic spots (cortical disruption fracture type), fracture line in the cortical bone (double-line fracture type), and a step-off deformity of the cortical bone with cartilage (displaced fracture type). In contrast, the features of chondral fractures on stress sonography included abnormal motion of the chondral lesions and mobility/fluidity of hyperechoic spots along the chondral fracture site. The presence of hyperechoic spots around the chondral lesion is an important sonographic sign for diagnosing chondral fractures concomitant with ankle lateral ligament injury. Hence, we believe that stress sonography should be considered for the detection of chondral fractures concomitant with radiographically negative ankle lateral ligament injuries in skeletally immature patients with lateral ankle pain and ankle sprains, if hyperechoic spots are present in the cartilage of the distal fibula. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Small breed dogs with confirmed stroke: concurrent diseases and sonographic findings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.F. Carvalho

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA are important causes of neurological clinical signs in dogs. The objective of this work was to describe concurrent diseases and ultrasonographic features in dogs with CVA confirmed through postmortem evaluation. All medical records of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCDUS examinations performed in 512 dogs between 2007 and 2009 were reviewed, searching for history and clinical diagnosis, as well as sonographic and histological results. Forty-two dogs were selected, showing acute onset of clinical signs with no progressive focal cerebral dysfunction and diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease confirmed at necropsy. Concurrent diseases and conditions were: cerebral amyloid microangiopathy (33%, endocrinopathies (31%, coagulopathy (24%, Schnauzer hyperlipemia (7% and unknown (5%. The relation between sonography and histology results indicated 100% sensitivity and 90% specificity for focal lesion detection. A diffuse decrease in echogenicity was related to inflammatory diseases and/or edema with 62% sensitivity. A diffuse increase in echogenicity has 100% sensitivity and was usually related to aging changes. This study showed the occurrence of coexisting diseases with CVA and sonographic features of these conditions in small breed dogs.

The effect of sonographers' professional self-concept on job satisfaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Sung Hee [Dept. of Radiology, Ilsin Christian Hospital, Ilsan (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jeong Mee [School of Liberal Arts, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ji Soo [Dept. of Radiology, University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2017-09-15

The purpose of this study was to develop a method to improve the job satisfaction of sonograpers by analyzing the factors affecting professional self-concept and job satisfaction. For data collection, total 141 sonographers working in Busan took part in the structured questionnaire survey. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS. For verification of the professional self-concept and job satisfaction, independent t-test and one way ANOVA were executed. When the statistical significance was verified, Sheffe was used for post hoc test. As a result, professional self-concept and job satisfaction were higher when got married, and also when a proper salary was paid according to work experience and professional qualification was acquired. In addition, the factors that have the greatest effect on the job satisfaction were analyzed as professional self concept. In conclusion, in order to improve the job satisfaction of sonographers, it is necessary not only to establish a professional qualification system for the job skill development but also to provide an appropriate compensation system according to work experience.

Sonographic appearance of a partial rupture of the supinator muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chih-Chun; Chiou, Hong-Jen; Kao, Chung-Lan; Chan, Rai-Chi

2008-05-01

We report the case of a 51-year-old woman who experienced pain and swelling in the right forearm after spinning cotton. History taking and physical examinations helped identify a tear of the supinator muscle, which was confirmed via sonographic examination. To our knowledge, this article is the first report of a supinator muscle tear diagnosed with sonography. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008.

Hepatic abscess versus peripheral cholangiocarcinoma: Sonographic differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Hwan Hoon; Kim, Yun Hwan; Kang, Chang Ho; Chung, Kyoo Byung; Suh, Won Hyuck [Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Chang Hee [Kunkuk University College of Medicine, Chung-Ju Hospital, Chung-Ju (Korea, Republic of)

2000-12-15

To find out the sonographic findings that are useful to differentiate hepatic abscess from peripheral cholangiocarcinoma. Twenty-two hepatic abscesses and 22 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas which had been confirmed histologically were included in this study. Objective points were echo characteristics of the lesion, internal septation, presence of peripheral low echoic rim, demarcation from normal liver(well or poorly defined), posterior enhancement, multiplicity, dilatation of bile duct(obstructive or non-obstructive), intrahepatic duct stone, pleural effusion, and intra-abdominal fluid collection. Echo characteristics of the lesion were classified in-to four types. Type I; Predominantly echogenic with hypoechoic portion, type II; Echogenic without hypoechoic portion, type III; Predominantly hypoechoic with echogenic portion, type IV; Hypoechoic without echogenic portion. 1)Nine abscesses and 2 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas were type I(p=0.037), 2)One abscess and 18 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas were type II(p=0.001), 3)Seven abscesses and none of peripheral cholangiocarcinomas were type III(p=0.001), 4)Five abscesses and 2 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas were type IV(p=0.410). Only 7 abscesses showed internal septations(p=0.013). One abscess and 9 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas showed peripheral hypoechoic halos(p=0.012). Only 9 peripheral cholangiocarcinomas showed obstructive bile duct dilatation (p=0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between abscess and peripheral cholangiocarcinoma on other objective points. Predominantly echogenic with hypoechoic portion, predominantly hypoechoic with echogenic portion, and internal septation are the features suggestive of hepatic abscess, and echogenic without hypoechoic portion, peripheral hypoechoic halo, obstructive bile duct dilatation are suggestive of peripheral cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore these sonographic findings are helpful to differentiate hepatic abscess from peripheral

Improving high resolution retinal image quality using speckle illumination HiLo imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiaolin; Bedggood, Phillip; Metha, Andrew

2014-08-01

Retinal image quality from flood illumination adaptive optics (AO) ophthalmoscopes is adversely affected by out-of-focus light scatter due to the lack of confocality. This effect is more pronounced in small eyes, such as that of rodents, because the requisite high optical power confers a large dioptric thickness to the retina. A recently-developed structured illumination microscopy (SIM) technique called HiLo imaging has been shown to reduce the effect of out-of-focus light scatter in flood illumination microscopes and produce pseudo-confocal images with significantly improved image quality. In this work, we adopted the HiLo technique to a flood AO ophthalmoscope and performed AO imaging in both (physical) model and live rat eyes. The improvement in image quality from HiLo imaging is shown both qualitatively and quantitatively by using spatial spectral analysis.

Sonographic diagnosis of intramural hematoma of gastrointestinal tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Seong Ku; Cheon, S. K.; Seong, N. G.

1989-01-01

Sonographic findings of nine cases of intramural hematoma of the gastrointestinal tract are presented. The duodenum was the most common site, followed by the ascending colon and the stomach. Intramural hematomas present as centrally or eccentrically located bowel mass of variable echogenicity: heter-ogeneously echogenic in six cases; hypoechoic in two case; anechoic in one case. In five cases of duodenal hematoma, the stomach and/or duodenal bulb were distended and filled with fluid. It is concluded that ultrasonography is a simple and useful tool in the diagnosis of intramural hematoma of the intestine

Learning Receptive Fields and Quality Lookups for Blind Quality Assessment of Stereoscopic Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Feng; Lin, Weisi; Wang, Shanshan; Jiang, Gangyi; Yu, Mei; Dai, Qionghai

2016-03-01

Blind quality assessment of 3D images encounters more new challenges than its 2D counterparts. In this paper, we propose a blind quality assessment for stereoscopic images by learning the characteristics of receptive fields (RFs) from perspective of dictionary learning, and constructing quality lookups to replace human opinion scores without performance loss. The important feature of the proposed method is that we do not need a large set of samples of distorted stereoscopic images and the corresponding human opinion scores to learn a regression model. To be more specific, in the training phase, we learn local RFs (LRFs) and global RFs (GRFs) from the reference and distorted stereoscopic images, respectively, and construct their corresponding local quality lookups (LQLs) and global quality lookups (GQLs). In the testing phase, blind quality pooling can be easily achieved by searching optimal GRF and LRF indexes from the learnt LQLs and GQLs, and the quality score is obtained by combining the LRF and GRF indexes together. Experimental results on three publicly 3D image quality assessment databases demonstrate that in comparison with the existing methods, the devised algorithm achieves high consistent alignment with subjective assessment.

Image Quality in High-resolution and High-cadence Solar Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Denker, C.; Dineva, E.; Balthasar, H.; Verma, M.; Kuckein, C.; Diercke, A.; González Manrique, S. J.

2018-03-01

Broad-band imaging and even imaging with a moderate bandpass (about 1 nm) provides a photon-rich environment, where frame selection (lucky imaging) becomes a helpful tool in image restoration, allowing us to perform a cost-benefit analysis on how to design observing sequences for imaging with high spatial resolution in combination with real-time correction provided by an adaptive optics (AO) system. This study presents high-cadence (160 Hz) G-band and blue continuum image sequences obtained with the High-resolution Fast Imager (HiFI) at the 1.5-meter GREGOR solar telescope, where the speckle-masking technique is used to restore images with nearly diffraction-limited resolution. The HiFI employs two synchronized large-format and high-cadence sCMOS detectors. The median filter gradient similarity (MFGS) image-quality metric is applied, among others, to AO-corrected image sequences of a pore and a small sunspot observed on 2017 June 4 and 5. A small region of interest, which was selected for fast-imaging performance, covered these contrast-rich features and their neighborhood, which were part of Active Region NOAA 12661. Modifications of the MFGS algorithm uncover the field- and structure-dependency of this image-quality metric. However, MFGS still remains a good choice for determining image quality without a priori knowledge, which is an important characteristic when classifying the huge number of high-resolution images contained in data archives. In addition, this investigation demonstrates that a fast cadence and millisecond exposure times are still insufficient to reach the coherence time of daytime seeing. Nonetheless, the analysis shows that data acquisition rates exceeding 50 Hz are required to capture a substantial fraction of the best seeing moments, significantly boosting the performance of post-facto image restoration.

Assessment of intra-interobserver reliability of the sonographic optic nerve sheath diameter measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuba Cimilli Ozturk

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Diagnosis and measuring the level of increase in intracranial pressure (ICP is critical, especially for the management of trauma patients in the emergency department and intensive care unit. However, measurements are operator-dependent as in all of the sonographic diagnoses. The aim of this study is to assess the operator variations in the measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD. There were four emergency medicine specialists involved in the study. Each had at least 1 year of experience of ultrasound scans and performed at least 25 prior ocular scans examining the ONSD. Two measurements were made 1 week apart from both axial and longitudinal planes. Sixty healthy adults were involved in the study and every investigator obtained four measurements from each. Intra-interobserver reliabilities were tested. The investigators performed 60 ocular ultrasounds on individual healthy adults and obtained two measurements in axial and longitudinal planes 1 week apart. Therefore, 960 measurements were analyzed. The levels of compatibilities for most of the measurements were found at acceptable levels statistically. However, it is not possible to say that there was a perfect compatibility among the sonographers according to the previously conducted reliability studies of ultrasound measurements. According to our results, it is hard to say that sonographic measurement of the ONSD is a highly reliable method both in longitudinal and transverse planes.

Pancreatic changes in cystic fibrosis: CT and sonographic appearances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daneman, A.; Gaskin, K.; Martin, D.J.; Cutz, E.

1983-01-01

The computed tomographic (CT) and sonographic appearances of the late stages of pancreatic damage in three patients with cystic fibrosis are illustrated. All three had severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency with steatorrhea. In two patients CT revealed complete fatty replacement of the entire pancreas. In the third, increased echogenicity of the pancreas on sonography and the inhomogeneous attenuation on CT were interpreted as being the result of a combination of fibrosis, fatty replacement, calcification, and probable cyst formation

Automated image quality assessment for chest CT scans.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Anthony P; Xie, Yiting; Liu, Shuang

2018-02-01

Medical image quality needs to be maintained at standards sufficient for effective clinical reading. Automated computer analytic methods may be applied to medical images for quality assessment. For chest CT scans in a lung cancer screening context, an automated quality assessment method is presented that characterizes image noise and image intensity calibration. This is achieved by image measurements in three automatically segmented homogeneous regions of the scan: external air, trachea lumen air, and descending aorta blood. Profiles of CT scanner behavior are also computed. The method has been evaluated on both phantom and real low-dose chest CT scans and results show that repeatable noise and calibration measures may be realized by automated computer algorithms. Noise and calibration profiles show relevant differences between different scanners and protocols. Automated image quality assessment may be useful for quality control for lung cancer screening and may enable performance improvements to automated computer analysis methods. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

IMAGE QUALITY FORECASTING FOR SPACE OBJECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Altukhov

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The article deals with an approach to quality predicting of the space objects images, which can be used to plan optoelectronic systems of remote sensing satellites work programs. The proposed approach is based on evaluation of the optoelectronic equipment transfer properties and calculation of indexes images quality considering the influence of the orbital shooting conditions.

Correlation between clinical fetal head station and sonographic angle of progression during the second stage of labor.

Science.gov (United States)

Perlman, Sharon; Kivilevitch, Zvi; Moran, Orit; Katorza, Eldad; Kees, Salim; Achiron, Reuven; Gilboa, Yinon

2017-08-04

To investigate the correlation between the angle of progression and the clinical fetal head station (FHS) during the second stage of labor, and to build reference range. A prospective, observational study was conducted. Women carrying singleton term pregnancies were enrolled during the second stage of labor. FHS was assessed manually by a senior obstetrician, while the angle of progression (AOP) was assessed by transperineal ultrasound (TPU). Both examiners were blinded to each others results. The correlation between the sonographic AOP and the clinical FHS was analyzed. Seventy patients comprised the study group. Clinical FHS demonstrated an excellent correlation with the sonographic measurement of AOP (Pearson's Correlation 0.642, p correlation was best described by a cubic regression according to the formula: 123.800 + 10.290 × FHS -2.889 * FHS +0.910, (r 2  = 0.423, p correlation between the clinical FHS and the TPU measured AOP. These standardized sonographic values may serve the obstetrician as a reliable, objective auxiliary tool for the evaluation of the FHS during the second stage of labor.

Image quality preferences among radiographers and radiologists. A conjoint analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ween, Borgny; Kristoffersen, Doris Tove; Hamilton, Glenys A.; Olsen, Dag Rune

2005-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the image quality preferences among radiographers and radiologists. The radiographers' preferences are mainly related to technical parameters, whereas radiologists assess image quality based on diagnostic value. Methods: A conjoint analysis was undertaken to survey image quality preferences; the study included 37 respondents: 19 radiographers and 18 radiologists. Digital urograms were post-processed into 8 images with different properties of image quality for 3 different patients. The respondents were asked to rank the images according to their personally perceived subjective image quality. Results: Nearly half of the radiographers and radiologists were consistent in their ranking of the image characterised as 'very best image quality'. The analysis showed, moreover, that chosen filtration level and image intensity were responsible for 72% and 28% of the preferences, respectively. The corresponding figures for each of the two professions were 76% and 24% for the radiographers, and 68% and 32% for the radiologists. In addition, there were larger variations in image preferences among the radiologists, as compared to the radiographers. Conclusions: Radiographers revealed a more consistent preference than the radiologists with respect to image quality. There is a potential for image quality improvement by developing sets of image property criteria

Noise Estimation and Quality Assessment of Gaussian Noise Corrupted Images

Science.gov (United States)

Kamble, V. M.; Bhurchandi, K.

2018-03-01

Evaluating the exact quantity of noise present in an image and quality of an image in the absence of reference image is a challenging task. We propose a near perfect noise estimation method and a no reference image quality assessment method for images corrupted by Gaussian noise. The proposed methods obtain initial estimate of noise standard deviation present in an image using the median of wavelet transform coefficients and then obtains a near to exact estimate using curve fitting. The proposed noise estimation method provides the estimate of noise within average error of +/-4%. For quality assessment, this noise estimate is mapped to fit the Differential Mean Opinion Score (DMOS) using a nonlinear function. The proposed methods require minimum training and yields the noise estimate and image quality score. Images from Laboratory for image and Video Processing (LIVE) database and Computational Perception and Image Quality (CSIQ) database are used for validation of the proposed quality assessment method. Experimental results show that the performance of proposed quality assessment method is at par with the existing no reference image quality assessment metric for Gaussian noise corrupted images.

Quality assurance in diagnostic radiology - assessing the fluoroscopic image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabakov, S.

1995-01-01

The X-ray fluoroscopic image has a considerably lower resolution than the radiographic one. This requires a careful quality control aiming at optimal use of the fluoroscopic equipment. The basic procedures for image quality assessment of Image Intensifier/TV image are described. Test objects from Leeds University (UK) are used as prototypes. The results from examining 50 various fluoroscopic devices are shown. Their limiting spatial resolution varies between 0.8 lp/mm (at maximum II field size) and 2.24 lp/mm (at minimum field size). The mean value of the limiting spatial resolution for a 23 cm Image Intensifier is about 1.24 lp/mm. The mean limits of variation of the contrast/detail diagram for various fluoroscopic equipment are graphically expressed. 14 refs., 1 fig. (author)

Image Quality Assessment of High-Resolution Satellite Images with Mtf-Based Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Z.; Luo, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Guo, F.; He, L.

2018-04-01

A Modulation Transfer Function (MTF)-based fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was proposed in this paper for the purpose of evaluating high-resolution satellite image quality. To establish the factor set, two MTF features and seven radiant features were extracted from the knife-edge region of image patch, which included Nyquist, MTF0.5, entropy, peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), average difference, edge intensity, average gradient, contrast and ground spatial distance (GSD). After analyzing the statistical distribution of above features, a fuzzy evaluation threshold table and fuzzy evaluation membership functions was established. The experiments for comprehensive quality assessment of different natural and artificial objects was done with GF2 image patches. The results showed that the calibration field image has the highest quality scores. The water image has closest image quality to the calibration field, quality of building image is a little poor than water image, but much higher than farmland image. In order to test the influence of different features on quality evaluation, the experiment with different weights were tested on GF2 and SPOT7 images. The results showed that different weights correspond different evaluating effectiveness. In the case of setting up the weights of edge features and GSD, the image quality of GF2 is better than SPOT7. However, when setting MTF and PSNR as main factor, the image quality of SPOT7 is better than GF2.

First trimester fetal physiologic midgut herniation: Transvaginal sonographic findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Tae Hee; Park, Yong Hyun

1999-01-01

To evaluate the sonographic features and appearance time of the physiologic midgut herniation early in pregnancy. Sonograms of 87 features ranging from 7 to 13 weeks were obtained over a 2-month period. The presence or absence, the size and echogenecity of the physiologic midgut herniation were evaluate on each examination. Disappearance of the midgut herniation was confirmed on follow-up sonogram at 13-20 weeks, 3-12 weeks after the first sonogram. The results were analyzed in terms of appearance or disappearance time of midgut herniation. In all cases of physiologic midgut herination, an echogenic mass measuring 0.4-0.7 cm wa demonstrated within the base of the umbilical cord at its insertion into the fetal abdomen. This herniation was detected in 3/6 cases (50%) at 8 weeks, in 15/16 cases (94%) at 9 weeks, in 22/24 cases (92%) at 10 weeks and in 12/27 cases (44%) at 11 weeks gestation. None of the features studied at 7 weeks and 12 weeks had a midgut herniation. Sonographic findings of a 0.4-0.7 cm sized echogenic mass within the base of the umbilical cord which appears from 8 weeks to 12 weeks pregnancy represent physiologic midgut herniation in early pregnancy and should not be confused with pathologic ventral wall defected such as omphalocele or gastroschisis.

First trimester fetal physiologic midgut herniation: Transvaginal sonographic findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Tae Hee; Park, Yong Hyun [CHA General Hospital. Pochon College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1999-06-15

To evaluate the sonographic features and appearance time of the physiologic midgut herniation early in pregnancy. Sonograms of 87 features ranging from 7 to 13 weeks were obtained over a 2-month period. The presence or absence, the size and echogenecity of the physiologic midgut herniation were evaluate on each examination. Disappearance of the midgut herniation was confirmed on follow-up sonogram at 13-20 weeks, 3-12 weeks after the first sonogram. The results were analyzed in terms of appearance or disappearance time of midgut herniation. In all cases of physiologic midgut herination, an echogenic mass measuring 0.4-0.7 cm wa demonstrated within the base of the umbilical cord at its insertion into the fetal abdomen. This herniation was detected in 3/6 cases (50%) at 8 weeks, in 15/16 cases (94%) at 9 weeks, in 22/24 cases (92%) at 10 weeks and in 12/27 cases (44%) at 11 weeks gestation. None of the features studied at 7 weeks and 12 weeks had a midgut herniation. Sonographic findings of a 0.4-0.7 cm sized echogenic mass within the base of the umbilical cord which appears from 8 weeks to 12 weeks pregnancy represent physiologic midgut herniation in early pregnancy and should not be confused with pathologic ventral wall defected such as omphalocele or gastroschisis.

Quality assurance for electronic portal imaging devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shalev, S.; Rajapakshe, R.; Gluhchev, G.; Luchka, K.

1997-01-01

Electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDS) are assuming an ever-increasing role in the verification of radiation treatment accuracy. They are used both in a passive capacity, for the determination of field displacement distributions (''setup errors''), and also in an active role whereby the patient setup is corrected on the basis of electronic portal images. In spite of their potential impact on the precision of patient treatment, there are few quality assurance procedures available, and most of the EPIDS in clinical use are subject, at best, to only perfunctory quality assurance. The goals of this work are (a) to develop an objective and reproducible test for EPID image quality on the factory floor and during installation of the EPID on site; (b) to provide the user with a simple and accurate tool for acceptance, commissioning, and routine quality control; and (c) to initiate regional, national and international collaboration in the implementation of standardized, objective, and automated quality assurance procedures. To this end we have developed an automated test in which a simple test object is imaged daily, and the spatial and contrast resolution of the EPID are automatically evaluated in terms of ''acceptable'', ''warning'' and ''stop'' criteria. Our experience over two years shows the test to be highly sensitive, reproducible, and inexpensive in time and effort. Inter-institutional trials are under way in Canada, US and Europe which indicate large variations in EPID image quality from one EPID to another, and from one center to another. We expect the new standardized quality assurance procedure to lead to improved, and consistent image quality, increased operator acceptance of the technology, and agreement on uniform standards by equipment suppliers and health care agencies. (author)

Laryngeal schwannoma: a case report with emphasis on sonographic findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Luis Ronan Marquez Ferreira de, E-mail: luisronan@gmail.com [Universidade Federal do Triangulo Mineiro (UFTM), Uberaba, MG (Brazil); De Nicola, Harley; Yamasaki, Rosiane; Pedroso, Jose Eduardo; Brasil, Osiris de Oliveira Campones do; Yamashita, Helio [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Escola Paulista de Medicina

2014-05-15

Schwannomas are benign nerve sheath tumors composed of Schwann cells, which normally produce the insulating myelin sheath covering peripheral, cranial and autonomic nerves. Twenty-five to forty-five percent of all schwannomas occur in the head and neck region, but location of such tumors in the larynx is rarely observed. The present report is aimed at describing a clinical case of laryngeal schwannoma, with emphasis on sonographic findings. (author)

[Cardiac sonographers: a unique reality in Anglo-saxon countries? The experience of an Italian echo-lab which is employing them since 1984].

Science.gov (United States)

del Mestre, Lorenzo; Compassi, Rossana; Badano, Luigi P; Monti, Maria Luisa; Ciani, Rosanna; Buiese, Simonetta; Gianfagna, Pasquale; Fioretti, Paolo M

2006-12-01

Cardiac sonographers play a key role in the management of echo-laboratories in anglo-saxon countries. In Italy, and generally in "latin" countries nearly all echocardiographic studies are performed by cardiologists. However, because of the increasing demand for echocardiography, this practice will no longer be feasible (medical schools do not graduate enough cardiologists!), and cost-effective (the cost of echocardiography performed by cardiologists only is becoming too high!). Introduction of cardiac sonographers in Italian echo-laboratories may represent a feasible and cost-effective solution to the ever increasing demand for echocardiography. In order to contribute to the debate, we report the experience of our echo-laboratory that employs cardiac sonographers since 1984.

Psychophysical evaluation of image quality : from judgment to impression

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ridder, de H.; Rogowitz, B.E.; Pappas, T.N.

1998-01-01

Designs of imaging systems, image processing algorithms etc. usually take for granted that methods for assessing perceived image quality produce unbiased estimates of the viewers' quality impression. Quality judgments, however, are affected by the judgment strategies induced by the experimental

Image quality of digital mammography images produced using wet and dry laser imaging systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al Khalifah, K.; Brindhaban, A.; AlArfaj, R.; Jassim, O.

2006-01-01

Introduction: A study was carried out to compare the quality of digital mammographic images printed or processed by a wet laser imaging system and a dedicated mammographic dry laser imaging system. Material and methods: Digital images of a tissue equivalent breast phantom were obtained using a GE Senographe 2000D digital mammography system and different target/filter combinations of the X-ray tube. These images were printed on films using the Fuji FL-IM D wet laser imaging system and the Kodak DryView 8600 dry laser imaging system. The quality of images was assessed in terms of detectability of microcalcifications and simulated tumour masses by five radiologists. In addition, the contrast index and speed index of the two systems were measured using the step wedge in the phantom. The unpaired, unequal variance t-test was used to test any statistically significant differences. Results: There were no significant (p < 0.05) differences between the images printed using the two systems in terms of microcalcification and tumour mass detectability. The wet system resulted in slightly higher contrast index while the dry system showed significantly higher speed index. Conclusion: Both wet and dry laser imaging systems can produce mammography images of good quality on which 0.2 mm microcalcifications and 2 mm tumour masses can be detected. Dry systems are preferable due to the absence of wet chemical processing and solid or liquid chemical waste. The wet laser imaging systems, however, still represent a useful alternative to dry laser imaging systems for mammography studies

The Image Quality of a Digital Chest X-Ray Radiography System: Comparison of Quantitative Image Quality Analysis and Radiologists' Visual Scoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nam, Ji Ho [Dept. of Radiology Oncology, Yongsan Hospital, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Yongsan (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Myung Jin [Dept. of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Darl; Kim, Won Taek; Kim, Yong Ho; Ki, Yong Kan; Kim, DFong Hyun; Lee, Ju Hee; Kim, Dong Won [Dept. of Radiology Oncology, Yongsan Hospital, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Yongsan (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Ho Sang [Reserach Institue for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yongsan Hospital, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Yongsan (Korea, Republic of)

2011-11-15

To evaluate the performance of imaging devices, which should be periodically monitored to maintain high quality images to the radiologists. Additionally, this evaluation may prevent patients from radiation over-exposure. The most suitable engineering standard for imaging performance evaluation of digital X-ray thoracic images was determined. IEC 62220-1 standards were used to evaluate the performance of the images. In succession, the visibilities of overall image, pneumothorax, and humerus head in anthropomorphic thoracic phantom images were used to evaluate the image qualities by radiologists. The rank correlation coefficient (p) of visual scoring by radiologists with system spatial resolution is not meaningful (p-value, p = 0.295), but is significant with image noise (p-value, p -0.9267). Finally, the noise equivalent quanta (NEQ) presents a high rank correlation for visual scoring of radiologists (p-value, p = 0.9320). Image quality evaluation of radiologists were mainly affected by imaging noise. Hence, the engineered standard for evaluating image noise is the most important index to effectively monitor the performance of X-ray images. Additionally, the NEQ can be used to evaluate the performance of radiographic systems, because it theoretically corresponds to the synthetic image quality of systems.

Image quality transfer and applications in diffusion MRI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexander, Daniel C.; Zikic, Darko; Ghosh, Aurobrata

2017-01-01

This paper introduces a new computational imaging technique called image quality transfer (IQT). IQT uses machine learning to transfer the rich information available from one-off experimental medical imaging devices to the abundant but lower-quality data from routine acquisitions. The procedure u...

MYTHS vesus reality in computed radiography image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mango, Steve; Castro, Luiz

2009-01-01

As NDE operation - particularly radiographic testing - ransition form analog to digital technologies such as computed radiography (CR), users are learning that there's more to digital image quality than meets the eye. In fact, there are ultiple factors that determine the final perceived image quality of a computed radiograph. Many of these factors are misunderstood, and some are touted as the ''key parameter'' or ''magic bullet'' in producing optiumum image quality, In reality, such claims are oversimplified, and are more marketing hype than reality. The truth?. Perceived image quality results form the cascaded effects of many factor - such as sharpness, system noise, spot size and pixel size, subject contrast, bit depth, radiographic technique, and so on. Many of these factors are within the control of rdiographers or designers of equipment and media. This paper will explain some of these key factors, dispel some of the myths surrounding them, and will show that qualities such as bigger, smaller, more, or less are not always better when it comes to CR image quality. (authors)

Evaluation of image quality of lumbar spine images: A comparison between FFE and VGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tingberg, A.; Baath, M.; Haakansson, M.; Medin, J.; Besjakov, J.; Sandborg, M.; Alm-Carlsson, G.; Mattsson, S.; Maansson, L. G.

2005-01-01

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to compare two different methods for evaluation of the quality of clinical X-ray images. Methods: Based on fifteen lumbar spine radiographs, two new sets of images were created. A hybrid image set was created by adding two distributions of artificial lesions to each original image. The image quality parameters spatial resolution and noise were manipulated and a total of 210 hybrid images were created. A set of 105 disease-free images was created by applying the same combinations of spatial resolution and noise to the original images. The hybrid images were evaluated with the free-response forced error experiment (FFE) and the normal images with visual grading analysis (VGA) by nine experienced radiologists. Results: In the VGA study, images with low noise were preferred over images with higher noise levels. The alteration of the MTF had a limited influence on the VGA score. For the FFE study, the visibility of the lesions was independent of the sharpness and the noise level. No correlation was found between the two image quality measures. Conclusions: FFE is a precise method for evaluation of image quality, but the results are only valid for the type of lesion used in the study, whereas VGA is a more general method for clinical image quality assessment. The results of the FFE study indicate that there might be a potential to lower the dose levels in lumbar spine radiography without losing important diagnostic information. (authors)

Producing quality radiographic images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cullinan, A.M.

1987-01-01

This book gives an overview of physics, equipment, imaging, and quality assurance in the radiology department. The chapters are laid out with generous use of subheads to allow for quick reference, Points are illustrated with clear, uncluttered line diagrams and well-produced images. The accompanying explanations are miniature lessons by themselves. Inserted at various points throughout the text are important notes that highlight key concepts. The chapter ''Image Evaluation and Application of Radiographic Principles'' present a systematic approach to evaluating radiographs and contains several sample radiographs to illustrate the points made

The sonographic appearance and obstetric management of placenta accreta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheung CS

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Charleen Sze-yan Cheung, Ben Chong-pun ChanDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong KongAbstract: Placenta accreta is a condition of abnormal placental implantation in which the placental tissue invades beyond the decidua basalis. It may invade into or even through the myometrium and adjacent organs, such as the urinary bladder. The incidence has been rising in recent years. It is one of the important obstetric complications nowadays, leading to significant maternal morbidity and mortality. In the past, this condition was often diagnosed at the time of delivery when massive and unexpected hemorrhage occurred. Hysterectomy, associated with significant physical and psychological consequences, was usually the only management option. As more obstetricians have become aware of this condition, early identification with antenatal imaging diagnostic technology has become possible. Ultrasound scan plays an important role in the antenatal diagnosis. Various sonographic features with different specificity and sensitivity have been described in the literature. In equivocal cases, magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful. With such information, more accurate counseling can be offered to the mothers and their families before delivery. The delivery can also be arranged at a favorable time and in an institution where multidisciplinary support is available. Input from a hematologist, interventional radiologist, intensive care physician, urology surgeon, and/or other specialist are desirable. Apart from hysterectomy, various forms of conservative management can also be considered when the diagnosis is made prior to delivery. Fertility can therefore be preserved. After delivery, with or without hysterectomy performed, psychological support to the mothers and their families is essential.Keywords: ultrasonography, hemorrhage, hysterectomy

Quality measures in applications of image restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kriete, A; Naim, M; Schafer, L

2001-01-01

We describe a new method for the estimation of image quality in image restoration applications. We demonstrate this technique on a simulated data set of fluorescent beads, in comparison with restoration by three different deconvolution methods. Both the number of iterations and a regularisation factor are varied to enforce changes in the resulting image quality. First, the data sets are directly compared by an accuracy measure. These values serve to validate the image quality descriptor, which is developed on the basis of optical information theory. This most general measure takes into account the spectral energies and the noise, weighted in a logarithmic fashion. It is demonstrated that this method is particularly helpful as a user-oriented method to control the output of iterative image restorations and to eliminate the guesswork in choosing a suitable number of iterations.

Exploratory survey of image quality on CR digital mammography imaging systems in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaona, E.; Rivera, T.; Arreola, M.; Franco, J.; Molina, N.; Alvarez, B.; Azorín, C.G.; Casian, G.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the current status of image quality and dose in computed radiographic digital mammography (CRDM) systems. Studies included CRDM systems of various models and manufacturers which dose and image quality comparisons were performed. Due to the recent rise in the use of digital radiographic systems in Mexico, CRDM systems are rapidly replacing conventional film-screen systems without any regard to quality control or image quality standards. Study was conducted in 65 mammography facilities which use CRDM systems in the Mexico City and surrounding States. The systems were tested as used clinically. This means that the dose and beam qualities were selected using the automatic beam selection and photo-timed features. All systems surveyed generate laser film hardcopies for the radiologist to read on a scope or mammographic high luminance light box. It was found that 51 of CRDM systems presented a variety of image artefacts and non-uniformities arising from inadequate acquisition and processing, as well as from the laser printer itself. Undisciplined alteration of image processing settings by the technologist was found to be a serious prevalent problem in 42 facilities. Only four of them showed an image QC program which is periodically monitored by a medical physicist. The Average Glandular Dose (AGD) in the surveyed systems was estimated to have a mean value of 2.4 mGy. To improve image quality in mammography and make more efficient screening mammographic in early detection of breast cancer is required new legislation. - Highlights: • Radiation dose in CR digital mammography (CRDM) systems was determined. • Image quality related with dose in CR digital mammography (CRDM) systems was analysed. • Image processing artefacts were observed and correlated with dose. • Measured entrance dose by TL phosphors could be good parameter for radiation protection optimization in patient

Exome sequencing for prenatal diagnosis of fetuses with sonographic abnormalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, Suzanne; Williams, Hywel; Trump, Natalie; Boustred, Christopher; Lench, Nicholas; Scott, Richard H; Chitty, Lyn S

2015-10-01

In the absence of aneuploidy or other pathogenic cytogenetic abnormality, fetuses with increased nuchal translucency (NT ≥ 3.5 mm) and/or other sonographic abnormalities have a greater incidence of genetic syndromes, but defining the underlying pathology can be challenging. Here, we investigate the value of whole exome sequencing in fetuses with sonographic abnormalities but normal microarray analysis. Whole exome sequencing was performed on DNA extracted from chorionic villi or amniocytes in 24 fetuses with unexplained ultrasound findings. In the first 14 cases sequencing was initially performed on fetal DNA only. For the remaining 10, the trio of fetus, mother and father was sequenced simultaneously. In 21% (5/24) cases, exome sequencing provided definitive diagnoses (Milroy disease, hypophosphatasia, achondrogenesis type 2, Freeman-Sheldon syndrome and Baraitser-Winter Syndrome). In a further case, a plausible diagnosis of orofaciodigital syndrome type 6 was made. In two others, a single mutation in an autosomal recessive gene was identified, but incomplete sequencing coverage precluded exclusion of the presence of a second mutation. Whole exome sequencing improves prenatal diagnosis in euploid fetuses with abnormal ultrasound scans. In order to expedite interpretation of results, trio sequencing should be employed, but interpretation can still be compromised by incomplete coverage of relevant genes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects on MR images compression in tissue classification quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santalla, H; Meschino, G; Ballarin, V

2007-01-01

It is known that image compression is required to optimize the storage in memory. Moreover, transmission speed can be significantly improved. Lossless compression is used without controversy in medicine, though benefits are limited. If we compress images lossy, where image can not be totally recovered; we can only recover an approximation. In this point definition of 'quality' is essential. What we understand for 'quality'? How can we evaluate a compressed image? Quality in images is an attribute whit several definitions and interpretations, which actually depend on the posterior use we want to give them. This work proposes a quantitative analysis of quality for lossy compressed Magnetic Resonance (MR) images, and their influence in automatic tissue classification, accomplished with these images

Image quality of cone beam CT on respiratory motion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Ke; Li Minghui; Dai Jianrong; Wang Shi

2011-01-01

In this study,the influence of respiratory motion on Cone Beam CT (CBCT) image quality was investigated by a motion simulating platform, an image quality phantom, and a kV X-ray CBCT. A total of 21 motion states in the superior-inferior direction and the anterior-posterior direction, separately or together, was simulated by considering different respiration amplitudes, periods and hysteresis. The influence of motion on CBCT image quality was evaluated with the quality indexes of low contrast visibility, geometric accuracy, spatial resolution and uniformity of CT values. The results showed that the quality indexes were affected by the motion more prominently in AP direction than in SI direction, and the image quality was affected by the respiration amplitude more prominently than the respiration period and the hysteresis. The CBCT image quality and its characteristics influenced by the respiration motion, and may be exploited in finding solutions. (authors)

Sonographic findings in primary diseases of renal pyramids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, B.K.

1987-01-01

Primary pathologic processes involving the renal pyramids such as papillary necrosis, drug-induced necrosis or calcinosis, cysts, neoplasms, and medullary nephrocalcinosis are rare. Thirty-four patients with primary renal pyramid diseases underwent US evaluation for altered morphology; a 5-MHz transducer was used. In 20 patients site-specific changes in the pyramid (e.g., papillary necrosis at the apex, small cysts at the base in medullary cystic disease, tubular calcification in MSK, corticomedullary hyperechogenicity in oxalosis) were noted on US. Sonographic delineation of the site and pattern of pathologic changes in the renal pyramid may help to identify specific diseases

Mathematical determination of image quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrett, H H

1982-01-01

The subjective term ''image quality'' is generally not easy to define and to measure. If, however, we limit ourselves, to determine certain anomalies in blurred images, then the task can be done more easily. The efficiency can in fact be measured and the results can be presented as ROC-characteristics (receiver operating characteristics). One can determine a relation between the characteristic and the noise distance of the imaging system, and this way the efficiency of an hypothetical ideal observer can be predicted. Furthermore one can compute noise distance and other statistical parameters of X-ray images distorted by quantum interference by special techniques that are founded on the so-called ''blur core''. The technique proved to be very successful in nuclear medicine, but is also valid in computerized tomography and X-ray diagnostics. The technique is explained without mathematical details. The question will be answered concerning the role mathematical analysis will play in the determination and optimization of the quality of diagnostic exposures.

Practical evaluation of clinical image quality (4). Determination of image quality in digital radiography system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katayama, Reiji

2016-01-01

Recently, for medical imaging, digital radiography systems are widely used in clinical practices. However, a study in the past reported that a patient radiation exposure level by digital radiography is in fact not lower than that by analog radiography system. High level of attention needs to be paid for over-exposure when using the conventional analog radiography with a screen and a film, as it results in high density of the film. However, for digital radiography systems, since the automatic adjusting function of image density is equipped with them, no attention for radiation dose need to be paid. Thus technologists tend to be careless and results in higher chance for over-exposure. Current digital radiography systems are high-performance in the image properties and capable of patient dose reduction. Especially, the image quality of the flat panel detector system is recognized, higher than that of the computed radiography system by imaging plates, in both objective and subjective evaluations. Therefore, we technologists are responsible for optimizing the balance between the image quality of the digital radiogram and the radiation dose required for each case. Moreover, it is also required for us as medical technologists to make effective use of such evaluation result of medical images for patients. (author)

The microcirculation image quality score: development and preliminary evaluation of a proposed approach to grading quality of image acquisition for bedside videomicroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Massey, Michael J; Larochelle, Ethan; Najarro, Gabriel; Karmacharla, Adarsh; Arnold, Ryan; Trzeciak, Stephen; Angus, Derek C; Shapiro, Nathan I

2013-12-01

Side-stream dark-field microscopy is currently used to directly visualize sublingual microcirculation at the bedside. Our experience has found inherent technical challenges in the image acquisition process. This article presents and assesses a quality assurance method to rate image acquisition quality before analysis. We identified 6 common image capture and analysis problem areas in sublingual side-stream dark-field videos: illumination, duration, focus, content, stability, and pressure. We created the "Microcirculation Image Quality Score" by assigning a score of optimal (0 points), suboptimal but acceptable (1 point), or unacceptable (10 points) to each category (for further details, go to http://www.MicroscanAnalysis.blogspot.com). We evaluated 59 videos from a convenience sample of 34 unselected, noncritically ill emergency department patients to create a test set. Two raters, blinded to each other, implemented the score. Any video with a cumulative score of 10 or higher (range, 0-60) was considered unacceptable for further analysis. We created the Microcirculation Image Quality Score and applied it to 59 videos. For this particular set of 59 videos, the mean (SD) passing quality score was 1.68 (0.90), and the mean (SD) failing quality score was 15.74 (6.19), with 27 of 59 passing the quality score less than 10. Highest failure occurred from pressure artifact. The interrater agreement for acceptability was assessed using Cohen κ for each category: illumination (κ = 1.0), duration (κ = 1.0), focus (κ = 0.91), content (κ = 0.76), stability (κ = 0.71), and pressure (κ = 0.82) and overall pass-fail rates (score >10) (κ = 0.66). Our Microcirculation Image Quality Score addresses many of the common areas where video quality can degrade. The criteria introduced are an objective way to assess the quality of image acquisition, with the goal of selecting videos of adequate quality for analysis. The interrater reliability results in our preliminary study suggest

Signet-ring cell carcinoma of the appendix: A case report with an emphasis on sonographic findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Young Jong; Kim, Hyuk Jung; Jang, Suk Ki; Yeon, Jae Woo; Kim, Ki Ho; Paik, So Ya [Daejin Medical Center, Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of)

2016-03-15

In this report, we present a rare case of primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the appendix in a 51-year-old woman with right lower quadrant pain. Since non-specific concentric appendiceal wall thickening was found in a radiologic evaluation, it was misdiagnosed as non-tumorous appendicitis. An in-depth examination of the correlation between sonographic and histopathologic findings demonstrated that a single markedly thickened hypoechoic layer was well correlated with the diffuse infiltration of tumor cells in both the submucosal and muscle layers. If this sonographic finding is observed in certain clinical settings, such as potential ovarian and peritoneal metastasis, submucosal infiltrative tumors, including signet-ring cell carcinoma, should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Cross-layer Energy Optimization Under Image Quality Constraints for Wireless Image Transmissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Na; Demirkol, Ilker; Heinzelman, Wendi

2012-01-01

Wireless image transmission is critical in many applications, such as surveillance and environment monitoring. In order to make the best use of the limited energy of the battery-operated cameras, while satisfying the application-level image quality constraints, cross-layer design is critical. In this paper, we develop an image transmission model that allows the application layer (e.g., the user) to specify an image quality constraint, and optimizes the lower layer parameters of transmit power and packet length, to minimize the energy dissipation in image transmission over a given distance. The effectiveness of this approach is evaluated by applying the proposed energy optimization to a reference ZigBee system and a WiFi system, and also by comparing to an energy optimization study that does not consider any image quality constraint. Evaluations show that our scheme outperforms the default settings of the investigated commercial devices and saves a significant amount of energy at middle-to-large transmission distances.

Effect of quality control implementation on image quality of radiographic films and irradiation doses to patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Yuxi; Zhou Qipu; Ge Lijuan; Hou Changsong; Qi Xuesong; Yue Baorong; Wang Zuoling; Wei Kedao

1999-01-01

Objective: To study the changes in the image quality of radiographic films and the irradiation doses to patients after quality control (QC) implementation. Methods: The entrance surface doses (ESD) to patients measured with TLD and the image quality of radiographic films were evaluated on the basis of CEC image quality criteria. Results: The ESD to patients were significantly reduced after QC implementation (P 0.05), but the post-QC image quality was significantly improved in chest PA, lumbar spine AP and pelvis AP(P0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion: Significantly reduced irradiation dose with improved image quality can be obtained by QC implementation

Toward optimal color image quality of television display

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Lindsay W.; Endrikhovski, Sergej N.; Bech, Soren; Jensen, Kaj

1999-12-01

A general framework and first experimental results are presented for the `OPTimal IMage Appearance' (OPTIMA) project, which aims to develop a computational model for achieving optimal color appearance of natural images on adaptive CRT television displays. To achieve this goal we considered the perceptual constraints determining quality of displayed images and how they could be quantified. The practical value of the notion of optimal image appearance was translated from the high level of the perceptual constraints into a method for setting the display's parameters at the physical level. In general, the whole framework of quality determination includes: (1) evaluation of perceived quality; (2) evaluation of the individual perceptual attributes; and (3) correlation between the physical measurements, psychometric parameters and the subjective responses. We performed a series of psychophysical experiments, with observers viewing a series of color images on a high-end consumer television display, to investigate the relationships between Overall Image Quality and four quality-related attributes: Brightness Rendering, Chromatic Rendering, Visibility of Details and Overall Naturalness. The results of the experiments presented in this paper suggest that these attributes are highly inter-correlated.

Selecting optimal monochromatic level with spectral CT imaging for improving imaging quality in hepatic venography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jun; Luo Xianfu; Wang Shou'an; Wang Jun; Sun Jiquan; Wang Zhijun; Wu Jingtao

2013-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effect of spectral CT monochromatic images for improving imaging quality in hepatic venography. Methods: Thirty patients underwent spectral CT examination on a GE Discovery CT 750 HD scanner. During portal phase, 1.25 mm slice thickness polychromatic images and optimal monochromatic images were obtained, and volume rendering and maximum intensity projection were created to show the hepatic veins respectively. The overall imaging quality was evaluated on a five-point scale by two radiologists. Inter-observer agreement in subjective image quality grading was assessed by Kappa statistics. Paired-sample t test were used to compare hepatic vein attenuation, hepatic parenchyma attenuation, CT value difference between the hepatic vein and the liver parenchyma, image noise, vein-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), the image quality score of hepatic venography between the two image data sets. Results: The monochromatic images at 50 keV were found to demonstrate the best CNR for hepatic vein.The hepatic vein attenuation [(329 ± 47) HU], hepatic parenchyma attenuation [(178 ± 33) HU], CT value difference between the hepatic vein and the liver parenchyma [(151 ± 33) HU], image noise (17.33 ± 4.18), CNR (9.13 ± 2.65), the image quality score (4.2 ± 0.6) of optimal monochromatic images were significantly higher than those of polychromatic images [(149 ± 18) HU], [(107 ± 14) HU], [(43 ±11) HU], 12.55 ± 3.02, 3.53 ± 1.03, 3.1 ± 0.8 (t values were 24.79, 13.95, 18.85, 9.07, 13.25 and 12.04, respectively, P < 0.01). In the comparison of image quality, Kappa value was 0.81 with optimal monochromatic images and 0.69 with polychromatic images. Conclusion: Monochromatic images of spectral CT could improve CNR for displaying hepatic vein and improve the image quality compared to the conventional polychromatic images. (authors)

Isolated breast vasculitis manifested as breast edema with suggestive sonographic findings: a case report with imaging findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ji Young; Joo, Mee

2017-04-01

Early diagnosis of breast vasculitis (BV) is difficult because this condition is rare and occasionally mimics breast cancer clinically or radiologically. It may present as systemic disease or as an isolated lesion in the breast, without systemic evidence. When vasculitis appears in the breast, it also might manifest as a tumor-like lesion, and in previous cases, tissue acquisition was needed for confirmation of the diagnosis because of BV's resemblance to inflammatory breast cancer. We report a case of isolated BV that was suspected of being inflammatory breast cancer clinically, but manifested as bilateral breast edema on mammography. In this case, sonographic findings included not only nonspecific edema findings that might be seen in other cases, but also suggestive findings of hypoechoic circumferential arterial wall thickening with perivascular fat infiltrations that are similar to the halo sign in large arteries but have not been reported in the breast. These are helpful for presumptive diagnosis of BV using ultrasound.

Quality Improvement of Liver Ultrasound Images Using Fuzzy Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayani, Azadeh; Langarizadeh, Mostafa; Radmard, Amir Reza; Nejad, Ahmadreza Farzaneh

2016-12-01

Liver ultrasound images are so common and are applied so often to diagnose diffuse liver diseases like fatty liver. However, the low quality of such images makes it difficult to analyze them and diagnose diseases. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to improve the contrast and quality of liver ultrasound images. In this study, a number of image contrast enhancement algorithms which are based on fuzzy logic were applied to liver ultrasound images - in which the view of kidney is observable - using Matlab2013b to improve the image contrast and quality which has a fuzzy definition; just like image contrast improvement algorithms using a fuzzy intensification operator, contrast improvement algorithms applying fuzzy image histogram hyperbolization, and contrast improvement algorithms by fuzzy IF-THEN rules. With the measurement of Mean Squared Error and Peak Signal to Noise Ratio obtained from different images, fuzzy methods provided better results, and their implementation - compared with histogram equalization method - led both to the improvement of contrast and visual quality of images and to the improvement of liver segmentation algorithms results in images. Comparison of the four algorithms revealed the power of fuzzy logic in improving image contrast compared with traditional image processing algorithms. Moreover, contrast improvement algorithm based on a fuzzy intensification operator was selected as the strongest algorithm considering the measured indicators. This method can also be used in future studies on other ultrasound images for quality improvement and other image processing and analysis applications.

Sonographic detection of intrarenal and intraarterial fungus balls in a preterm infant due to systemic candidiasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reither, M.; Schumacher, R.; Hagel, K.J.; Hering, F.

1983-01-01

Shortly after birth a preterm infant suffering from aspiration syndrome and subsequent Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis showed signs of renal insufficiency and mycotic infection: Yeast cells were identified in several urinalyses; there was also an increasing anti-Candida IgM antibody titer. At the same time sonographic examinations revealed an increasing echogenicity of the renal cortex and echogenic masses of variable size which did not cause acoustic shadows in both enlarged kidneys. A few days later, we found a right-sided hydronephrosis caused by an intraureteric prevesical mass of equal echogenicity. As we could observe sonographically, the aggressive antimycotic therapy was successful. Eleven weeks later there were signs of cardiac insufficiency. An angiographically demonstrated filling defect within the pulmonary artery showed the same sonographic findings as the previously found intrarenal masses. The baby underwent embolectomy and recovered. The thrombotic material contained yeast cells giving evidence of systemic Candidasis. Provided appropriate equipment is available, ultrasound today is an excellent non-invasive screening and followup method not only for echoencephalography, but also for more complicated neonatologic problems as seen here. The detailed observation of a changing echogenicity of the renal cortex and pelvis is important and often allows a decisive diagnostic clue before other radiological methods become conclusive. (orig.) [de

Sonographic features of thyroid nodules that may help distinguish clinically atypical subacute thyroiditis from thyroid malignancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Fu-shun; Wang, Wei; Wang, Yan; Xu, Ming; Liang, Jin-yu; Zheng, Yan-ling; Xie, Xiao-yan; Li, Xiao-xi

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate sonographic features for distinguishing clinically atypical subacute thyroiditis from malignant thyroid nodules. A total of 165 hypoechoic thyroid nodules without calcification in 135 patients with histologic diagnosis were included in this study. These nodules were classified into 2 groups: a thyroiditis group (55 nodules in 36 patients) and a malignancy group (110 nodules in 99 patients). The sonographic features of the groups were retrospectively reviewed. No significant differences were detected for the variables of marked echogenicity, a taller-than-wide shape, and mixed vascularity. However, a poorly defined margin was detected more frequently in the thyroiditis group than the malignancy group (P thyroiditis, with sensitivity and specificity of 87.3% and 80.9%, respectively. Centripetal reduction echogenicity was observed exclusively in the thyroiditis group, with high specificity (100%) but low sensitivity (21.8%) for atypical subacute thyroiditis diagnosis. All of the thyroiditis nodules with a positive color signal showed noninternal vascularity (negative predictive value, 100%). There is a considerable overlap between the sonographic features of atypical subacute thyroiditis and thyroid malignancy. However, the margin, echogenicity, and vascularity type are helpful indicators for differential diagnosis of atypical subacute thyroiditis. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Sonographically guided deep plantar fascia injections: where does the injectate go?

Science.gov (United States)

Maida, Eugene; Presley, James C; Murthy, Naveen; Pawlina, Wojciech; Smith, Jay

2013-08-01

To determine the distribution of sonographically guided deep plantar fascia injections in an unembalmed cadaveric model. A single experienced operator completed 10 sonographically guided deep plantar fascia injections in 10 unembalmed cadaveric specimens (5 right and 5 left) obtained from 6 donors (2 male and 4 female) aged 49 to 95 years (mean, 77.5 years) with a mean body mass index of 23.2 kg/m(2) (range, 18.4-26.3 kg/m(2)). A 12-3-MHz linear array transducer was used to direct a 22-gauge, 38-mm stainless steel needle deep to the plantar fascia at the anterior aspect of the calcaneus using an in-plane, medial-to-lateral approach. In each case, 1.5 mL of 50% diluted colored latex was injected deep to the plantar fascia. After a minimum of 72 hours, study coinvestigators dissected each specimen to assess injectate placement. All 10 injections accurately placed latex adjacent to the deep side of the plantar fascia at the anterior calcaneus. However, the flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) origin from the plantar fascia variably limited direct latex contact with the plantar fascia, and small amounts of latex interdigitated with the FDB origin in 90% (9 of 10). In all 10 specimens, latex also covered the traversing first branch of the lateral plantar nerve (FBLPN, ie, Baxter nerve) between the FDB and quadratus plantae muscles. No latex was found in the plantar fat pad or plantar fascia in any specimen. Sonographically guided deep plantar fascia injections reliably deliver latex deep to the plantar fascia while avoiding intrafascial injection. However, the extent of direct plantar fascia contact is variable due to the intervening FDB. On the contrary, the traversing FBLPN is reliably covered by the injection. Deep plantar fascia injections may have a role in the management of refractory plantar fasciitis, particularly following failed superficial perifascial or intrafascial injections, in cases of preferential deep plantar fascia involvement, or when entrapment

Miscarriage after sonographic confirmation of an ongoing pregnancy in women with moderate and severe obesity.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Dwyer, Vicky

2012-01-01

To compare the incidence of spontaneous miscarriage in women with moderate to severe obesity to that in women with a normal BMI after sonographic confirmation of the foetal heart rate in the first trimester.

Image guidance improves localization of sonographically occult colorectal liver metastases

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Universe; Simpson, Amber L.; Adams, Lauryn B.; Jarnagin, William R.; Miga, Michael I.; Kingham, T. Peter

2015-03-01

Assessing the therapeutic benefit of surgical navigation systems is a challenging problem in image-guided surgery. The exact clinical indications for patients that may benefit from these systems is not always clear, particularly for abdominal surgery where image-guidance systems have failed to take hold in the same way as orthopedic and neurosurgical applications. We report interim analysis of a prospective clinical trial for localizing small colorectal liver metastases using the Explorer system (Path Finder Technologies, Nashville, TN). Colorectal liver metastases are small lesions that can be difficult to identify with conventional intraoperative ultrasound due to echogeneity changes in the liver as a result of chemotherapy and other preoperative treatments. Interim analysis with eighteen patients shows that 9 of 15 (60%) of these occult lesions could be detected with image guidance. Image guidance changed intraoperative management in 3 (17%) cases. These results suggest that image guidance is a promising tool for localization of small occult liver metastases and that the indications for image-guided surgery are expanding.

Quality evaluation of no-reference MR images using multidirectional filters and image statistics.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Jinseong; Bang, Kihun; Jang, Hanbyol; Hwang, Dosik

2018-09-01

This study aimed to develop a fully automatic, no-reference image-quality assessment (IQA) method for MR images. New quality-aware features were obtained by applying multidirectional filters to MR images and examining the feature statistics. A histogram of these features was then fitted to a generalized Gaussian distribution function for which the shape parameters yielded different values depending on the type of distortion in the MR image. Standard feature statistics were established through a training process based on high-quality MR images without distortion. Subsequently, the feature statistics of a test MR image were calculated and compared with the standards. The quality score was calculated as the difference between the shape parameters of the test image and the undistorted standard images. The proposed IQA method showed a >0.99 correlation with the conventional full-reference assessment methods; accordingly, this proposed method yielded the best performance among no-reference IQA methods for images containing six types of synthetic, MR-specific distortions. In addition, for authentically distorted images, the proposed method yielded the highest correlation with subjective assessments by human observers, thus demonstrating its superior performance over other no-reference IQAs. Our proposed IQA was designed to consider MR-specific features and outperformed other no-reference IQAs designed mainly for photographic images. Magn Reson Med 80:914-924, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Clinical image quality evaluation for panoramic radiography in Korean dental clinics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Bo Ram; Choi, Da Hye; Huh, Kyung Hoe; Yi, Won Jin; Heo, Min Suk; Choi, Soon Chul; Bae, Kwang Hak; Lee, Sam Sun

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of clinical image quality of panoramic radiographs and to analyze the parameters that influence the overall image quality. Korean dental clinics were asked to provide three randomly selected panoramic radiographs. An oral and maxillofacial radiology specialist evaluated those images using our self-developed Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart. Three evaluators classified the overall image quality of the panoramic radiographs and evaluated the causes of imaging errors. A total of 297 panoramic radiographs were collected from 99 dental hospitals and clinics. The mean of the scores according to the Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart was 79.9. In the classification of the overall image quality, 17 images were deemed 'optimal for obtaining diagnostic information,' 153 were 'adequate for diagnosis,' 109 were 'poor but diagnosable,' and nine were 'unrecognizable and too poor for diagnosis'. The results of the analysis of the causes of the errors in all the images are as follows: 139 errors in the positioning, 135 in the processing, 50 from the radiographic unit, and 13 due to anatomic abnormality. Panoramic radiographs taken at local dental clinics generally have a normal or higher-level image quality. Principal factors affecting image quality were positioning of the patient and image density, sharpness, and contrast. Therefore, when images are taken, the patient position should be adjusted with great care. Also, standardizing objective criteria of image density, sharpness, and contrast is required to evaluate image quality effectively.

Quality assurance in digital dental imaging: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Metsälä, Eija; Henner, Anja; Ekholm, Marja

2014-07-01

Doses induced by individual dental examinations are low. However, dental radiography accounts for nearly one third of the total number of radiological examinations in the European Union. Therefore, special attention is needed with regard to radiation protection. In order to lower patient doses, the staff performing dental examinations must have competence in imaging as well as in radiation protection issues. This paper presents a systematic review about the core competencies needed by the healthcare staff in performing digital dental radiological imaging quality assurance. The following databases were searched: Pubmed, Cinahl, Pro Quest and IEEXplore digital library. Also volumes of some dental imaging journals and doctoral theses of the Finnish universities educating dentists were searched. The search was performed using both MeSH terms and keywords using the option 'search all text'. The original keywords were: dental imaging, digital, x-ray, panoramic, quality, assurance, competence, competency, skills, knowledge, radiographer, radiologist technician, dentist, oral hygienist, radiation protection and their Finnish synonyms. Core competencies needed by the healthcare staff performing digital dental radiological imaging quality assurance described in the selected studies were: management of dental imaging equipment, competence in image quality and factors associated with it, dose optimization and quality assurance. In the future there will be higher doses in dental imaging due to increasing use of CBCT and digital imaging. The staff performing dental imaging must have competence in dental imaging quality assurance issues found in this review. They also have to practice ethical radiation safety culture in clinical practice.

Dose and diagnostic image quality in digital tomosynthesis imaging of facial bones in pediatrics

Science.gov (United States)

King, J. M.; Hickling, S.; Elbakri, I. A.; Reed, M.; Wrogemann, J.

2011-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of digital tomosynthesis (DT) for pediatric facial bone imaging. We compared the eye lens dose and diagnostic image quality of DT facial bone exams relative to digital radiography (DR) and computed tomography (CT), and investigated whether we could modify our current DT imaging protocol to reduce patient dose while maintaining sufficient diagnostic image quality. We measured the dose to the eye lens for all three modalities using high-sensitivity thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and an anthropomorphic skull phantom. To assess the diagnostic image quality of DT compared to the corresponding DR and CT images, we performed an observer study where the visibility of anatomical structures in the DT phantom images were rated on a four-point scale. We then acquired DT images at lower doses and had radiologists indicate whether the visibility of each structure was adequate for diagnostic purposes. For typical facial bone exams, we measured eye lens doses of 0.1-0.4 mGy for DR, 0.3-3.7 mGy for DT, and 26 mGy for CT. In general, facial bone structures were visualized better with DT then DR, and the majority of structures were visualized well enough to avoid the need for CT. DT imaging provides high quality diagnostic images of the facial bones while delivering significantly lower doses to the lens of the eye compared to CT. In addition, we found that by adjusting the imaging parameters, the DT effective dose can be reduced by up to 50% while maintaining sufficient image quality.

Sonographic measurements of the achilles tendon, plantar fascia, and heel fat pad are reliable

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johannsen, Finn E; Jensen, Signe; Stallknecht, Sandra E

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: To determine intra- and interobserver reliability and precision of sonographic (US) scanning in measuring thickness of the Achilles tendon, plantar fascia, and heel fat pad in patients with heel pain. METHODS: Seventeen consecutive patients referred with heel pain were included. Two...

Clinical application of a modern high-definition head-mounted display in sonography.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeshita, Hideki; Kihara, Kazunori; Yoshida, Soichiro; Higuchi, Saori; Ito, Masaya; Nakanishi, Yasukazu; Kijima, Toshiki; Ishioka, Junichiro; Matsuoka, Yoh; Numao, Noboru; Saito, Kazutaka; Fujii, Yasuhisa

2014-08-01

Because of the remarkably improved image quality and wearability of modern head-mounted displays, a monitoring system using a head-mounted display rather than a fixed-site monitor for sonographic scanning has the potential to improve the diagnostic performance and lessen the examiner's physical burden during a sonographic examination. In a preclinical setting, 2 head-mounted displays, the HMZ-T2 (Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) and the Wrap1200 (Vuzix Corporation, Rochester, NY), were found to be applicable to sonography. In a clinical setting, the feasibility of the HMZ-T2 was shown by its good image quality and acceptable wearability. This modern device is appropriate for clinical use in sonography. © 2014 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Imaging quality evaluation method of pixel coupled electro-optical imaging system

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xu; Yuan, Li; Jin, Chunqi; Zhang, Xiaohui

2017-09-01

With advancements in high-resolution imaging optical fiber bundle fabrication technology, traditional photoelectric imaging system have become ;flexible; with greatly reduced volume and weight. However, traditional image quality evaluation models are limited by the coupling discrete sampling effect of fiber-optic image bundles and charge-coupled device (CCD) pixels. This limitation substantially complicates the design, optimization, assembly, and evaluation image quality of the coupled discrete sampling imaging system. Based on the transfer process of grayscale cosine distribution optical signal in the fiber-optic image bundle and CCD, a mathematical model of coupled modulation transfer function (coupled-MTF) is established. This model can be used as a basis for following studies on the convergence and periodically oscillating characteristics of the function. We also propose the concept of the average coupled-MTF, which is consistent with the definition of traditional MTF. Based on this concept, the relationships among core distance, core layer radius, and average coupled-MTF are investigated.

Medical Imaging Image Quality Assessment with Monte Carlo Methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michail, C M; Fountos, G P; Kalyvas, N I; Valais, I G; Kandarakis, I S; Karpetas, G E; Martini, Niki; Koukou, Vaia

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess image quality of PET scanners through a thin layer chromatography (TLC) plane source. The source was simulated using a previously validated Monte Carlo model. The model was developed by using the GATE MC package and reconstructed images obtained with the STIR software for tomographic image reconstruction, with cluster computing. The PET scanner simulated in this study was the GE DiscoveryST. A plane source consisted of a TLC plate, was simulated by a layer of silica gel on aluminum (Al) foil substrates, immersed in 18F-FDG bath solution (1MBq). Image quality was assessed in terms of the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF). MTF curves were estimated from transverse reconstructed images of the plane source. Images were reconstructed by the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE)-OSMAPOSL algorithm. OSMAPOSL reconstruction was assessed by using various subsets (3 to 21) and iterations (1 to 20), as well as by using various beta (hyper) parameter values. MTF values were found to increase up to the 12th iteration whereas remain almost constant thereafter. MTF improves by using lower beta values. The simulated PET evaluation method based on the TLC plane source can be also useful in research for the further development of PET and SPECT scanners though GATE simulations. (paper)

The Prevalence of and Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Sonographers in Central China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Qingmin; Liu, Shenglin; Yang, Lei; Xie, Mingxing

2016-01-01

Objective Studies from industrialized countries show that musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) occur commonly in sonographers. However, little is known about sonographers in China, where the awareness of ergonomics and MSD, workload, and available equipment/facilities may differ. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of MSD and associated risk factors in sonographers in central China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 381 sonographers from 14 randomly selected tertiary hospitals in Hubei province, central China. Musculoskeletal symptoms (using the Nordic Questionnaire) and risk factors (mostly derived from the Health Benefit Trust survey instrument and the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire) were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression was used to quantify associations between risk factors and MSD. Results The 12-month period prevalence of MSD was 98.3%, being highest in the neck (93.5%) and shoulder (92.2%), followed by the lower back (83.2%), wrist/hand, upper back, and elbow. Factors contributing to neck pain were psychological fatigue, shoulder abduction and trunk bend-and-twist posture. Height-adjustable tables and chairs were protective factors. Shoulder pain was associated with female sex, health status, mental stress, shoulder abduction, and trunk bend-and-twist posture. Height-adjustable chairs and the awareness of adjusting the workstation before scanning were protective factors. Elbow pain was associated with health status and height-adjustable tables. Wrist/hand pain was associated with female sex, bending the wrist, and working with obese patients. Upper back pain was associated with shoulder abduction, height-adjustable chairs, and device location. Lower back pain was associated with the number of scans performed per day, awkward postures, bending the trunk, twisting or bending the neck forward, and using a footrest. Conclusions This study suggests a high prevalence of MSD in sonographers in central China. Hence, it is necessary to

The art of assessing quality for images and video

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deriche, M.

2011-01-01

The early years of this century have witnessed a tremendous growth in the use of digital multimedia data for di?erent communication applications. Researchers from around the world are spending substantial research efforts in developing techniques for improving the appearance of images/video. However, as we know, preserving high quality is a challenging task. Images are subject to distortions during acquisition, compression, transmission, analysis, and reconstruction. For this reason, the research area focusing on image and video quality assessment has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. In particular, compression applications and other multimedia applications need powerful techniques for evaluating quality objectively without human interference. This tutorial will cover the di?erent faces of image quality assessment. We will motivate the need for robust image quality assessment techniques, then discuss the main algorithms found in the literature with a critical perspective. We will present the di?erent metrics used for full reference, reduced reference and no reference applications. We will then discuss the difference between image and video quality assessment. In all of the above, we will take a critical approach to explain which metric can be used for which application. Finally we will discuss the different approaches to analyze the performance of image/video quality metrics, and end the tutorial with some perspectives on newly introduced metrics and their potential applications.

Image quality in digital radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuhn, H.

1986-01-01

The contribution deals with the potentials of digital radiography and critically evaluates the advantages of drawbacks of the image intensifier-tv-digital system; digitalisation of the X-ray film and scanning of luminescent storage foils. The evaluation is done in comparison with the image quality of the traditional, large-size X-ray picture. (orig.) [de

Dual-source CT coronary imaging in heart transplant recipients: image quality and optimal reconstruction interval

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastarrika, Gorka; Arraiza, Maria; Pueyo, Jesus C.; Cecco, Carlo N. de; Ubilla, Matias; Mastrobuoni, Stefano; Rabago, Gregorio

2008-01-01

The image quality and optimal reconstruction interval for coronary arteries in heart transplant recipients undergoing non-invasive dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) coronary angiography was evaluated. Twenty consecutive heart transplant recipients who underwent DSCT coronary angiography were included (19 male, one female; mean age 63.1±10.7 years). Data sets were reconstructed in 5% steps from 30% to 80% of the R-R interval. Two blinded independent observers assessed the image quality of each coronary segments using a five-point scale (from 0 = not evaluative to 4=excellent quality). A total of 289 coronary segments in 20 heart transplant recipients were evaluated. Mean heart rate during the scan was 89.1±10.4 bpm. At the best reconstruction interval, diagnostic image quality (score ≥2) was obtained in 93.4% of the coronary segments (270/289) with a mean image quality score of 3.04± 0.63. Systolic reconstruction intervals provided better image quality scores than diastolic reconstruction intervals (overall mean quality scores obtained with the systolic and diastolic reconstructions 3.03±1.06 and 2.73±1.11, respectively; P<0.001). Different systolic reconstruction intervals (35%, 40%, 45% of RR interval) did not yield to significant differences in image quality scores for the coronary segments (P=0.74). Reconstructions obtained at the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle allowed excellent diagnostic image quality coronary angiograms in heart transplant recipients undergoing DSCT coronary angiography. (orig.)

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography in carotid artery disease: does automated image registration improve image quality?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menke, Jan; Larsen, Joerg

2009-01-01

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is a noninvasive imaging alternative to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for patients with carotid artery disease. In DSA, image quality can be improved by shifting the mask image if the patient has moved during angiography. This study investigated whether such image registration may also help to improve the image quality of carotid MRA. Data from 370 carotid MRA examinations of patients likely to have carotid artery disease were prospectively collected. The standard nonregistered MRAs were compared to automatically linear, affine and warp registered MRA by using three image quality parameters: the vessel detection probability (VDP) in maximum intensity projection (MIP) images, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in MIP images, and contrast-to-noise ratio in three-dimensional image volumes. A body shift of less than 1 mm occurred in 96.2% of cases. Analysis of variance revealed no significant influence of image registration and body shift on image quality (p > 0.05). In conclusion, standard contrast-enhanced carotid MRA usually requires no image registration to improve image quality and is generally robust against any naturally occurring body shift. (orig.)

Readout-Segmented Echo-Planar Imaging in Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging in Breast Cancer: Comparison with Single-Shot Echo-Planar Imaging in Image Quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yun Ju; Kim, Sung Hun; Kang, Bong Joo; Park, Chang Suk; Kim, Hyeon Sook; Son, Yo Han; Porter, David Andrew; Song, Byung Joo

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the image quality of standard single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI) and that of readout-segmented EPI (rs-EPI) in patients with breast cancer. Seventy-one patients with 74 breast cancers underwent both ss-EPI and rs-EPI. For qualitative comparison of image quality, three readers independently assessed the two sets of diffusion-weighted (DW) images. To evaluate geometric distortion, a comparison was made between lesion lengths derived from contrast enhanced MR (CE-MR) images and those obtained from the corresponding DW images. For assessment of image parameters, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), lesion contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. The rs-EPI was superior to ss-EPI in most criteria regarding the qualitative image quality. Anatomical structure distinction, delineation of the lesion, ghosting artifact, and overall image quality were significantly better in rs-EPI. Regarding the geometric distortion, lesion length on ss-EPI was significantly different from that of CE-MR, whereas there were no significant differences between CE-MR and rs-EPI. The rs-EPI was superior to ss-EPI in SNR and CNR. Readout-segmented EPI is superior to ss-EPI in the aspect of image quality in DW MR imaging of the breast

Deep supervised dictionary learning for no-reference image quality assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yuge; Liu, Xuesong; Tian, Xiang; Zhou, Fan; Chen, Yaowu; Jiang, Rongxin

2018-03-01

We propose a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) for general no-reference image quality assessment (NR-IQA), i.e., accurate prediction of image quality without a reference image. The proposed model consists of three components such as a local feature extractor that is a fully CNN, an encoding module with an inherent dictionary that aggregates local features to output a fixed-length global quality-aware image representation, and a regression module that maps the representation to an image quality score. Our model can be trained in an end-to-end manner, and all of the parameters, including the weights of the convolutional layers, the dictionary, and the regression weights, are simultaneously learned from the loss function. In addition, the model can predict quality scores for input images of arbitrary sizes in a single step. We tested our method on commonly used image quality databases and showed that its performance is comparable with that of state-of-the-art general-purpose NR-IQA algorithms.

Clinical image quality evaluation for panoramic radiography in Korean dental clinics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Bo Ram; Choi, Da Hye; Huh, Kyung Hoe; Yi, Won Jin; Heo, Min Suk; Choi, Soon Chul; Bae, Kwang Hak; Lee, Sam Sun [School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-09-15

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of clinical image quality of panoramic radiographs and to analyze the parameters that influence the overall image quality. Korean dental clinics were asked to provide three randomly selected panoramic radiographs. An oral and maxillofacial radiology specialist evaluated those images using our self-developed Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart. Three evaluators classified the overall image quality of the panoramic radiographs and evaluated the causes of imaging errors. A total of 297 panoramic radiographs were collected from 99 dental hospitals and clinics. The mean of the scores according to the Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart was 79.9. In the classification of the overall image quality, 17 images were deemed 'optimal for obtaining diagnostic information,' 153 were 'adequate for diagnosis,' 109 were 'poor but diagnosable,' and nine were 'unrecognizable and too poor for diagnosis'. The results of the analysis of the causes of the errors in all the images are as follows: 139 errors in the positioning, 135 in the processing, 50 from the radiographic unit, and 13 due to anatomic abnormality. Panoramic radiographs taken at local dental clinics generally have a normal or higher-level image quality. Principal factors affecting image quality were positioning of the patient and image density, sharpness, and contrast. Therefore, when images are taken, the patient position should be adjusted with great care. Also, standardizing objective criteria of image density, sharpness, and contrast is required to evaluate image quality effectively.

Sonographic changes of liver and gallbladder in acute viral hepatitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebrahimi Daryani N

2001-07-01

Full Text Available Hepatomegaly, decrease in the liver paranchymal echo and increase in the gallbladder wall thickness has been shown in acute viral hepatitis. The present study was done to determine sonographic changes in acute viral hepatitis. We performed liver and bile ducts sonography and specific tests on 42 patients (mean age: 31.5 and 61% male with acute viral hepatitis. Gallbladder wall thickness was seen in 45.2% and hepatomegaly in 33.3% of patients and liver paranchymal echo was decreased in 19.3%. Age, sex, type of hepatitis, cholecystitis like symptoms, aspartate aminotransfrase, alanine aminotransfrase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin did not significantly corralate with these changes. Only raised prothrombin time was strongly correlated to the thickening of the gallbladder and decrease in the liver paranchymal echo and cholesistic like symptoms we can postulate that thickening of the gallbladder and decrease in the liver paranchymal echo is not dependent on the severity and speed of the paranchymal necrosis (as considered with ALT and AST but they depend on the liver function disturbance (as considered with PT because the thickening of the gall bladder is present in 45% of the patients and 10% of the normal population have gallbladder stones, one should not perform the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, only on the basis of sonographic report without attention to the clinical and laboratory data.

The Image Quality Translator – A Way to Support Specification of Imaging Requirements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kejser, Ulla Bøgvad; Bech, Mogens

2015-01-01

Archives, libraries, and museums run numerous imaging projects to digitize physical works and collections of cultural heritage. This study presents a tool called the 'Image Quality Translator' that is being designed at the Royal Library to support the planning of digitization projects and to make...... the process of specifying and controlling imaging requirements more efficient. The tool seeks to translate between the language used by collection managers and curators to express needs for image quality, and the more technical terms and metrics used by imaging experts and photographers to express...

Image quality assessment for CT used on small animals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cisneros, Isabela Paredes, E-mail: iparedesc@unal.edu.co; Agulles-Pedrós, Luis, E-mail: lagullesp@unal.edu.co [Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de Física, Grupo de Física Médica (Colombia)

2016-07-07

Image acquisition on a CT scanner is nowadays necessary in almost any kind of medical study. Its purpose, to produce anatomical images with the best achievable quality, implies the highest diagnostic radiation exposure to patients. Image quality can be measured quantitatively based on parameters such as noise, uniformity and resolution. This measure allows the determination of optimal parameters of operation for the scanner in order to get the best diagnostic image. A human Phillips CT scanner is the first one minded for veterinary-use exclusively in Colombia. The aim of this study was to measure the CT image quality parameters using an acrylic phantom and then, using the computational tool MATLAB, determine these parameters as a function of current value and window of visualization, in order to reduce dose delivery by keeping the appropriate image quality.

Diagnostic image quality of video-digitized chest images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, L.H.; Butler, R.B.; Becking, W.B.; Warnars, G.A.O.; Haar Romeny, B. ter; Ottes, F.P.; Valk, J.-P.J. de

1989-01-01

The diagnostic accuracy obtained with the Philips picture archiving and communications subsystem was investigated by means of an observer performance study using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The image qualities of conventional films and video digitized images were compared. The scanner had a 1024 x 1024 x 8 bit memory. The digitized images were displayed on a 60 Hz interlaced display monitor 1024 lines. Posteroanterior (AP) roetgenograms of a chest phantom with superimposed simulated interstitial pattern disease (IPD) were produced; there were 28 normal and 40 abnormal films. Normal films were produced by the chest phantom alone. Abnormal films were taken of the chest phantom with varying degrees of superimposed simulated intersitial disease (PND) for an observer performance study, because the results of a simulated interstitial pattern disease study are less likely to be influenced by perceptual capabilities. The conventional films and the video digitized images were viewed by five experienced observers during four separate sessions. Conventional films were presented on a viewing box, the digital images were displayed on the monitor described above. The presence of simulated intersitial disease was indicated on a 5-point ROC certainty scale by each observer. We analyzed the differences between ROC curves derived from correlated data statistically. The mean time required to evaluate 68 digitized images is approximately four times the mean time needed to read the convential films. The diagnostic quality of the video digitized images was significantly lower (at the 5% level) than that of the conventional films (median area under the curve (AUC) of 0.71 and 0.94, respectively). (author). 25 refs.; 2 figs.; 4 tabs

Subjective evaluation of compressed image quality

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Heesub; Rowberg, Alan H.; Frank, Mark S.; Choi, Hyung-Sik; Kim, Yongmin

1992-05-01

Lossy data compression generates distortion or error on the reconstructed image and the distortion becomes visible as the compression ratio increases. Even at the same compression ratio, the distortion appears differently depending on the compression method used. Because of the nonlinearity of the human visual system and lossy data compression methods, we have evaluated subjectively the quality of medical images compressed with two different methods, an intraframe and interframe coding algorithms. The evaluated raw data were analyzed statistically to measure interrater reliability and reliability of an individual reader. Also, the analysis of variance was used to identify which compression method is better statistically, and from what compression ratio the quality of a compressed image is evaluated as poorer than that of the original. Nine x-ray CT head images from three patients were used as test cases. Six radiologists participated in reading the 99 images (some were duplicates) compressed at four different compression ratios, original, 5:1, 10:1, and 15:1. The six readers agree more than by chance alone and their agreement was statistically significant, but there were large variations among readers as well as within a reader. The displacement estimated interframe coding algorithm is significantly better in quality than that of the 2-D block DCT at significance level 0.05. Also, 10:1 compressed images with the interframe coding algorithm do not show any significant differences from the original at level 0.05.

Neonatal chest image quality addressed through training to enhance radiographer awareness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hesta Friedrich-Nel

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Diagnostic radiographers working in the neonatal intensive care unit primarily aim to produce an image of optimal quality using optimal exposure techniques without repeating exposures, to keep neonatal radiation dose to a minimum.   Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine whether radiographers were producing optimal quality chest images and, if not, whether additional training could contribute to reaching this goal in the Free State Province of South Africa.   Methods: Neonatal chest image quality was determined in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by using a checklist based on and compiled from published guidelines to evaluate the quality of 450 randomly-selected images. Thereafter, a training programme was designed, based on the evaluation criteria of the checklist and image quality areas identified. The training also referred to positioning techniques that should be applied to ensure optimal image quality. After presentation of the training, 450 newly-produced neonatal chest images were evaluated. These images were selected through purposive sampling as this evaluation only included images of participating radiographers who completed the training.   Results: Image quality that showed significant improvement included a reduction in electrocardiogram lines superimposed on chest anatomy, a tendency to centre closer to thoracic vertebra four, and visible four-sided collimation on images. Image quality areas with no significant enhancement were the absence of lead markers and radiation shielding.   Conclusion: The study has shown that a training programme has the potential to improve neonatal chest image quality.

Image quality influences the assessment of left ventricular function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grossgasteiger, Manuel; Hien, Maximilian D; Graser, Bastian

2014-01-01

divided by the total endocardial border. These ratings were used to generate groups of poor (0%-40%), fair (41%-70%), and good (71%-100%) image quality. The ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic volume, and end-systolic volume were analyzed by the Simpson method of disks (biplane and monoplane), eyeball...... method yield better correlations with poor image quality. The eyeball method was unaffected by image quality....

Comparison of quality of ultrasonographic image of the pancreas: Tissue harmonic image vs. Fundamental image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Young Lan; Choi, Chul Soon; Kim, Ho Chul; Yoon, Dae Young; Han, Dae Hee; Bae, Sang Hoon

2002-01-01

To compare the quality of ultrasonographic (US) images, tissue harmonic image (THI) versus fundamental image (FI), of the pancreas. During a recent 2 month period, forty one patients with the normal pancreas on US were included. All of them were free of abnormal clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of pancreatic disease, US was performed by an abdominal radiologist with a 2.5-5 MHz convex-array transducer (Sequoia 512: Acuson, Mountain View, Calif.U.S.A.). Comparison of THI and FI of the pancreas was done for the following parameters:conspicuity, intermal architecture, and delineation range. Grading was made by the consensus of two abdominal radiologist witha three-point scale. Statistical analysis was done using Wilcox signed rank sum test. For the evaluation of the US image quality of the pancreas THI showed better conspicuity (p=0.0130), clearer internal architecture (p=0.0029) and superior delineation range (p=0.0191) than those of FI. THI appears to show a superior image quality than FI in evaluation of the pancreas.

A fourier transform quality measure for iris images

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Makinana, S

2014-08-01

Full Text Available to ensure that good quality images are selected for feature extraction, in order to improve iris recognition system. In addition, this research proposes a measure of iris image quality using a Fourier Transform. The experimental results demonstrate...

Review of Image Quality Measures for Solar Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Popowicz, Adam; Radlak, Krystian; Bernacki, Krzysztof; Orlov, Valeri

2017-12-01

Observations of the solar photosphere from the ground encounter significant problems caused by Earth's turbulent atmosphere. Before image reconstruction techniques can be applied, the frames obtained in the most favorable atmospheric conditions (the so-called lucky frames) have to be carefully selected. However, estimating the quality of images containing complex photospheric structures is not a trivial task, and the standard routines applied in nighttime lucky imaging observations are not applicable. In this paper we evaluate 36 methods dedicated to the assessment of image quality, which were presented in the literature over the past 40 years. We compare their effectiveness on simulated solar observations of both active regions and granulation patches, using reference data obtained by the Solar Optical Telescope on the Hinode satellite. To create images that are affected by a known degree of atmospheric degradation, we employed the random wave vector method, which faithfully models all the seeing characteristics. The results provide useful information about the method performances, depending on the average seeing conditions expressed by the ratio of the telescope's aperture to the Fried parameter, D/r0. The comparison identifies three methods for consideration by observers: Helmli and Scherer's mean, the median filter gradient similarity, and the discrete cosine transform energy ratio. While the first method requires less computational effort and can be used effectively in virtually any atmospheric conditions, the second method shows its superiority at good seeing (D/r0<4). The third method should mainly be considered for the post-processing of strongly blurred images.

Sonographic evaluation of children with congenital hypothyroidism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anelise de Almeida Sedassari

2015-08-01

Full Text Available AbstractObjective:To establish benchmarks and study some sonographic characteristics of the thyroid gland in a group of euthyroid children aged up to 5 years as compared with age-matched children with congenital hypothyroidism.Materials and Methods:Thirty-six children (17 female and 19 male aged between 2 months and 5 years were divided into two groups – 23 euthyroid children and 13 children with congenital hypothyroidism – and were called to undergo ultrasonography.Results:In the group of euthyroid children (n = 23, mean total volume of the thyroid gland was 1.12 mL (minimum, 0.39 mL; maximum, 2.72 mL; a homogeneous gland was found in 17 children (73.91% and 6 children (26.08% had a heterogeneous gland. In the group of children with congenital hypothyroidism (n = 13, mean total volume of the thyroid gland was 2.73 mL (minimum, 0.20 mL; maximum, 11.00 mL. As regards thyroid location, 3 patients (23.07% had ectopic thyroid, and 10 (69.23% had topic thyroid, and out of the latter, 5 had a homogeneous gland (50% and 5, a heterogeneous gland (50%. In the group with congenital hypothyroidism, 6 (46.15% children had etiological diagnosis of dyshormoniogenesis, 3 (23.07%, of ectopic thyroid, and 4 (30.76%, of thyroid hypoplasia.Conclusion:Thyroid ultrasonography is a noninvasive imaging method, widely available, easy to perform and for these reasons could, and should, be performed at any time, including at birth, with no preparation or treatment discontinuation, to aid in the early etiological definition of congenital hypothyroidism.

Fetal sonographic characteristics associated with shoulder dystocia in pregnancies of women with type 1 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Secher, Anna L; Bytoft, Birgitte; Tabor, Ann

2015-01-01

AND METHODS: Twelve cases (5%) of shoulder dystocia among 241 consecutive vaginal deliveries in women with type 1 diabetes followed at Rigshospitalet University Hospital in 2009-2013 were retrospectively identified in a local database. Fetal sonographic and clinical data were compared with 69 women with type......INTRODUCTION: Shoulder dystocia is a rare but severe complication of vaginal delivery and diabetic women are at high risk. The aim of this study was to identify fetal sonographic and maternal glycemic characteristics associated with shoulder dystocia in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. MATERIAL...... 1 diabetes and uncomplicated vaginal deliveries. RESULTS: Women experiencing shoulder dystocia compared with women with uncomplicated deliveries had a higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in early pregnancy [median 7.0% (range 5.9-8.1) vs. 6.6% (range 5.4-10.0, P = 0.04)], whereas in late pregnancy...

Sonographic detection of intrarenal and intra-arterial fungus balls in a preterm infant due to systemic candidiasis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reither, M.; Schumacher, R.; Hagel, K.J.; Hering, F.

1983-10-01

Shortly after birth a preterm infant suffering from aspiration syndrome and subsequent Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis showed signs of renal insufficiency and mycotic infection: yeast cells were identified in several urinalyses; there was also an increasing anti-candida IgM antibody titer. At the same time sonographic examinations revealed an increasing echogenicity of the renal cortex and echogenic masses of variable size which did not cause acoustic shadows in both enlarged kidneys. A few days later, we found a right-sided hydronephrosis caused by an intraureteric prevesical mass of equal echogenicity. As we could observe sonographically, the aggressive antimycotic therapy was successful. Eleven weeks later there were signs of cardiac insufficiency. An angiographically demonstrated filling defect, within the pulmonary artery, showed the same sonographic findings as the previously found intrarenal masses. The baby underwent embolectomy and recovered. The thrombotic material contained yeast cells giving evidence of systemic candidasis. Provided appropriate equipment is available, ultrasound today is an excellent non-invasive screening and followup method not only for echoencephalography, but also for more complicated neonatologic problems as seen here. The detailed observation of a changing echogenicity of the renal cortex and pelvis is important and often allows a decisive diagnostic clue before other radiological methods become conclusive.

Dynamic flat panel detector versus image intensifier in cardiac imaging: dose and image quality

Science.gov (United States)

Vano, E.; Geiger, B.; Schreiner, A.; Back, C.; Beissel, J.

2005-12-01

The practical aspects of the dosimetric and imaging performance of a digital x-ray system for cardiology procedures were evaluated. The system was configured with an image intensifier (II) and later upgraded to a dynamic flat panel detector (FD). Entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) to phantoms of 16, 20, 24 and 28 cm of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and the image quality of a test object were measured. Images were evaluated directly on the monitor and with numerical methods (noise and signal-to-noise ratio). Information contained in the DICOM header for dosimetry audit purposes was also tested. ESAK values per frame (or kerma rate) for the most commonly used cine and fluoroscopy modes for different PMMA thicknesses and for field sizes of 17 and 23 cm for II, and 20 and 25 cm for FD, produced similar results in the evaluated system with both technologies, ranging between 19 and 589 µGy/frame (cine) and 5 and 95 mGy min-1 (fluoroscopy). Image quality for these dose settings was better for the FD version. The 'study dosimetric report' is comprehensive, and its numerical content is sufficiently accurate. There is potential in the future to set those systems with dynamic FD to lower doses than are possible in the current II versions, especially for digital cine runs, or to benefit from improved image quality.

Ultrasound Imaging of Spine: State of the Art and Utility for Space Flight

Science.gov (United States)

Sargsyan, Ashot E.; Bouffard, Antonio J.; Garcia, Kathleen; Hamilton, Douglas R.; Van Holsbeeck, Marnix; Ebert, Douglas J. W.; Dulchavsky, Scott A.

2010-01-01

Introduction: Ultrasound imaging (sonography) has been increasingly used for both primary diagnosis and monitoring of musculoskeletal injury, including fractures. In certain injuries, sonography has been shown to equal or surpass Magnetic Resonance Imaging in accuracy. Long-term exposure to reduced gravity may be expected to cause physiological and anatomical changes of the musculoskeletal system, which are not fully described or understood. In a limited-resource environment like space flight, sonography will likely remain the only imaging modality; therefore, further attention to its potential is warranted, including its ability to image anatomical deviations as well as irregularities of vertebrae and the spinal column. Methods: A thorough review of literature was conducted on the subject. A multipurpose ultrasound system was used to identify specific vertebrae, intervertebral disks, and other structures of the cervical spine in healthy volunteers, selected to represent various age, gender, and Body Mass Index (BMI) groups. Sonographic views were sought that would parallel radiographic views and signs used in the diagnosis of cervical spine injuries. Results: While using widely accepted radiographic signs of cervical spine injury, this sonographic protocol development effort resulted in successful identification of scanning planes and imaging protocols that could serve as alternatives for radiography. Some of these views are also applicable to diagnosing degenerative disk and bone disease, and other non-traumatic spine pathology. Strong, preliminary correlation has been demonstrated in a number of clinical cases between sonography and other imaging modalities. Conclusion: In the absence of radiography, sonography can be used to diagnose or rule out certain common types of cervical spine conditions including injury. Clinical validation of the findings appears to be realistic and would facilitate establishment of new sonographic protocols for special environments

Using image quality measures and features to choose good images for classification of ISAR imagery

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Steyn, JM

2014-10-01

Full Text Available the quality measures and to determine the minimum dwell-time for ISAR image formation. Keywords—ISAR (inverse synthetic aperture radar), Dwell-time, Quality Measure, Image Contrast, Image Entropy, SNR (signal-to-noise ratio), Maritime Vessels ...

Physics-based optimization of image quality in 3D X-ray flat-panel cone-beam imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snoeren, R.M.

2012-01-01

This thesis describes the techniques for modeling and control of 3D X-ray cardiovascular systems in terms of Image Quality and patient dose, aiming at optimizing the diagnostic quality. When aiming at maximum Image Quality (IQ), a cascaded system constituted from inter-dependent imaging components,

CCD Astrophotography High-Quality Imaging from the Suburbs

CERN Document Server

Stuart, Adam

2006-01-01

This is a reference book for amateur astronomers who have become interested in CCD imaging. Those glorious astronomical images found in astronomy magazines might seem out of reach to newcomers to CCD imaging, but this is not the case. Great pictures are attainable with modest equipment. Adam Stuart’s many beautiful images, reproduced in this book, attest to the quality of – initially – a beginner’s efforts. Chilled-chip astronomical CCD-cameras and software are also wonderful tools for cutting through seemingly impenetrable light-pollution. CCD Astrophotography from the Suburbs describes one man’s successful approach to the problem of getting high-quality astronomical images under some of the most light-polluted conditions. Here is a complete and thoroughly tested program that will help every CCD-beginner to work towards digital imaging of the highest quality. It is equally useful to astronomers who have perfect observing conditions, as to those who have to observe from light-polluted city skies.

Image quality optimization and evaluation of linearly mixed images in dual-source, dual-energy CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Lifeng; Primak, Andrew N.; Liu Xin; McCollough, Cynthia H.

2009-01-01

In dual-source dual-energy CT, the images reconstructed from the low- and high-energy scans (typically at 80 and 140 kV, respectively) can be mixed together to provide a single set of non-material-specific images for the purpose of routine diagnostic interpretation. Different from the material-specific information that may be obtained from the dual-energy scan data, the mixed images are created with the purpose of providing the interpreting physician a single set of images that have an appearance similar to that in single-energy images acquired at the same total radiation dose. In this work, the authors used a phantom study to evaluate the image quality of linearly mixed images in comparison to single-energy CT images, assuming the same total radiation dose and taking into account the effect of patient size and the dose partitioning between the low-and high-energy scans. The authors first developed a method to optimize the quality of the linearly mixed images such that the single-energy image quality was compared to the best-case image quality of the dual-energy mixed images. Compared to 80 kV single-energy images for the same radiation dose, the iodine CNR in dual-energy mixed images was worse for smaller phantom sizes. However, similar noise and similar or improved iodine CNR relative to 120 kV images could be achieved for dual-energy mixed images using the same total radiation dose over a wide range of patient sizes (up to 45 cm lateral thorax dimension). Thus, for adult CT practices, which primarily use 120 kV scanning, the use of dual-energy CT for the purpose of material-specific imaging can also produce a set of non-material-specific images for routine diagnostic interpretation that are of similar or improved quality relative to single-energy 120 kV scans.

Body image quality of life in eating disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignacio Jáuregui Lobera

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Ignacio Jáuregui Lobera1, Patricia Bolaños Ríos21Department of Nutrition and Bromatology, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain; 2Behavior Sciences Institute, Seville, SpainPurpose: The objective was to examine how body image affects quality of life in an eating-disorder (ED clinical sample, a non-ED clinical sample, and a nonclinical sample. We hypothesized that ED patients would show the worst body image quality of life. We also hypothesized that body image quality of life would have a stronger negative association with specific ED-related variables than with other psychological and psychopathological variables, mainly among ED patients. On the basis of previous studies, the influence of gender on the results was explored, too.Patients and methods: The final sample comprised 70 ED patients (mean age 22.65 ± 7.76 years; 59 women and 11 men; 106 were patients with other psychiatric disorders (mean age 28.20 ± 6.52; 67 women and 39 men, and 135 were university students (mean age 21.57 ± 2.58; 81 women and 54 men, with no psychiatric history. After having obtained informed consent, the following questionnaires were administered: Body Image Quality of Life Inventory-Spanish version (BIQLI-SP, Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2, Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ, Self-Esteem Scale (SES, and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R.Results: The ED patients' ratings on the BIQLI-SP were the lowest and negatively scored (BIQLI-SP means: +20.18, +5.14, and —6.18, in the student group, the non-ED patient group, and the ED group, respectively. The effect of body image on quality of life was more negative in the ED group in all items of the BIQLI-SP. Body image quality of life was negatively associated with specific ED-related variables, more than with other psychological and psychopathological variables, but not especially among ED patients.Conclusion: Body image quality of life was affected not only by specific pathologies related to body

The use of the general image quality equation in the design and evaluation of imaging systems

Science.gov (United States)

Cota, Steve A.; Florio, Christopher J.; Duvall, David J.; Leon, Michael A.

2009-08-01

The design of any modern imaging system is the end result of many trade studies, each seeking to optimize image quality within real world constraints such as cost, schedule and overall risk. The National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (NIIRS) is a useful measure of image quality, because, by characterizing the overall interpretability of an image, it combines into one metric those contributors to image quality to which a human interpreter is most sensitive. The main drawback to using a NIIRS rating as a measure of image quality in engineering trade studies is the fact that it is tied to the human observer and cannot be predicted from physical principles and engineering parameters alone. The General Image Quality Equation (GIQE) of Leachtenauer et al. 1997 [Appl. Opt. 36, 8322-8328 (1997)] is a regression of actual image analyst NIIRS ratings vs. readily calculable engineering metrics, and provides a mechanism for using the expected NIIRS rating of an imaging system in the design and evaluation process. In this paper, we will discuss how we use the GIQE in conjunction with The Aerospace Corporation's Parameterized Image Chain Analysis & Simulation SOftware (PICASSO) to evaluate imager designs, taking a hypothetical high resolution commercial imaging system as an example.

Recognizable or Not: Towards Image Semantic Quality Assessment for Compression

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong; Wang, Dandan; Li, Houqiang

2017-12-01

Traditionally, image compression was optimized for the pixel-wise fidelity or the perceptual quality of the compressed images given a bit-rate budget. But recently, compressed images are more and more utilized for automatic semantic analysis tasks such as recognition and retrieval. For these tasks, we argue that the optimization target of compression is no longer perceptual quality, but the utility of the compressed images in the given automatic semantic analysis task. Accordingly, we propose to evaluate the quality of the compressed images neither at pixel level nor at perceptual level, but at semantic level. In this paper, we make preliminary efforts towards image semantic quality assessment (ISQA), focusing on the task of optical character recognition (OCR) from compressed images. We propose a full-reference ISQA measure by comparing the features extracted from text regions of original and compressed images. We then propose to integrate the ISQA measure into an image compression scheme. Experimental results show that our proposed ISQA measure is much better than PSNR and SSIM in evaluating the semantic quality of compressed images; accordingly, adopting our ISQA measure to optimize compression for OCR leads to significant bit-rate saving compared to using PSNR or SSIM. Moreover, we perform subjective test about text recognition from compressed images, and observe that our ISQA measure has high consistency with subjective recognizability. Our work explores new dimensions in image quality assessment, and demonstrates promising direction to achieve higher compression ratio for specific semantic analysis tasks.

Sonographic findings in complications in cystic echinococcosis. [CT findings for comparison

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gueckel, C.; Beyer, D.; Lorenz, R.; Stelzner, M.

1987-07-01

Apart from the difficult differential diagnosis of hydatid liver disease, diagnostic problems may increase in chronic disease because of complications. Compression or infiltration of bile ducts is the most common complication occuring in 16%. Other complications are infiltration of adjacent organs and structures, for instance the right kidney and the diaphragm, or the (often iatrogenic) rupture of hydatid cysts with intraperitoneal spread. Preoperative sonographic diagnosis is important in influencing the surgical procedure.

The relationship between compression force, image quality and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Theoretically, an increase in breast compression gives a reduction in thickness without changing the density, resulting in improved image quality and reduced radiation dose. Aim. This study investigates the relationship between compression force, phantom thickness, image quality and radiation dose. The existence of a ...

Optimization of the alpha image reconstruction. An iterative CT-image reconstruction with well-defined image quality metrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lebedev, Sergej; Sawall, Stefan; Knaup, Michael; Kachelriess, Marc [German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany).

2017-10-01

Optimization of the AIR-algorithm for improved convergence and performance. TThe AIR method is an iterative algorithm for CT image reconstruction. As a result of its linearity with respect to the basis images, the AIR algorithm possesses well defined, regular image quality metrics, e.g. point spread function (PSF) or modulation transfer function (MTF), unlike other iterative reconstruction algorithms. The AIR algorithm computes weighting images α to blend between a set of basis images that preferably have mutually exclusive properties, e.g. high spatial resolution or low noise. The optimized algorithm uses an approach that alternates between the optimization of rawdata fidelity using an OSSART like update and regularization using gradient descent, as opposed to the initially proposed AIR using a straightforward gradient descent implementation. A regularization strength for a given task is chosen by formulating a requirement for the noise reduction and checking whether it is fulfilled for different regularization strengths, while monitoring the spatial resolution using the voxel-wise defined modulation transfer function for the AIR image. The optimized algorithm computes similar images in a shorter time compared to the initial gradient descent implementation of AIR. The result can be influenced by multiple parameters that can be narrowed down to a relatively simple framework to compute high quality images. The AIR images, for instance, can have at least a 50% lower noise level compared to the sharpest basis image, while the spatial resolution is mostly maintained. The optimization improves performance by a factor of 6, while maintaining image quality. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the spatial resolution for AIR can be determined using regular image quality metrics, given smooth weighting images. This is not possible for other iterative reconstructions as a result of their non linearity. A simple set of parameters for the algorithm is discussed that provides

Optimization of the alpha image reconstruction. An iterative CT-image reconstruction with well-defined image quality metrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebedev, Sergej; Sawall, Stefan; Knaup, Michael; Kachelriess, Marc

2017-01-01

Optimization of the AIR-algorithm for improved convergence and performance. TThe AIR method is an iterative algorithm for CT image reconstruction. As a result of its linearity with respect to the basis images, the AIR algorithm possesses well defined, regular image quality metrics, e.g. point spread function (PSF) or modulation transfer function (MTF), unlike other iterative reconstruction algorithms. The AIR algorithm computes weighting images α to blend between a set of basis images that preferably have mutually exclusive properties, e.g. high spatial resolution or low noise. The optimized algorithm uses an approach that alternates between the optimization of rawdata fidelity using an OSSART like update and regularization using gradient descent, as opposed to the initially proposed AIR using a straightforward gradient descent implementation. A regularization strength for a given task is chosen by formulating a requirement for the noise reduction and checking whether it is fulfilled for different regularization strengths, while monitoring the spatial resolution using the voxel-wise defined modulation transfer function for the AIR image. The optimized algorithm computes similar images in a shorter time compared to the initial gradient descent implementation of AIR. The result can be influenced by multiple parameters that can be narrowed down to a relatively simple framework to compute high quality images. The AIR images, for instance, can have at least a 50% lower noise level compared to the sharpest basis image, while the spatial resolution is mostly maintained. The optimization improves performance by a factor of 6, while maintaining image quality. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the spatial resolution for AIR can be determined using regular image quality metrics, given smooth weighting images. This is not possible for other iterative reconstructions as a result of their non linearity. A simple set of parameters for the algorithm is discussed that provides

Assessing microscope image focus quality with deep learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Samuel J; Berndl, Marc; Michael Ando, D; Barch, Mariya; Narayanaswamy, Arunachalam; Christiansen, Eric; Hoyer, Stephan; Roat, Chris; Hung, Jane; Rueden, Curtis T; Shankar, Asim; Finkbeiner, Steven; Nelson, Philip

2018-03-15

Large image datasets acquired on automated microscopes typically have some fraction of low quality, out-of-focus images, despite the use of hardware autofocus systems. Identification of these images using automated image analysis with high accuracy is important for obtaining a clean, unbiased image dataset. Complicating this task is the fact that image focus quality is only well-defined in foreground regions of images, and as a result, most previous approaches only enable a computation of the relative difference in quality between two or more images, rather than an absolute measure of quality. We present a deep neural network model capable of predicting an absolute measure of image focus on a single image in isolation, without any user-specified parameters. The model operates at the image-patch level, and also outputs a measure of prediction certainty, enabling interpretable predictions. The model was trained on only 384 in-focus Hoechst (nuclei) stain images of U2OS cells, which were synthetically defocused to one of 11 absolute defocus levels during training. The trained model can generalize on previously unseen real Hoechst stain images, identifying the absolute image focus to within one defocus level (approximately 3 pixel blur diameter difference) with 95% accuracy. On a simpler binary in/out-of-focus classification task, the trained model outperforms previous approaches on both Hoechst and Phalloidin (actin) stain images (F-scores of 0.89 and 0.86, respectively over 0.84 and 0.83), despite only having been presented Hoechst stain images during training. Lastly, we observe qualitatively that the model generalizes to two additional stains, Hoechst and Tubulin, of an unseen cell type (Human MCF-7) acquired on a different instrument. Our deep neural network enables classification of out-of-focus microscope images with both higher accuracy and greater precision than previous approaches via interpretable patch-level focus and certainty predictions. The use of

Quality criteria for cardiac images: An update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernardi, G.; Bar, O.; Jezewski, T.; Vano, E.; Maccia, C.; Trianni, A.; Padovani, R.

2008-01-01

The DIMOND II and III Cardiology Groups have agreed on quality criteria for cardiac images and developed a scoring system, to provide a tool to test quality of coronary angiograms, which was demonstrated to be of value in clinical practice. In the last years, digital flat panel technology has been introduced in cardiac angiographic systems and the radiological technique may have been influenced by the better performance of these new detectors. This advance in digital imaging, together with the lesson learned from previous studies, warranted the revision of the quality criteria for cardiac angiographic images as formerly defined. DIMOND criteria were reassessed to allow a simpler evaluation of angiograms. Clinical criteria were simplified and separated from technical criteria. Furthermore, the characteristics of an optimised angiographic technique have been outlined. (authors)

Computer tomographic and sonographic diagnosis of echinococcus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulze, K.; Huebener, K.H.; Klott, K.; Jenss, H.; Baehr, R. (Tuebingen Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Medizinisches Strahleninstitut und Roentgenabteilung; Tuebingen Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Medizinische Klinik; Tuebingen Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik)

1980-05-01

In 33 patients (18 cystic echinococci, 15 alveolar) both methods produced the following findings which could be correlated with the pathological results: single or multi-centric lesions, sharp or indefinite demarkation and abnormalities in the shape and size of the liver. The sonographic findings were analysed with respect to the echo characteristics, whereas the computer tomographically demonstrated lesions were examined densitometrically in order to show calcification. Both methods demonstrate the pathological changes satisfactorily. Computer tomography is more effective in alveolar echinococcus lesions by showing the different types of calcification, whereas sonography provides a more accurate picture of the internal structure of the cysts in cystic echinococcus. Comparison of the methods in 19 patients examined by both showed a high accuracy in each method, but sonography was relatively poor in demonstrating lesions in the spleen.

Quality Imaging - Comparison of CR Mammography with Screen-Film Mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaona, E.; Azorin Nieto, J.; Iran Diaz Gongora, J. A.; Arreola, M.; Casian Castellanos, G.; Perdigon Castaneda, G. M.; Franco Enriquez, J. G.

2006-01-01

The aim of this work is a quality imaging comparison of CR mammography images printed to film by a laser printer with screen-film mammography. A Giotto and Elscintec dedicated mammography units with fully automatic exposure and a nominal large focal spot size of 0.3 mm were used for the image acquisition of phantoms in screen-film mammography. Four CR mammography units from two different manufacturers and three dedicated x-ray mammography units with fully automatic exposure and a nominal large focal spot size of 0.3 mm were used for the image acquisition of phantoms in CR mammography. The tests quality image included an assessment of system resolution, scoring phantom images, Artifacts, mean optical density and density difference (contrast). In this study, screen-film mammography with a quality control program offers a significantly greater level of quality image relative to CR mammography images printed on film

Sonographic diagnosis of pneumothorax

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lubna F Husain

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Lung sonography has rapidly emerged as a reliable technique in the evaluation of various thoracic diseases. One important, well-established application is the diagnosis of a pneumothorax. Prompt and accurate diagnosis of a pneumothorax in the management of a critical patient can prevent the progression into a life-threatening situation. Sonographic signs, including ′lung sliding′, ′B-lines′ or ′comet tail artifacts′, ′A-lines′, and ′the lung point sign′ can help in the diagnosis of a pneumothorax. Ultrasound has a higher sensitivity than the traditional upright anteroposterior chest radiography (CXR for the detection of a pneumothorax. Small occult pneumothoraces may be missed on CXR during a busy trauma scenario, and CXR may not always be feasible in critically ill patients. Computed tomography, the gold standard for the detection of pneumothorax, requires patients to be transported out of the clinical area, compromising their hemodynamic stability and delaying the diagnosis. As ultrasound machines have become more portable and easier to use, lung sonography now allows a rapid evaluation of an unstable patient, at the bedside. These advantages combined with the low cost and ease of use, have allowed thoracic sonography to become a useful modality in many clinical settings.

Sonographic Appearance of Abdominal Wall at the Left Flank of Laparotomy Incision Site in Ettawah Grade Does

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. F. Ulum

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to describe the sonographic appearance of abdominal wall at the left flank of laparotomy incision site in 11 mated Ettawah grade does. Brightness-mode ultrasound examination by using transducer with frequency of 5.0-6.0 MHz was conducted to grouping the does based on their pregnancy statuses. The incision site of the abdominal wall at left flank laparotomy was transcutaneous-scanned as long as 8 cm vertically. The sonographic appearance of the laparotomy wall thickness showed that in all groups of does were similar and not different statistically. The thickness of oblique external and oblique internal abdominal muscles increased in the pregnant does as compared to non-pregnant does (P<0.05.

Decision theory on the quality evaluation of medical images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lessa, Patricia Silva

2001-10-01

The problem of quality has been a constant issue in every organization.One is always seeking to produce more, to do it at a lower cost, and to do it with better quality. However, in this country, there is no radiographic film quality control system for radiographic services. The tittle that actually gets done is essentially ad hoc and superficial. The implications of this gap, along with some other shortcomings that exist in process as a whole (the state of the x-ray equipment, the adequate to use in order to obtain a radiography, the quality of the film, the processing of the film, the brightness and homogeneity of the viewing boxes, the ability of the radiologist), have a very negative impact on the quality of the medical image, and, as result, to the quality of the medical diagnosis and therapy. It frequently happens that many radiographs have to be repeated, which leads to an increase of the patient's exposure to radiation, as well as of the cost of the procedure for the patient. Low quality radiographs that are not repeated greatly increase the probability of a wrong diagnosis, and consequently, of inadequate therapeutical procedures, thus producing increased incidence of bad outcomes and higher costs. The paradigm proposed in order to establish a system for the measurement of the image's quality is Decision Theory. The problem of the assessment of the image is studied by proposing a Decision Theory approach. The review of the literature reveals a great concern with the quality of the image, along with an absence of an adequate paradigm and several essentially empirical procedures. Image parameters are developed in order to formalize the problem in terms of Decision Theory, and various aspects of image digitalisation are exposed. Finally, a solution is presented, including a protocol for quality control. (author)

Vascularity and grey-scale sonographic features of normal cervical lymph nodes: variations with nodal size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ying, Michael; Ahuja, Anil; Brook, Fiona; Metreweli, Constantine

2001-01-01

AIM: This study was undertaken to investigate variations in the vascularity and grey-scale sonographic features of cervical lymph nodes with their size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High resolution grey-scale sonography and power Doppler sonography were performed in 1133 cervical nodes in 109 volunteers who had a sonographic examination of the neck. Standardized parameters were used in power Doppler sonography. RESULTS: About 90% of lymph nodes with a maximum transverse diameter greater than 5 mm showed vascularity and an echogenic hilus. Smaller nodes were less likely to show vascularity and an echogenic hilus. As the size of the lymph nodes increased, the intranodal blood flow velocity increased significantly (P 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide a baseline for grey-scale and power Doppler sonography of normal cervical lymph nodes. Sonologists will find varying vascularity and grey-scale appearances when encountering nodes of different sizes. Ying, M. et al. (2001)

Transrectal Drainage of Deep Pelvic Abscesses Using a Combined Transrectal Sonographic and Fluoroscopic Guidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Kyung Soon; Lee, Eun Jung; Ko, Ji Ho; Joh, Young Duk; Jung, Gyoo Sik

2005-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of transrectal drainage of a deep pelvic abscess using combined transrectal sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance. From March 1995 and August 2004, 17 patients (9 men; 8 women; mean age, 39 years) suffering from pelvic pain, fever and leukocytosis were enrolled in this retrospective study. Ultrasound (US) or computed tomography (CT), which was obtained prior to the procedure, showed pelvic fluid collections that were deemed unapproachable by the percutaneous trans abdominal routes. Transrectal drainage of the pelvic abscess was performed under combined transrectal sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance. The causes of the deep pelvic abscess were postoperative complications (n=7), complications associated with radiation (n=3) and chemotherapy (n=1) as well as unknown causes (n=6). A 7.5-MHz end-firing transrectal US probe with a needle biopsy guide attachment was advanced into the rectum. Once the abscess was identified, a needle was advanced via the biopsy guide and the abscess was punctured. Under US guidance, either a 0.018'or 0.035' guide wire was passed through the needle in the abscess. Under fluoroscopic guidance, the tract was dilated to the appropriate diameter with sequential fascial dilators, and a catheter was placed over the guide wire within the abscess. Clinical success of drainage was determined by a combination closure of the cavity on the follow up images and diminished leukocytosis. The technical and clinical success rate, complications, and patient's discomfort were analyzed. Drainage was technically successful in all patients and there were no serious complications. Surgery was eventually performed in two cases due to fistular formation with the rectum and leakage of the anastomosis site. The procedure was well tolerated in all but one patient who complained of discomfort while the catheter was inserted . The catheter did not interfere with defecation and there was no incidence of catheter

Free-breathing motion-corrected late-gadolinium-enhancement imaging improves image quality in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olivieri, Laura; O'Brien, Kendall J.; Cross, Russell; Xue, Hui; Kellman, Peter; Hansen, Michael S.

2016-01-01

The value of late-gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) imaging in the diagnosis and management of pediatric and congenital heart disease is clear; however current acquisition techniques are susceptible to error and artifacts when performed in children because of children's higher heart rates, higher prevalence of sinus arrhythmia, and inability to breath-hold. Commonly used techniques in pediatric LGE imaging include breath-held segmented FLASH (segFLASH) and steady-state free precession-based (segSSFP) imaging. More recently, single-shot SSFP techniques with respiratory motion-corrected averaging have emerged. This study tested and compared single-shot free-breathing LGE techniques with standard segmented breath-held techniques in children undergoing LGE imaging. Thirty-two consecutive children underwent clinically indicated late-enhancement imaging using intravenous gadobutrol 0.15 mmol/kg. Breath-held segSSFP, breath-held segFLASH, and free-breathing single-shot SSFP LGE sequences were performed in consecutive series in each child. Two blinded reviewers evaluated the quality of the images and rated them on a scale of 1-5 (1 = poor, 5 = superior) based on blood pool-myocardial definition, presence of cardiac motion, presence of respiratory motion artifacts, and image acquisition artifact. We used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare groups. Patients ranged in age from 9 months to 18 years, with a mean +/- standard deviation (SD) of 13.3 +/- 4.8 years. R-R interval at the time of acquisition ranged 366-1,265 milliseconds (ms) (47-164 beats per minute [bpm]), mean +/- SD of 843+/-231 ms (72+/-21 bpm). Mean +/- SD quality ratings for long-axis imaging for segFLASH, segSSFP and single-shot SSFP were 3.1+/-0.9, 3.4+/-0.9 and 4.0+/-0.9, respectively (P < 0.01 by ANOVA). Mean +/- SD quality ratings for short-axis imaging for segFLASH, segSSFP and single-shot SSFP were 3.4+/-1, 3.8+/-0.9 and 4.3+/-0.7, respectively (P < 0.01 by ANOVA). Single-shot late

Free-breathing motion-corrected late-gadolinium-enhancement imaging improves image quality in children

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olivieri, Laura; O' Brien, Kendall J. [Children' s National Health System, Division of Cardiology, Washington, DC (United States); National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States); Cross, Russell [Children' s National Health System, Division of Cardiology, Washington, DC (United States); Xue, Hui; Kellman, Peter; Hansen, Michael S. [National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States)

2016-06-15

The value of late-gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) imaging in the diagnosis and management of pediatric and congenital heart disease is clear; however current acquisition techniques are susceptible to error and artifacts when performed in children because of children's higher heart rates, higher prevalence of sinus arrhythmia, and inability to breath-hold. Commonly used techniques in pediatric LGE imaging include breath-held segmented FLASH (segFLASH) and steady-state free precession-based (segSSFP) imaging. More recently, single-shot SSFP techniques with respiratory motion-corrected averaging have emerged. This study tested and compared single-shot free-breathing LGE techniques with standard segmented breath-held techniques in children undergoing LGE imaging. Thirty-two consecutive children underwent clinically indicated late-enhancement imaging using intravenous gadobutrol 0.15 mmol/kg. Breath-held segSSFP, breath-held segFLASH, and free-breathing single-shot SSFP LGE sequences were performed in consecutive series in each child. Two blinded reviewers evaluated the quality of the images and rated them on a scale of 1-5 (1 = poor, 5 = superior) based on blood pool-myocardial definition, presence of cardiac motion, presence of respiratory motion artifacts, and image acquisition artifact. We used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare groups. Patients ranged in age from 9 months to 18 years, with a mean +/- standard deviation (SD) of 13.3 +/- 4.8 years. R-R interval at the time of acquisition ranged 366-1,265 milliseconds (ms) (47-164 beats per minute [bpm]), mean +/- SD of 843+/-231 ms (72+/-21 bpm). Mean +/- SD quality ratings for long-axis imaging for segFLASH, segSSFP and single-shot SSFP were 3.1+/-0.9, 3.4+/-0.9 and 4.0+/-0.9, respectively (P < 0.01 by ANOVA). Mean +/- SD quality ratings for short-axis imaging for segFLASH, segSSFP and single-shot SSFP were 3.4+/-1, 3.8+/-0.9 and 4.3+/-0.7, respectively (P < 0.01 by ANOVA). Single-shot late

Improved radionuclide bone imaging agent injection needle withdrawal method can improve image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Yongmei; Wang Laihao; Zhao Lihua; Guo Xiaogang; Kong Qingfeng

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate the improvement of radionuclide bone imaging agent injection needle withdrawal method on whole body bone scan image quality. Methods: Elbow vein injection syringe needle directly into the bone imaging agent in the routine group of 117 cases, with a cotton swab needle injection method for the rapid pull out the needle puncture point pressing, pressing moment. Improvement of 117 cases of needle injection method to put two needles into the skin swabs and blood vessels, pull out the needle while pressing two or more entry point 5min. After 2 hours underwent whole body bone SPECT imaging plane. Results: The conventional group at the injection site imaging agents uptake rate was 16.24%, improved group was 2.56%. Conclusion: The modified bone imaging agent injection needle withdrawal method, injection-site imaging agent uptake were significantly decreased whole body bone imaging can improve image quality. (authors)

Extreme Tele-Echocardiography: Methodology for Remote Guidance of In-Flight Echocardiography Aboard the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, David S.; Borowski, Allan; Bungo, Michael W.; Gladding, Patrick; Greenberg, Neil; Hamilton, Doug; Levine, Benjamin D.; Lee, Stuart M.; Norwood, Kelly; Platts, Steven H.;

Comprehensive model for predicting perceptual image quality of smart mobile devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Rui; Xu, Haisong; Luo, M R; Li, Haifeng

2015-01-01

An image quality model for smart mobile devices was proposed based on visual assessments of several image quality attributes. A series of psychophysical experiments were carried out on two kinds of smart mobile devices, i.e., smart phones and tablet computers, in which naturalness, colorfulness, brightness, contrast, sharpness, clearness, and overall image quality were visually evaluated under three lighting environments via categorical judgment method for various application types of test images. On the basis of Pearson correlation coefficients and factor analysis, the overall image quality could first be predicted by its two constituent attributes with multiple linear regression functions for different types of images, respectively, and then the mathematical expressions were built to link the constituent image quality attributes with the physical parameters of smart mobile devices and image appearance factors. The procedure and algorithms were applicable to various smart mobile devices, different lighting conditions, and multiple types of images, and performance was verified by the visual data.

The amniotic band syndrome: antenatal sonographic diagnosis and potential pitfalls.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahony, B S; Filly, R A; Callen, P W; Golbus, M S

1985-05-01

Amniotic band syndrome causes a variety of fetal malformations involving the limbs, craniofacial region, and trunk. Six prenatally diagnosed cases of amniotic band syndrome are discussed. The diagnosis was based on sonographic visualization of either amniotic sheets or bands associated with fetal deformation or deformities in nonembryologic distributions known to characterize the amniotic band syndrome. Seven additional cases are considered in which an aberrant sheet of tissue with a free edge was visualized within the amniotic cavity but no restriction of fetal motion or subsequent deformity was demonstrated.

Model-Based Referenceless Quality Metric of 3D Synthesized Images Using Local Image Description.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Ke; Jakhetiya, Vinit; Qiao, Jun-Fei; Li, Xiaoli; Lin, Weisi; Thalmann, Daniel

2017-07-28

New challenges have been brought out along with the emerging of 3D-related technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Free viewpoint video (FVV), due to its applications in remote surveillance, remote education, etc, based on the flexible selection of direction and viewpoint, has been perceived as the development direction of next-generation video technologies and has drawn a wide range of researchers' attention. Since FVV images are synthesized via a depth image-based rendering (DIBR) procedure in the "blind" environment (without reference images), a reliable real-time blind quality evaluation and monitoring system is urgently required. But existing assessment metrics do not render human judgments faithfully mainly because geometric distortions are generated by DIBR. To this end, this paper proposes a novel referenceless quality metric of DIBR-synthesized images using the autoregression (AR)-based local image description. It was found that, after the AR prediction, the reconstructed error between a DIBR-synthesized image and its AR-predicted image can accurately capture the geometry distortion. The visual saliency is then leveraged to modify the proposed blind quality metric to a sizable margin. Experiments validate the superiority of our no-reference quality method as compared with prevailing full-, reduced- and no-reference models.

Applying image quality in cell phone cameras: lens distortion

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, Donald; Goma, Sergio R.; Aleksic, Milivoje

2009-01-01

This paper describes the framework used in one of the pilot studies run under the I3A CPIQ initiative to quantify overall image quality in cell-phone cameras. The framework is based on a multivariate formalism which tries to predict overall image quality from individual image quality attributes and was validated in a CPIQ pilot program. The pilot study focuses on image quality distortions introduced in the optical path of a cell-phone camera, which may or may not be corrected in the image processing path. The assumption is that the captured image used is JPEG compressed and the cellphone camera is set to 'auto' mode. As the used framework requires that the individual attributes to be relatively perceptually orthogonal, in the pilot study, the attributes used are lens geometric distortion (LGD) and lateral chromatic aberrations (LCA). The goal of this paper is to present the framework of this pilot project starting with the definition of the individual attributes, up to their quantification in JNDs of quality, a requirement of the multivariate formalism, therefore both objective and subjective evaluations were used. A major distinction in the objective part from the 'DSC imaging world' is that the LCA/LGD distortions found in cell-phone cameras, rarely exhibit radial behavior, therefore a radial mapping/modeling cannot be used in this case.

Effect of image quality on calcification detection in digital mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, Lucy M.; Mackenzie, Alistair; Cooke, Julie; Given-Wilson, Rosalind M.; Wallis, Matthew G.; Chakraborty, Dev P.; Dance, David R.; Bosmans, Hilde; Young, Kenneth C.

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to investigate if microcalcification detection varies significantly when mammographic images are acquired using different image qualities, including: different detectors, dose levels, and different image processing algorithms. An additional aim was to determine how the standard European method of measuring image quality using threshold gold thickness measured with a CDMAM phantom and the associated limits in current EU guidelines relate to calcification detection. Methods: One hundred and sixty two normal breast images were acquired on an amorphous selenium direct digital (DR) system. Microcalcification clusters extracted from magnified images of slices of mastectomies were electronically inserted into half of the images. The calcification clusters had a subtle appearance. All images were adjusted using a validated mathematical method to simulate the appearance of images from a computed radiography (CR) imaging system at the same dose, from both systems at half this dose, and from the DR system at quarter this dose. The original 162 images were processed with both Hologic and Agfa (Musica-2) image processing. All other image qualities were processed with Agfa (Musica-2) image processing only. Seven experienced observers marked and rated any identified suspicious regions. Free response operating characteristic (FROC) and ROC analyses were performed on the data. The lesion sensitivity at a nonlesion localization fraction (NLF) of 0.1 was also calculated. Images of the CDMAM mammographic test phantom were acquired using the automatic setting on the DR system. These images were modified to the additional image qualities used in the observer study. The images were analyzed using automated software. In order to assess the relationship between threshold gold thickness and calcification detection a power law was fitted to the data. Results: There was a significant reduction in calcification detection using CR compared with DR: the alternative FROC

Effect of image quality on calcification detection in digital mammography.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Lucy M; Mackenzie, Alistair; Cooke, Julie; Given-Wilson, Rosalind M; Wallis, Matthew G; Chakraborty, Dev P; Dance, David R; Bosmans, Hilde; Young, Kenneth C

2012-06-01

This study aims to investigate if microcalcification detection varies significantly when mammographic images are acquired using different image qualities, including: different detectors, dose levels, and different image processing algorithms. An additional aim was to determine how the standard European method of measuring image quality using threshold gold thickness measured with a CDMAM phantom and the associated limits in current EU guidelines relate to calcification detection. One hundred and sixty two normal breast images were acquired on an amorphous selenium direct digital (DR) system. Microcalcification clusters extracted from magnified images of slices of mastectomies were electronically inserted into half of the images. The calcification clusters had a subtle appearance. All images were adjusted using a validated mathematical method to simulate the appearance of images from a computed radiography (CR) imaging system at the same dose, from both systems at half this dose, and from the DR system at quarter this dose. The original 162 images were processed with both Hologic and Agfa (Musica-2) image processing. All other image qualities were processed with Agfa (Musica-2) image processing only. Seven experienced observers marked and rated any identified suspicious regions. Free response operating characteristic (FROC) and ROC analyses were performed on the data. The lesion sensitivity at a nonlesion localization fraction (NLF) of 0.1 was also calculated. Images of the CDMAM mammographic test phantom were acquired using the automatic setting on the DR system. These images were modified to the additional image qualities used in the observer study. The images were analyzed using automated software. In order to assess the relationship between threshold gold thickness and calcification detection a power law was fitted to the data. There was a significant reduction in calcification detection using CR compared with DR: the alternative FROC (AFROC) area decreased from

Objective assessment of image quality VI: imaging in radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrett, Harrison H; Kupinski, Matthew A; Müeller, Stefan; Halpern, Howard J; Morris, John C III; Dwyer, Roisin

2013-01-01

Earlier work on objective assessment of image quality (OAIQ) focused largely on estimation or classification tasks in which the desired outcome of imaging is accurate diagnosis. This paper develops a general framework for assessing imaging quality on the basis of therapeutic outcomes rather than diagnostic performance. By analogy to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and their variants as used in diagnostic OAIQ, the method proposed here utilizes the therapy operating characteristic or TOC curves, which are plots of the probability of tumor control versus the probability of normal-tissue complications as the overall dose level of a radiotherapy treatment is varied. The proposed figure of merit is the area under the TOC curve, denoted AUTOC. This paper reviews an earlier exposition of the theory of TOC and AUTOC, which was specific to the assessment of image-segmentation algorithms, and extends it to other applications of imaging in external-beam radiation treatment as well as in treatment with internal radioactive sources. For each application, a methodology for computing the TOC is presented. A key difference between ROC and TOC is that the latter can be defined for a single patient rather than a population of patients. (paper)

Quality control in diagnostic mammography: myths, realities and their importance in the final image quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora Rodriguez, Patricia

2011-01-01

Mammography is the most used tool for early detection of breast cancer and reduce mortality from this cause. Studies with ionizing radiation it is important that be justified and provide a quality image to make the diagnosis, to get more benefits and fewer risks. The problem is the difficult to obtain an image of the breast. Therefore, the commitment to quality mammography is to maximize the contrast, definition, resolution and reliability, thus minimizing noise and dose. A mammogram performed without quality don't detect early breast cancer and the study doesn't have sense. Quality mammography requires trained and experienced staff, modern equipment and in good conditions, correct positioning, right technical factors and appropriate viewing conditions. In addition, quality programs are required to reach to ensure quality, control in testing techniques and image quality. (author) [es

Naturalness and image quality : saturation and lightness variation in color images of natural scenes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ridder, de H.

1996-01-01

The relation between perceived image quality and naturalness was investigated by varying the colorfulness of natural images at various lightness levels. At each lightness level, subjects assessed perceived colorfulness, naturalness, and quality as a function of average saturation by means of direct

Digital radiography: optimization of image quality and dose using multi-frequency software.

Science.gov (United States)

Precht, H; Gerke, O; Rosendahl, K; Tingberg, A; Waaler, D

2012-09-01

New developments in processing of digital radiographs (DR), including multi-frequency processing (MFP), allow optimization of image quality and radiation dose. This is particularly promising in children as they are believed to be more sensitive to ionizing radiation than adults. To examine whether the use of MFP software reduces the radiation dose without compromising quality at DR of the femur in 5-year-old-equivalent anthropomorphic and technical phantoms. A total of 110 images of an anthropomorphic phantom were imaged on a DR system (Canon DR with CXDI-50 C detector and MLT[S] software) and analyzed by three pediatric radiologists using Visual Grading Analysis. In addition, 3,500 images taken of a technical contrast-detail phantom (CDRAD 2.0) provide an objective image-quality assessment. Optimal image-quality was maintained at a dose reduction of 61% with MLT(S) optimized images. Even for images of diagnostic quality, MLT(S) provided a dose reduction of 88% as compared to the reference image. Software impact on image quality was found significant for dose (mAs), dynamic range dark region and frequency band. By optimizing image processing parameters, a significant dose reduction is possible without significant loss of image quality.

Chronic Liver Disease : Value of Sonographic Study of the Liver Surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Jae Joon; Kim, Myeong Jin; Han, Kwang Hyub; Chon, Chae Yoon; Yoo, Hyung Sik; Lee, Jong Tae; Kim, Ki Whang

1995-01-01

To evaluate the diagnostic value of sonographic irregularities of liver surface in the differentiation of chronic liver disease. Fifty-eight patients with either chronic hepatitis or early stage of liver cirrhosis were examined with 5 MHz linear array transducer by observing the liver surface.We compared the sonographic findings with peritoneoscopic and pathologic findings. Thirty-five patients with smooth surface showed variable pathological results, including chronic active and persistent hepatitis, inactive hepatitis and alcoholic hepatitis without any evidence of cirrhosis. Nineteen patients with micronodules mostly revealed chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis. All 4 patients with macronodules were proved pathologically ascirrhosis. High resolution ultrasonography(HRUS) showed smooth liver surface in 35 patients(60.3%),micronodular surface in l9(32.8%), and macronodular surface in 4 (6.9%). Twenty-one cases(60.0%) among 35 patients with smooth surface were peritoneoscopically normal and 12 cases(34.3%) showed dimpling surface. However among l9 patients with micronodular surface, only 5 cases(26.3%) showed micronodular surface on peritoneoscopy. while 8 cases(42.l%) showed nracronodular surface and 6 cases(3l.6%) dimpling surface. All 4 patients with macronodulesrevealed peritoneoscopically nracronodular surface. Observation of liver surface by HRUS was useful in predicting the progression of chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis. However, it was not helpful in the differentiation between normal liver and chronic hepatrtrs

Image quality in digital radiographic systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Almeida Solange Maria de

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to evaluate the image quality of four direct digital radiographic systems. Radiographs were made of the maxillary central incisor and mandibular left molar regions of a dry skull, and an aluminum step-wedge. The X-ray generator operated at 10 mA, 60 and 70 kVp, and images were acquired with 3, 5, 8, 12, 24 and 48 exposure pulses. Six well-trained observers classified the images by means of scores from 1 to 3. Collected data were submitted to nonparametric statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test. Statistical analysis showed significant differences (p<0.01 in image quality with the four systems. Based on the results, it was possible to conclude that: 1 all of the digital systems presented good performance in producing acceptable images for diagnosis, if the exposures of the step-wedge and the maxillary central incisor region were made at 5 pulses, as well as at 8 pulses for the mandibular left molar region, selecting 60 or 70kVp; 2 higher percentages of acceptable images were obtained with the administration of lower radiation doses in CCD-sensors (charge-coupled device; 3 the Storage Phosphor systems produced acceptable images at a large range of exposure settings, that included low, intermediate and high radiation doses.

Enhancement of digital radiography image quality using a convolutional neural network.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yuewen; Li, Litao; Cong, Peng; Wang, Zhentao; Guo, Xiaojing

2017-01-01

Digital radiography system is widely used for noninvasive security check and medical imaging examination. However, the system has a limitation of lower image quality in spatial resolution and signal to noise ratio. In this study, we explored whether the image quality acquired by the digital radiography system can be improved with a modified convolutional neural network to generate high-resolution images with reduced noise from the original low-quality images. The experiment evaluated on a test dataset, which contains 5 X-ray images, showed that the proposed method outperformed the traditional methods (i.e., bicubic interpolation and 3D block-matching approach) as measured by peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) about 1.3 dB while kept highly efficient processing time within one second. Experimental results demonstrated that a residual to residual (RTR) convolutional neural network remarkably improved the image quality of object structural details by increasing the image resolution and reducing image noise. Thus, this study indicated that applying this RTR convolutional neural network system was useful to improve image quality acquired by the digital radiography system.

Parameters related to the image quality in computed tomography -CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso, T.C.; Silva, T.A.; Mourão, A.P.; Silva, T.A.

2015-01-01

Quality control programs in computed tomography, CT, should be continuously reviewed to always ensure the best image quality with the lowest possible dose for the patient in the diagnostic process. The quality control in CT aims to design and implement a set of procedures that allows the verification of their operating conditions within the specified requirements for its use. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Technical Rules (Resolution NE in 1016.) - Radiology Medical - 'Equipment and Safety Performance' establishes a reference to the analysis of tests on TC. A large number of factors such as image noise, slice thickness (resolution of the Z axis), low contrast resolution and high contrast resolution and the radiation dose can be affected by the selection of technical parameters in exams. The purpose of this study was to investigate how changes in image acquisition protocols modify its quality and determine the advantages and disadvantages between the different aspects of image quality, especially the reduction of patient radiation dose. A preliminary procedure is to check the operating conditions of the CT measurements were performed on a scanner with 64-MDCT scanner (GE Healthcare, BrightSpeed) in the service of the Molecular Imaging Center (Cimol) of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). When performing the image quality tests we used a simulator, Catphan-600, this device has five modules, and in each you can perform a series of tests. Different medical imaging practices have different requirements for acceptable image quality. The results of quality control tests showed that the analyzed equipment is in accordance with the requirements established by current regulations. [pt

Combined value of Virtual Touch tissue quantification and conventional sonographic features for differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules smaller than 10 mm.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Huiping; Shi, Qiusheng; Gu, Jiying; Jiang, Luying; Bai, Min; Liu, Long; Wu, Ying; Du, Lianfang

2014-02-01

This study aimed to investigate the value of sonographic features including Virtual Touch tissue quantification (VTQ; Siemens Medical Solutions, Mountain View, CA) for differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules smaller than 10 mm. Seventy-one thyroid nodules smaller than 10 mm with pathologic diagnoses were included in this study. The conventional sonographic features and quantitative elasticity features (VTQ) were observed and compared between benign and malignant nodules. There were 39 benign and 32 malignant nodules according to histopathologic examination. When compared with benign nodules, malignant nodules were more frequently taller than wide, poorly defined, and markedly hypoechoic (P benign and malignant nodules. The VTQ value for malignant nodules (mean ± SD 3.260 ± 0.725 m/s) was significantly higher than that of benign ones (2.108 ± 0.455 m/s; P benign and malignant thyroid nodules smaller than 10 mm. When VTQ was combined with B-mode sonographic features, the sensitivity was improved significantly.

Three-dimensional sonographic measurement of normal fetal brain volume during the second half of pregnancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

N.M. Roelfsema; W.C.J. Hop (Wim); S.M. Boito; J.W. Wladimiroff (Juriy)

2004-01-01

textabstractObjectives: This study was undertaken to develop a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound method of measuring fetal brain volume. Study design: Serial 3D sonographic measurements of fetal brain volume were made in 68 normal singleton pregnancies at 18 to 34 weeks of gestation. A comparison

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome: cerebral ischemia is not the only fetal MR imaging finding

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Kline-Fath, Beth M. [University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Cincinnati Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Calvo-Garcia, Maria A.; O' Hara, Sara M.; Racadio, Judy M. [University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Crombleholme, Timothy M. [University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

2007-01-15

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a complication of monochorionic/diamniotic twin pregnancies. An imbalance of blood flow occurs through placental anastomoses, causing potentially significant morbidity and mortality in both twins. Although the sonographic findings of TTTS are well documented, we believe that MR imaging is a valuable adjunct. We describe the fetal MR imaging findings associated with TTTS. From 2003 to 2005, 37 consecutive MR imaging studies were performed on multiple-gestation pregnancies. Of the 37, 25 were consistent with TTTS, correlated and confirmed by sonographic criteria. MR fetal abnormalities were documented. Cerebral ischemia, which could not be demonstrated by sonography, was delineated well by MR imaging. New findings noted on fetal MR imaging were enlargement of cerebral venous sinuses in both twins, dilatation of the renal collecting system in the recipient, lung lesions in the recipient and cerebral malformations in the donor. MR imaging is an important adjunct in TTTS imaging. Its benefit over sonography is its clear definition of cerebral pathology, which is important for intervention and counseling. The new findings, particularly in the urinary tract and cerebral venous sinuses, also help support the diagnosis of TTTS and might reveal additional consequences of the altered hemodynamics that occur in TTTS. (orig.)

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome: cerebral ischemia is not the only fetal MR imaging finding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kline-Fath, Beth M.; Calvo-Garcia, Maria A.; O'Hara, Sara M.; Racadio, Judy M.; Crombleholme, Timothy M.

2007-01-01

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a complication of monochorionic/diamniotic twin pregnancies. An imbalance of blood flow occurs through placental anastomoses, causing potentially significant morbidity and mortality in both twins. Although the sonographic findings of TTTS are well documented, we believe that MR imaging is a valuable adjunct. We describe the fetal MR imaging findings associated with TTTS. From 2003 to 2005, 37 consecutive MR imaging studies were performed on multiple-gestation pregnancies. Of the 37, 25 were consistent with TTTS, correlated and confirmed by sonographic criteria. MR fetal abnormalities were documented. Cerebral ischemia, which could not be demonstrated by sonography, was delineated well by MR imaging. New findings noted on fetal MR imaging were enlargement of cerebral venous sinuses in both twins, dilatation of the renal collecting system in the recipient, lung lesions in the recipient and cerebral malformations in the donor. MR imaging is an important adjunct in TTTS imaging. Its benefit over sonography is its clear definition of cerebral pathology, which is important for intervention and counseling. The new findings, particularly in the urinary tract and cerebral venous sinuses, also help support the diagnosis of TTTS and might reveal additional consequences of the altered hemodynamics that occur in TTTS. (orig.)

Blind CT image quality assessment via deep learning strategy: initial study

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Sui; He, Ji; Wang, Yongbo; Liao, Yuting; Zeng, Dong; Bian, Zhaoying; Ma, Jianhua

2018-03-01

Computed Tomography (CT) is one of the most important medical imaging modality. CT images can be used to assist in the detection and diagnosis of lesions and to facilitate follow-up treatment. However, CT images are vulnerable to noise. Actually, there are two major source intrinsically causing the CT data noise, i.e., the X-ray photo statistics and the electronic noise background. Therefore, it is necessary to doing image quality assessment (IQA) in CT imaging before diagnosis and treatment. Most of existing CT images IQA methods are based on human observer study. However, these methods are impractical in clinical for their complex and time-consuming. In this paper, we presented a blind CT image quality assessment via deep learning strategy. A database of 1500 CT images is constructed, containing 300 high-quality images and 1200 corresponding noisy images. Specifically, the high-quality images were used to simulate the corresponding noisy images at four different doses. Then, the images are scored by the experienced radiologists by the following attributes: image noise, artifacts, edge and structure, overall image quality, and tumor size and boundary estimation with five-point scale. We trained a network for learning the non-liner map from CT images to subjective evaluation scores. Then, we load the pre-trained model to yield predicted score from the test image. To demonstrate the performance of the deep learning network in IQA, correlation coefficients: Pearson Linear Correlation Coefficient (PLCC) and Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (SROCC) are utilized. And the experimental result demonstrate that the presented deep learning based IQA strategy can be used in the CT image quality assessment.

Utility of urine cytology in evaluating hematuria with sonographically suspected bladder lesion in patients older than 50 years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussam Eldin Helmy Mady

2014-01-01

Conclusion: Hematuria in patients older than 50 years with sonographically suspected bladder lesion mandates cystoscopy and biopsy. UC does not add more significant information in this group of patients.

Sonographic findings predictive of central lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma: influence of associated chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on the diagnostic performance of sonography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Yeon Hwa; Kim, Jeong-Ah; Son, Eun Ju; Youk, Ji Hyun; Kwak, Jin Young; Kim, Eun-Kyung; Park, Cheong Soo

2013-12-01

To analyze sonographic findings suggesting central lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma and to evaluate the influence of associated chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on the diagnostic performance of sonography for predicting central lymph node metastasis. A total of 124 patients (101 female and 23 male; mean age, 47.5 years; range, 21-74 years) underwent sonographically guided fine-needle aspiration in central lymph nodes from January 2008 to July 2011. Sonographic features of size, shape, margin, thickening of the cortex, cortical echogenicity, presence of a hilum, cystic changes, calcification, and vascularity of enlarged lymph nodes were analyzed before fine-needle aspiration and classified into 2 categories (probably benign and suspicious). Sonographic findings were correlated with the pathologic diagnosis and associated chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic performance of sonography for predicting central lymph node metastasis according to the associated thyroiditis. Fifty-one lymph nodes (39.5%) were malignant, and 73 (60.5%) were benign. On univariate analysis, size, shape, margin, cortical thickening, cortical echogenicity, cystic changes, calcification, and vascularity were significantly different between the benign and metastatic nodes (P thyroiditis-positive patients and 0.971 (95% CI, 0.938-1.000) in negative patients. Eccentric cortical thickening and cortical hyperechogenicity were the sonographic findings predictive of central lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma. The diagnostic performance of sonography for predicting metastasis was superior in chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis-negative patients than in positive patients.

Sonographic monitoring of complications and anomalies in twin gestations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coleman, B.G.; Grumbach, K.; Arger, P.H.; Mintz, M.C.; Arenson, R.L.; Mennuti, M.T.; Gabbe, S.G.

1986-01-01

One hundred sixty-eight twin gestations were evaluated to assess the role of US in the diagnosis of obstetric complications and anomalies. US revealed the following complications: symptomatic polyhydramnios (eight cases), myomas (seven), placenta previa (three), and abruption (five). Fetal anomalies included twin-twin transfusion syndrome (two), acardiac anomaly (two), chromosomal abnormality (two), anencephaly (one), hydrocephaly (one), and conjoined twins (two). In 26 gestations intrauterine fetal demise or neonatal death involved one or both twins for a total of 42 deaths, constituting a mortality of 12.5%. No maternal deaths occurred. The impact of sonographic monitoring on the obstetric management of twin gestations is emphasized

CT and sonographic characteristics of lymphangioma of the retoperitoneum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, A.J.; Hartman, D.S.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on CT (N = 14) used to localize lymphangioma as perirenal (N = 6), pararenal (N = 7), or pelvic (N = 1). Two arose in viscera, the adrenal, and bladder. Eight were unicameral, and six were multiloculated. Septa and walls were thick in 12. Attenuation varied from chyle to soft tissue. Sonography (N = 18) was used to characterize lymphangioma as unicameral (N = 7) or multilocular (N = 11). Septa were thick in 10 of 11 multiloculated lesions. Fluid was uncomplicated, contained dependent debris, or formed elements. Six extended across several boundaries. The authors' results show distinctive CT and sonographic features that helped to differentiate lymphangioma from other retroperitoneal masses

Sonographic evaluation of complications in patients with peritoneal dialysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Won Don; Jho, O. K.; Kim, J. S.; Ko, B. H.; Park, H. C.

1990-01-01

Ultrasonography was performed prospectively in 20 patients who were undergoing continuous ambullatory peritoneal dialysis for evaluation of complications. We examined the abdominal wall along the course of catheter and the peritoneal cavity with special attention to the dialysate distribution, dialysate echogenecity, thickness of the peritoneum small bowel distribution and the position of the catheter tip. Peritonitis was the most common complication (n=7); sonographic findings were small bowel adhesion (n=5) multiseptated ascites(n=1), peritoneal thickening(n=4), and tunnel infection(n=1) and exith site infection(n=1). Our initial experience suggests that ultrasonography is useful for diagnosis of complications and monitoring of patient during long term peritoneal dialysis

CT radiation dose and image quality optimization using a porcine model.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarb, Francis; McEntee, Mark F; Rainford, Louise

2013-01-01

To evaluate potential radiation dose savings and resultant image quality effects with regard to optimization of commonly performed computed tomography (CT) studies derived from imaging a porcine (pig) model. Imaging protocols for 4 clinical CT suites were developed based on the lowest milliamperage and kilovoltage, the highest pitch that could be set from current imaging protocol parameters, or both. This occurred before significant changes in noise, contrast, and spatial resolution were measured objectively on images produced from a quality assurance CT phantom. The current and derived phantom protocols were then applied to scan a porcine model for head, abdomen, and chest CT studies. Further optimized protocols were developed based on the same methodology as in the phantom study. The optimization achieved with respect to radiation dose and image quality was evaluated following data collection of radiation dose recordings and image quality review. Relative visual grading analysis of image quality criteria adapted from the European guidelines on radiology quality criteria for CT were used for studies completed with both the phantom-based or porcine-derived imaging protocols. In 5 out of 16 experimental combinations, the current clinical protocol was maintained. In 2 instances, the phantom protocol reduced radiation dose by 19% to 38%. In the remaining 9 instances, the optimization based on the porcine model further reduced radiation dose by 17% to 38%. The porcine model closely reflects anatomical structures in humans, allowing the grading of anatomical criteria as part of image quality review without radiation risks to human subjects. This study demonstrates that using a porcine model to evaluate CT optimization resulted in more radiation dose reduction than when imaging protocols were tested solely on quality assurance phantoms.

Effects of task and image properties on visual-attention deployment in image-quality assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Alers, Hani; Redi, Judith; Liu, Hantao; Heynderickx, Ingrid

2015-03-01

It is important to understand how humans view images and how their behavior is affected by changes in the properties of the viewed images and the task they are given, particularly the task of scoring the image quality (IQ). This is a complex behavior that holds great importance for the field of image-quality research. This work builds upon 4 years of research work spanning three databases studying image-viewing behavior. Using eye-tracking equipment, it was possible to collect information on human viewing behavior of different kinds of stimuli and under different experimental settings. This work performs a cross-analysis on the results from all these databases using state-of-the-art similarity measures. The results strongly show that asking the viewers to score the IQ significantly changes their viewing behavior. Also muting the color saturation seems to affect the saliency of the images. However, a change in IQ was not consistently found to modify visual attention deployment, neither under free looking nor during scoring. These results are helpful in gaining a better understanding of image viewing behavior under different conditions. They also have important implications on work that collects subjective image-quality scores from human observers.

Correlation of bone quality in radiographic images with clinical bone quality classification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyun Woo; Huh, Kyung Hoe; Kim, Jeong Hwa; Yi, Won Jin; Heo, Min Suk; Lee, Sam Sun; Choi, Soon Chul [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Kwan Soo [Inje University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2006-03-15

To investigate the validity of digital image processing on panoramic radiographs in estimating bone quality before endosseous dental implant installation by correlating bone quality in radiographic images with clinical bone quality classification. An experienced surgeon assessed and classified bone quality for implant sites with tactile sensation at the time of implant placement. Including fractal dimension eighteen morphologic features of trabecular pattern were examined in each anatomical sites on panoramic radiographs. Finally bone quality of 67 implant sites were evaluated in 42 patients. Pearson correlation analysis showed that three morphologic parameters had weak linear negative correlation with clinical bone quality classification showing correlation coefficients of -0.276, -0.280, and -0.289, respectively (p<0.05). And other three morphologic parameters had obvious linear negative correlation with clinical bone quality classification showing correlation coefficients of -0.346, -0.488, and -0.343 respectively (p<0.05). Fractal dimension also had a linear correlating with clinical bone quality classification with correlation coefficients -0.506 significantly (P<0.05). This study suggests that fractal and morphometric analysis using digital panoramic radiographs can be used to evaluate bone quality for implant recipient sites.

MO-DE-209-03: Assessing Image Quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, W. [Stony Brook Medicine (United States)

2016-06-15

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) is rapidly replacing mammography as the standard of care in breast cancer screening and diagnosis. DBT is a form of computed tomography, in which a limited set of projection images are acquired over a small angular range and reconstructed into tomographic data. The angular range varies from 15° to 50° and the number of projections varies between 9 and 25 projections, as determined by the equipment manufacturer. It is equally valid to treat DBT as the digital analog of classical tomography – that is, linear tomography. In fact, the name “tomosynthesis” stands for “synthetic tomography.” DBT shares many common features with classical tomography, including the radiographic appearance, dose, and image quality considerations. As such, both the science and practical physics of DBT systems is a hybrid between computed tomography and classical tomographic methods. In this lecture, we will explore the continuum from radiography to computed tomography to illustrate the characteristics of DBT. This lecture will consist of four presentations that will provide a complete overview of DBT, including a review of the fundamentals of DBT acquisition, a discussion of DBT reconstruction methods, an overview of dosimetry for DBT systems, and summary of the underlying image theory of DBT thereby relating image quality and dose. Learning Objectives: To understand the fundamental principles behind tomosynthesis image acquisition. To understand the fundamentals of tomosynthesis image reconstruction. To learn the determinants of image quality and dose in DBT, including measurement techniques. To learn the image theory underlying tomosynthesis, and the relationship between dose and image quality. ADM is a consultant to, and holds stock in, Real Time Tomography, LLC. ADM receives research support from Hologic Inc., Analogic Inc., and Barco NV.; ADM is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Gamma Medica Inc.; A. Maidment, Research Support

MO-DE-209-03: Assessing Image Quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, W.

2016-01-01

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) is rapidly replacing mammography as the standard of care in breast cancer screening and diagnosis. DBT is a form of computed tomography, in which a limited set of projection images are acquired over a small angular range and reconstructed into tomographic data. The angular range varies from 15° to 50° and the number of projections varies between 9 and 25 projections, as determined by the equipment manufacturer. It is equally valid to treat DBT as the digital analog of classical tomography – that is, linear tomography. In fact, the name “tomosynthesis” stands for “synthetic tomography.” DBT shares many common features with classical tomography, including the radiographic appearance, dose, and image quality considerations. As such, both the science and practical physics of DBT systems is a hybrid between computed tomography and classical tomographic methods. In this lecture, we will explore the continuum from radiography to computed tomography to illustrate the characteristics of DBT. This lecture will consist of four presentations that will provide a complete overview of DBT, including a review of the fundamentals of DBT acquisition, a discussion of DBT reconstruction methods, an overview of dosimetry for DBT systems, and summary of the underlying image theory of DBT thereby relating image quality and dose. Learning Objectives: To understand the fundamental principles behind tomosynthesis image acquisition. To understand the fundamentals of tomosynthesis image reconstruction. To learn the determinants of image quality and dose in DBT, including measurement techniques. To learn the image theory underlying tomosynthesis, and the relationship between dose and image quality. ADM is a consultant to, and holds stock in, Real Time Tomography, LLC. ADM receives research support from Hologic Inc., Analogic Inc., and Barco NV.; ADM is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Gamma Medica Inc.; A. Maidment, Research Support

REQUIREMENTS FOR IMAGE QUALITY OF EMERGENCY SPACECRAFTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Altukhov

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the method for formation of quality requirements to the images of emergency spacecrafts. The images are obtained by means of remote sensing of near-earth space orbital deployment in the visible range. of electromagnetic radiation. The method is based on a joint taking into account conditions of space survey, characteristics of surveillance equipment, main design features of the observed spacecrafts and orbital inspection tasks. Method. Quality score is the predicted linear resolution image that gives the possibility to create a complete view of pictorial properties of the space image obtained by electro-optical system from the observing satellite. Formulation of requirements to the numerical value of this indicator is proposed to perform based on the properties of remote sensing system, forming images in the conditions of outer space, and the properties of the observed emergency spacecraft: dimensions, platform construction of the satellite, on-board equipment placement. For method implementation the authors have developed a predictive model of requirements to a linear resolution for images of emergency spacecrafts, making it possible to select the intervals of space shooting and get the satellite images required for quality interpretation. Main results. To verify the proposed model functionality we have carried out calculations of the numerical values for the linear resolution of the image, ensuring the successful task of determining the gross structural damage of the spacecrafts and identifying changes in their spatial orientation. As input data were used with dimensions and geometric primitives corresponding to the shape of deemed inspected spacecrafts: Resurs-P", "Canopus-B", "Electro-L". Numerical values of the linear resolution images have been obtained, ensuring the successful task solution for determining the gross structural damage of spacecrafts.

Standardization of Image Quality Analysis – ISO 19264

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wüller, Dietmar; Kejser, Ulla Bøgvad

2016-01-01

There are a variety of image quality analysis tools available for the archiving world, which are based on different test charts and analysis algorithms. ISO has formed a working group in 2012 to harmonize these approaches and create a standard way of analyzing the image quality for archiving...... systems. This has resulted in three documents that have been or are going to be published soon. ISO 19262 defines the terms used in the area of image capture to unify the language. ISO 19263 describes the workflow issues and provides detailed information on how the measurements are done. Last...... but not least ISO 19264 describes the measurements in detail and provides aims and tolerance levels for the different aspects. This paper will present the new ISO 19264 technical specification to analyze image quality based on a single capture of a multi-pattern test chart, and discuss the reasoning behind its...

How the task of evaluating image quality influences viewing behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alers, H.; Bos, Lennart; Heynderickx, I.E.J.

2011-01-01

Image quality scores collected in subjective experiments are widely used in image quality research, particularly in the design of objective quality assessment algorithms. It is therefore of vital importance to make sure that the collected scores reflect viewers' opinions in real-life situations.

The effect of image quality, repeated study, and assessment method on anatomy learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenesi, Barbara; Mackinnon, Chelsea; Cheng, Lucia; Kim, Joseph A; Wainman, Bruce C

2017-06-01

The use of two-dimensional (2D) images is consistently used to prepare anatomy students for handling real specimen. This study examined whether the quality of 2D images is a critical component in anatomy learning. The visual clarity and consistency of 2D anatomical images was systematically manipulated to produce low-quality and high-quality images of the human hand and human eye. On day 0, participants learned about each anatomical specimen from paper booklets using either low-quality or high-quality images, and then completed a comprehension test using either 2D images or three-dimensional (3D) cadaveric specimens. On day 1, participants relearned each booklet, and on day 2 participants completed a final comprehension test using either 2D images or 3D cadaveric specimens. The effect of image quality on learning varied according to anatomical content, with high-quality images having a greater effect on improving learning of hand anatomy than eye anatomy (high-quality vs. low-quality for hand anatomy P = 0.018; high-quality vs. low-quality for eye anatomy P = 0.247). Also, the benefit of high-quality images on hand anatomy learning was restricted to performance on short-answer (SA) questions immediately after learning (high-quality vs. low-quality on SA questions P = 0.018), but did not apply to performance on multiple-choice (MC) questions (high-quality vs. low-quality on MC questions P = 0.109) or after participants had an additional learning opportunity (24 hours later) with anatomy content (high vs. low on SA questions P = 0.643). This study underscores the limited impact of image quality on anatomy learning, and questions whether investment in enhancing image quality of learning aids significantly promotes knowledge development. Anat Sci Educ 10: 249-261. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.