A system for simultaneously measuring contact force, ultrasound, and position information for use in force-based correction of freehand scanning

IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2005 Aug;52(8):1330-42. doi: 10.1109/tuffc.2005.1509791.

Abstract

During freehand ultrasound imaging, the sonographer places the ultrasound probe on the patient's skin. This paper describes a system that simultaneously records the position of the probe, the contact force between the probe and skin, and the ultrasound image. The system consists of an ultrasound machine, a probe, a force sensor, an optical localizer, and a host computer. Two new calibration methods are demonstrated: a temporal calibration to determine the time delay between force and position measurements, and a gravitational calibration to remove the effect of gravity on the recorded force. Measurements made with the system showed good agreement with those obtained from a standard materials testing machine. The system's uses include three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound imaging, force-based deformation correction of ultrasound images, and indentation testing.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms*
  • Artifacts*
  • Elasticity
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Image Enhancement / instrumentation*
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Manometry / instrumentation*
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Systems Integration
  • Transducers
  • Ultrasonography / instrumentation*
  • Ultrasonography / methods