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Effects of Ultrasonic Scanner Setting Parameters on the Quality of Ultrasonic Images  

Yang, Jeong-Hwa (제주한라대학 방사선과)
Lee, Kyung-Sung (제주한라대학 방사선과)
Kang, Gwan-Suk (제주대학교 의공학협동과정)
Paeng, Dong-Guk (제주대학교 의공학협동과정)
Choi, Min-Joo (제주대학교 의공학협동과정)
Publication Information
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea / v.27, no.2, 2008 , pp. 57-65 More about this Journal
Abstract
Setting parameters of Ultrasonic scanners influence the quality of ultrasonic images. In order to obtain optimized images sonographers need to understand the effects of the setting parameters on ultrasonic images. The present study considered typical four parameters including TGC (Time Gain Control), Gain, Frequency, DR (Dynamic Range). LCS (low contrast sensitivity) was chosen to quantitatively compare the quality of the images. In the present experiment LCS targets of a standard ultrasonic test phantom (539, ATS, USA) were imaged using a clinical ultrasonic scanner (SA-9000 PRIME, Medison, Korea). Altering the settings in the parameters of the ultrasonic scanner, 6 LCS target images (+15 dB, +6 dB, +3 dB, -3 dB, -6 dB, -15 dB) to each setting were obtained, and their LCS values were calculated. The results show that the mean pixel value (LCS) is the highest at the max setting in TGC, mid to max in gain and pen mode in frequency and 40-66 dB in DR. Among all images, the image being the highest in LCS was obtained at the setting of DR 40 dB. It is expected that the results will be of use in setting the parameters when ultrasonically examining masses often clinically found In either solid lesions (similar to +15, +6, +3 dB targets) or cystic lesions (similar to -15, -6, -3 dB targets).
Keywords
Ultrasonography; Setting parameters; DR (Dynamic Range); LCS (Low Contrast Sensitivity); Solid lesion; Cystic lesion;
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