A linear-array freehand 3-D endoscopic ultrasound.

Recognition of the clinical importance of linear-array endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has increased. In this study, we developed a linear-array 3-D EUS, a miniature position sensor attached to the tip of the echoendoscope used in freehand scanning. To evaluate the geometrical accuracy of the 3-D reconstruction of the system, the diameter of a sphere-shaped phantom (38 mm) was determined by five examiners and five measurers. Measured size of the sphere was 39.03 +/- 1.29 mm, with variance between examiners and measurers, and interaction of examiners with measurers was not significant. In animal and clinical studies, the system facilitated anatomical interpretation of the EUS images, especially in the pancreatobiliary area and vascular images. We concluded that this system is both accurate and reproducible, and may resolve difficulties in linear-array EUS.