Browne Jacinta E, Watson Amanda J, Gibson Nicholas M, Dudley Nicholas J, Elliott Alex T
Ultrasound Equipment Evaluation Project, Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
Ultrasound Med Biol. 2004 Feb;30(2):229-37. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2003.10.002.
Tissue harmonic imaging (THI) and compound imaging have been reported clinically to improve contrast resolution, tissue differentiation and overall image quality. However, there have been limited studies to date to quantify objectively the improvements in image quality achieved with these new imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to quantify differences in image quality that exist between conventional B-mode imaging, harmonic imaging, compound imaging and harmonic compound imaging. An ATL HDI 5000 scanner with three probes (C5-2, L7-4 and L12-5) was tested with two different types of test object, the Gammex-RMI model 404 GS LE and the Gammex-RMI 403 GS LE. The measurement limitations associated with subjective analysis methods were not present in this study because an automated image analysis program was used to determine the image quality parameters. Therefore, subtle differences between the four imaging modes could be detected. Significant improvements in lateral resolution and slice thickness as a function of depth were found with THI. Contrast resolution and anechoic target detection improved with compound imaging, and harmonic compound imaging improved lateral resolution, slice thickness as a function of depth and contrast resolution.
组织谐波成像（THI）和复合成像在临床上已被报道可提高对比分辨率、组织分辨力及整体图像质量。然而，迄今为止，对这些新成像技术所带来的图像质量改善进行客观量化的研究尚有限。本研究的目的是量化传统B模式成像、谐波成像、复合成像和谐波复合成像之间存在的图像质量差异。使用配备三个探头（C5-2、L7-4和L12-5）的ATL HDI 5000扫描仪，对两种不同类型的测试对象——Gammex-RMI 404 GS LE模型和Gammex-RMI 403 GS LE进行测试。本研究不存在与主观分析方法相关的测量局限性，因为使用了自动图像分析程序来确定图像质量参数。因此，能够检测到四种成像模式之间的细微差异。发现THI可使横向分辨率和切片厚度随深度显著改善。复合成像可提高对比分辨率和无回声目标检测能力，谐波复合成像则可改善横向分辨率、切片厚度随深度的变化情况以及对比分辨率。
