Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Korea.
Acad Radiol. 2012 Aug;19(8):923-9. doi: 10.1016/j.acra.2012.04.005. Epub 2012 May 24.
To compare the image quality between conventional and synthetic aperture (SA) imaging in breast ultrasound (US).
Twenty-four patients with 31 breast lesions were included in our study. The US data were processed with SA algorithm. For quantitative analysis, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were calculated. For qualitative analysis, conventional and SA images were reviewed by three radiologists and diagnostic preference (conspicuity, margin sharpness, and contrast) was assessed. The radiologists also determined whether artifacts were present. Parameters were analyzed using a paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and chi-square test.
The mean CNRs were higher in SA images compared with conventional images (mean, 2.56 versus 2.28, P = .004). The mean SNRs were higher in SA images compared with conventional images (31.62 versus 25.26, P < .0001). SA images were considered as being "better" or "much better" in 16-23 (51.6-74.2%) lesions of total 31 lesions for conspicuity, in 17-24 (45.2%-77.4%) for margin sharpness, and in 13-23 (41.9%-74.2%) for contrast. Significant preferences in SA images were demonstrated (conspicuity, P < .05 for all radiologists; margin sharpness and contrast in two radiologists). Refraction and speckle artifacts were less frequently observed in SA images (refraction, P < .05 for all radiologists; speckle, P < .05 for two radiologists), whereas reflection artifacts were more frequent in SA images (P < .05 in two radiologists).
SA imaging provides better image quality than conventional imaging in patients with focal breast lesions in breast US.
比较常规与合成孔径（SA）成像在乳腺超声（US）中的图像质量。
本研究纳入了 24 例 31 个乳腺病灶患者。对 US 数据进行 SA 算法处理。进行定量分析时，计算了对比噪声比（CNR）和信噪比（SNR）。进行定性分析时，由 3 位放射科医生对常规和 SA 图像进行评估，并评价诊断偏好（显示度、边缘锐利度和对比）。放射科医生还判断是否存在伪影。采用配对 t 检验、Wilcoxon 符号秩检验和卡方检验对参数进行分析。
SA 图像的平均 CNR 高于常规图像（平均 2.56 比 2.28，P =.004）。SA 图像的平均 SNR 高于常规图像（31.62 比 25.26，P <.0001）。在总共 31 个病灶中，31 个病灶中的 16-23 个（51.6%-74.2%）病灶的显示度、17-24 个（45.2%-77.4%）病灶的边缘锐利度和 13-23 个（41.9%-74.2%）病灶的对比被认为“更好”或“好很多”。在 SA 图像中，放射科医生均发现了显著的偏好（显示度，P <.05；边缘锐利度和对比，两位放射科医生）。在 SA 图像中，折射伪影和斑点伪影较少（折射，所有放射科医生均 P <.05；斑点，两位放射科医生 P <.05），而反射伪影更常见（两位放射科医生 P <.05）。
在乳腺 US 中，对于局灶性乳腺病灶患者，SA 成像比常规成像提供更好的图像质量。
