IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2024 Jul;71(7):2022-2032. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2024.3359854. Epub 2024 Jun 19.
In 3D freehand ultrasound imaging, operator dependent variations in applied forces and movements can lead to errors in the reconstructed images. In this paper, we introduce an automated 3D ultrasound system, which enables acquisitions with controlled movement trajectories by using motors, which electrically move the probe. Due to integrated encoders there is no need of position sensors. An included force control mechanism ensures a constant contact force to the skin. We conducted 8 trials with the automated 3D ultrasound system on 2 different phantoms with 3 force settings and 10 trials on a human tibialis anterior muscle with 2 force settings. For comparison, we also conducted 8 freehand 3D ultrasound scans from 2 operators (4 force settings) on one phantom and 10 with one operator on the tibialis anterior muscle. Both freehand and automated trials showed small errors in volume and length computations of the reconstructions, however the freehand trials showed larger standard deviations. We also computed the thickness of the phantom and the tibialis anterior muscle. We found significant differences in force settings for the operators and higher coefficients of variation for the freehand trials. Overall, the automated 3D ultrasound system shows a high accuracy in reconstruction. Due to the smaller coefficients of variation, the automated 3D ultrasound system enables more reproducible ultrasound examinations than the freehand scanning. Therefore, the automated 3D ultrasound system is a reliable tool for 3D investigations of skeletal muscle.
在 3D 自由式超声成像中，操作人员施加的力和运动的变化会导致重建图像出现误差。在本文中，我们介绍了一种自动化 3D 超声系统，该系统通过使用电动移动探头的电机来实现具有受控运动轨迹的采集。由于集成了编码器，因此无需位置传感器。包括的力控制机构可确保与皮肤保持恒定的接触力。我们在两个不同的体模上进行了 8 次自动化 3D 超声系统试验，使用了 3 种力设置，在人类胫骨前肌上进行了 10 次试验，使用了 2 种力设置。作为比较，我们还在一个体模上由两名操作人员进行了 8 次自由式 3D 超声扫描（4 种力设置），在胫骨前肌上由一名操作人员进行了 10 次扫描。自由式和自动化试验均显示重建体积和长度计算存在较小误差，但自由式试验的标准偏差更大。我们还计算了体模和胫骨前肌的厚度。我们发现操作人员的力设置存在显著差异，自由式试验的变异系数更高。总体而言，自动化 3D 超声系统在重建方面具有很高的准确性。由于变异系数较小，自动化 3D 超声系统比自由式扫描更能实现可重复的超声检查。因此，自动化 3D 超声系统是骨骼肌肉 3D 研究的可靠工具。
