Performance Evaluation of Ultrasonic Imaging System (Part I)

A review of ultrasound contrast media

Efforts have been made over the last five decades to create effective ultrasonic contrast media (UCM) for cardiac and noncardiac applications. The initial UCM was established in the 1980s, following publications from the 1960s that detailed the discovery of ultrasonic contrast enhancement using small gaseous bubbles in echocardiographic examinations. An optimal contrast agent for echography should possess the following characteristics: non-toxicity, suitability for intravenous injection, ability to traverse pulmonary, cardiac, and capillary circulations, and stability for recirculation. Definity, Optison, Sonazoid, and SonoVue are examples of current commercial contrast media. These contrast media have shown potential for various clinical reasons, both on-label and off-label. Several possible UCMs have been developed or are in progress. Advancements in comprehending the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of microbubbles have significantly improved the visualization of tumor blood vessels, the identification of areas with reduced blood supply, and the enhanced detection of narrowed blood vessels. Innovative advances are expected to enhance future applications such as ultrasonic molecular imaging and therapeutic utilization of microbubbles.

Compact meta-differentiator for achieving isotropically high-contrast ultrasonic imaging

Ultrasonic imaging is crucial in the fields of biomedical engineering for its deep penetration capabilities and non-ionizing nature. However, traditional techniques heavily rely on impedance differences within objects, resulting in poor contrast when imaging acoustically transparent targets. Here, we propose a compact spatial differentiator for underwater isotropic edge-enhanced imaging, which enhances the imaging contrast without the need for contrast agents or external physical fields. This design incorporates an amplitude meta-grating for linear transmission along the radial direction, combined with a phase meta-grating that utilizes focus and spiral phases with a first-order topological charge. Through theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental validation, we substantiate the effectiveness of our technique in distinguishing amplitude objects with isotropic edge enhancements. Importantly, this method also enables the accurate detection of both phase objects and artificial biological models. This breakthrough creates new opportunities for applications in medical diagnosis and nondestructive testing.

A Review of Blood-mimicking Fluid Properties Using Doppler Ultrasound Applications

Doppler imaging ultrasound characterization and standardization requires blood that is called blood mimicking fluid for the exam. With recognized internal properties, acoustic and physical features of this artificial blood. Both acoustical and physical merits set in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) scale are determined as regular values, where the components utilized in the artificial blood preparation must have values identical to the IEC values. An artificial blood is commercially available in the medical application and may not be suitable in the mode of ultrasonic device or for rate of new imaging technique. It is sometimes qualified to have the strength to produce sound features and simulate blood configuration for particular implementations. In the current review article, appropriate artificial blood components, fluids, and measurements are described that have been created using varied materials and processes that have modified for medical applications.

Performance Evaluation of an Ultrasonic Imaging System Using Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms for Quality Assurance

Diagnostic ultrasound or sonography is an image that can provide valuable information for diagnosing and treating a variety of diseases and conditions. The aim of this research study is to examine the performance and accuracy of the ultrasonic imaging system for the guarantee of diagnosis quality assurance, and to adjust the penetration settings to minimize the time of repeat scans and maintenance duration during research experiments. Measurements in this experiment included the resolution (axial and lateral) and focal zones. Moreover, the evaluation was done by completing all the measurements at different depths on a multipurpose phantom model 539. The phantom was bought from the market and was not fabricated by the author. The measurements were achieved by applying two different transducers: curved and linear (flat). The ultrasound images were obtained and tested by using calipers (electronic), and the estimations and observations were read by using all the taken measurements and images. As a result, because the phantom depths were different, the penetration settings were different too, indicating that the depth impacted the penetrations of the created ultrasound image. Moreover, after the comparison of the recorded measurements and results, it was found that all measurements were within the accepted (standard) value and that the true value was specified by the production of the phantom.