Test object for measurement of section thickness at US

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Ultrasound Technology
• Array Signal Processing

Background:

• Accurate characterization of ultrasound beam profiles is crucial for diagnostic imaging quality.
• Evaluating beam characteristics in the elevation plane (perpendicular to the scanning plane) presents unique challenges.
• Existing methods may lack direct visualization or comprehensive assessment across the full exploration depth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simple phantom and method for evaluating ultrasound beam profiles in the elevation direction.
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique using one- and one and one-half-dimensional (1.5D) array probes.
• To assess the performance of electronic focusing in the elevation plane with 1.5D arrays.

Main Methods:

• A simple ultrasound phantom was designed for direct visualization of beam characteristics.
• The inclined plane method was employed to display section thickness across the entire exploration depth.
• The phantom and method were tested using one-dimensional (1D) and 1.5D array transducers.

Main Results:

• The phantom provided a clear, direct display of the elevation beam profile on a single ultrasonographic image.
• The inclined plane method successfully visualized section thickness over the whole exploration depth.
• Results demonstrated the efficacy of electronic focusing in the elevation plane, particularly with 1.5D arrays.

Conclusions:

• The developed phantom and inclined plane method offer an efficient and direct approach to assess ultrasound elevation beam profiles.
• This technique is effective for evaluating beam characteristics and electronic focusing capabilities of different array types, including 1.5D arrays.
• The findings support the use of this method for quality assurance and optimization in ultrasound system development and clinical application.