Perceptual studies on ultrasonic B-scan textures

A pilot study of the perceptual characteristics of ultrasonic textured images is described. Scans of four models performed on four real-time machines optimised for display of a normal liver were used. A trial with 22 observers indicated that the model that gave images closest to the liver image varied between machines. A second, paired similarity test with five observers using all the model images was performed, with a cluster analysis of a multidimensional scaling procedure. This suggested that the prominent features of the textural images are often more closely related to the machines than to the models. Considerable further work is needed to confirm these pilot results and to identify the visual cues that are most significant in textured images.