Optimization of ultrasound scanner characteristics: a preliminary study

It is generally accepted that different transducer characteristics are optimal for different examinations, but it is not always obvious which other scanner/transducer parameters, e.g. signal processing should be selected for a given examination. We have examined noise and grey-level parameters for two specific anatomical sections (one showing the liver and right kidney and one showing the uterus) using a combination of subjective and objective assessment. The results confirm that the images chosen for this study have different requirements in terms of noise and grey-scale processing. The uterus image requires a large range of greys assigned to the lower level echoes and requires low noise levels. The liver/kidney image was not affected by noise levels in the systems used and required the lower amplitude grey-levels to be compressed, liberating a greater range of greys for the higher amplitude echoes.