Automated hierarchical time gain compensation for in-vivo ultrasound imaging

Ramin Moshavegh; Martin Christian Hemmsen; Bo Martins; Andreas Hjelm Brandt M.D.; Kristoffer Lindskov Hansen M.D.; Michael Bachmann Nielsen; Jørgen Arendt Jensen

doi:10.1117/12.2081619

17 March 2015 Automated hierarchical time gain compensation for in-vivo ultrasound imaging

Ramin Moshavegh, Martin Christian Hemmsen, Bo Martins, Andreas Hjelm Brandt M.D., Kristoffer Lindskov Hansen M.D., Michael Bachmann Nielsen, Jørgen Arendt Jensen

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9419, Medical Imaging 2015: Ultrasonic Imaging and Tomography; 941904 (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2081619
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2015, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Time gain compensation (TGC) is essential to ensure the optimal image quality of the clinical ultrasound scans. When large fluid collections are present within the scan plane, the attenuation distribution is changed drastically and TGC compensation becomes challenging. This paper presents an automated hierarchical TGC (AHTGC) algorithm that accurately adapts to the large attenuation variation between different types of tissues and structures. The algorithm relies on estimates of tissue attenuation, scattering strength, and noise level to gain a more quantitative understanding of the underlying tissue and the ultrasound signal strength. The proposed algorithm was applied to a set of 44 in vivo abdominal movie sequences each containing 15 frames. Matching pairs of in vivo sequences, unprocessed and processed with the proposed AHTGC were visualized side by side and evaluated by two radiologists in terms of image quality. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate whether radiologists preferred the processed sequences or the unprocessed data. The results indicate that the average visual analogue scale (VAS) is positive ( p-value: 2.34 × 10^-13) and estimated to be 1.01 (95% CI: 0.85; 1.16) favoring the processed data with the proposed AHTGC algorithm.

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Ramin Moshavegh, Martin Christian Hemmsen, Bo Martins, Andreas Hjelm Brandt M.D., Kristoffer Lindskov Hansen M.D., Michael Bachmann Nielsen, and Jørgen Arendt Jensen "Automated hierarchical time gain compensation for in-vivo ultrasound imaging", Proc. SPIE 9419, Medical Imaging 2015: Ultrasonic Imaging and Tomography, 941904 (17 March 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2081619

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