A contribution to sonograph image quality estimation using point spread function.
In medical sonography, sonograph image quality is an essential aspect for the safety of both patient and doctor. Its evaluation therefore requires an accurate and objective method for measurement. In this regard, a number of methods are in current use. Most of these are based on tissue mimicking phantom imaging. In contrast, we have used another principle based on Point Spread Function (PSF) analysis which is a product of the measuring system we have developed. In this case, the measured sonograph scans a small metallic ball target that moves in a water bath on a specified trajectory. The Region Of Interest (ROI) of the sonogram containing the ball target picture is digitised and the amplitude of the pixels analysed. The result is the PSF from which we calculate the lateral resolution (LR). For this purpose, we use our own original software. Using this method, we have to date been able to plot LR characteristics over the scanning plane. The method allows us to differentiate separate scanning lines and even multiple focal areas for dynamic focussing systems. It can detect malfunctions in dynamic focussing, size of aperture, time gain compensation function and/or transducer element failure. The procedure itself is not as easy or as fast to use as tissue mimicking phantoms or 3D signal to noise ratio evaluation, but it provides accurate and objective numeric parameters corresponding to the quality of image at any specified point over the whole scanning area. It is also a very powerful tool when used in combination with the other methods mentioned above.