title: A three-dimensional ultrasound prostate imaging system.
abstract: We have developed a three-dimensional (3D) transrectal ultrasound imaging system, based on using a motorized 5 MHz transducer assembly, rotated under microcomputer control, to collect a series of 100 two-dimensional (2D) images, digitized by a video frame-grabber. These are then reconstructed into a 3D image on a computer workstation, permitting the prostate anatomy to be visualized in three dimensions, and distance and volume measurements to be performed. The accuracy of the distance measurements was assessed with a string test phantom, and that of the volume measurements with balloons of known sizes. Also, the resolution degradation engendered by the reconstruction algorithm was assessed by comparing the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of string cross-sectional images in the 3D image to their 2D counterparts. The results show that distance and volume measurements are both accurate to about +/- 1%, and that the reconstruction algorithm increases the mean FWHM by 8 +/- 3% axially and 3 +/- 3% laterally.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Research Laboratories, John P. Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Cardinal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fenster
mesh_terms: D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*