title: A mechanical instrument for 3D ultrasound probe calibration.
abstract: We present a novel technique for 3D ultrasound probe calibration. The principle of operation is that the beam is aligned with a set of coplanar wires strung across a rigid frame. The probe and frame are mounted on a precision-manufactured mechanical instrument which allows adjustment and measurement of their relative pose. Semi-automatic image processing facilitates alignment of the beam and wires to within a tolerance of around 0.2 mm, despite the considerable beam thickness. The calibration process requires just a single view and relatively little user expertise. In a series of experiments with different ultrasound probes, we demonstrate the technique's high accuracy and precision. The latter is partly due to the elimination of the position sensor, a significant source of measurement noise, from the end-user calibration process.
authors.affiliation: University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK. ahg@eng.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.forename: Neil E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: Graham M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Treece
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Prager
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods