title: Assisted-freehand ultrasound elasticity imaging.
abstract: Good-quality elasticity imaging requires highly controlled compressions of the breast, which are often challenging to obtain with freehand, even by an experienced radiologist. This paper presents assisted-freehand ultrasound (AFUSON): a fusion of freehand and automated ultrasound systems designed to assisted elasticity imaging acquisition while remaining as flexible as freehand. In the form of a hand-held device, this semi-automatic solution delivers both increased acquisition precision and control. Compared with freehand acquisitions, it reduces out-of-plane motion decorrelation by one-half and lateral motion by one-third, increases within-scan repeatability by 50%, and does so across operators.
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Medical Vision Laboratory, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. mikekadour@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kadour
authors.forename: J Alison
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Noble
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001331:Automation; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D009038:Motion; D012107:Research Design; D014159:Transducers; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*