title: Clinical evaluation of synthetic aperture harmonic imaging for scanning focal malignant liver lesions.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to perform a clinical comparison of synthetic aperture sequential beamforming tissue harmonic imaging (SASB-THI) sequences with a conventional imaging technique, dynamic receive focusing with THI (DRF-THI). Both techniques used pulse inversion and were recorded interleaved using a commercial ultrasound system (UltraView 800, BK Medical, Herlev, Denmark). Thirty-one patients with malignant focal liver lesions (confirmed by biopsy or computed tomography/magnetic resonance) were scanned. Detection of malignant focal liver lesions and preference of image quality were evaluated blinded off-line by eight radiologists. In total, 2,032 evaluations of 127 image sequences were completed. The sensitivity (77% SASB-THI, 76% DRF-THI, p = 0.54) and specificity (71% SASB-THI, 72% DRF-THI, p = 0.67) of detection of liver lesions and the evaluation of image quality (p = 0.63) did not differ between SASB-THI and DRF-THI. This study indicates the ability of SASB-THI in a true clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: andreaskr5@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andreas Hjelm
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.affiliation: Center for Fast Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Martin Christian
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hemmsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter Møller
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Signe Sloth
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Paul Suno
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Krohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Theis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristoffer Lindskov
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Center for Fast Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jørgen Arendt
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Michael Bachmann
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Image evaluation; Liver lesion; Sequential beamforming; Synthetic aperture; Tissue harmonic imaging