title: Equipment, measurement and dose-a survey for therapeutic ultrasound.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dosimetry for Ultrasound Therapy (DUTy) is a large international project which addresses the development of a metrological infrastructure for the determination of ultrasound exposure and dose to tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to seek the views of the wider therapy ultrasound community and to review dose and in situ exposure quantities that have been suggested or used previously, a web-based questionnaire containing a range of questions covering the type of ultrasound equipment that is used and the range of applications for which it has been developed was created at www.surveymonkey.com. This questionnaire was intended to cover any contemporary therapeutic ultrasound application (including physiotherapy, lithotripsy and drug delivery) and asked specific questions about quantification of in situ exposure and dose, especially as relevant to treatment planning, standardisation and/or regulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This paper summarises the 123 responses submitted between February and September 2014 to the questions on clinical applications, equipment, quality assurance (QA) and measurement and standards, as well as to those relating to an understanding of "dose" in the context of ultrasound. The full set of anonymous responses is available in an additional Excel file.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results clearly demonstrate the need not only for further improvements in measuring devices and for measurement guidelines but also for a wider dissemination and higher awareness of existing standards. Whilst it is unlikely that a single definition of dose can be sufficient for all ultrasound treatment modalities, the answers clearly indicate that many aspects would benefit from clear definitions of relevant dose quantities and shed light on the preferred form of such definitions.
authors.affiliation: Acoustics and Ionizing Radiation Division, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex UK.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Acoustics and Ionizing Radiation Division, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex UK ; Present address: Biomedical Ultrasound Group, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, Institute for Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey UK.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ter Haar
keywords: Dosimetry; Exposimetry; Survey; Therapeutic ultrasound