Evaluation of image quality of personal ultrasound imager: Comparison with the conventional machine.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the image quality of a personal ultrasound imager (PUI) is as good as that of a conventional machine (CM).


METHODS
Ninety patients were studied by the same operator using both the PUI and CM. The quality of the B-mode images obtained from these patients was scored 0, 1 or 2, defined as poor, fair, or good, respectively. Liver-tumor vascularity depicted by power Doppler imaging (PDI) and directional PDI (DPDI) was classified as 0, no blood signal; 1, dot-like blood signal within the tumor; 2, mild blood-flow signal within the tumor; and 3, abundant blood-flow signal within the tumor.


RESULTS
The mean score of PUI and CM B-mode image quality was 7.47±0.92 and 7.54±0.99 (mean±SD), respectively (p=0.531). On PDI, grade of vascularity of the liver tumors determined with the PUI was 4.44 and 4.68 in those determined with the CM (p=0.78). On DPDI, tumor vascularity was 3.12 when scored by the PUI and 4.29 when scored with the CM (p=0.03). The qualities of images acquired by the PUI and CM were significantly correlated.


CONCLUSIONS
The quality of B-mode images acquired using the PUI and CM are statistically the same, and they share a similar ability to detect intratumoral blood-flow signals on PDI. Because of its extreme portability, the PUI is expected to become a valuable diagnostic tool in the clinic.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.|Department of Ultrasound, Sun Yut-Sen University of Medical Science Memorial Hospital, 107 Yanjiangxi Road, 510120, Guangzhou, China.
Yan Ling
YL
Wen
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Masatoshi
M
Kudo
Abdominal Ultrasound Unit, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Kiyoshi
K
Maekawa
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Toshihiko
T
Kawasaki
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Hobyung
H
Chung
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Yasunori
Y
Minami
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Yoichiro
Y
Suetomi
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Hirokazu
H
Onda
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Masayuki
M
Kitano
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Shigenaga
S
Matsui
Abdominal Ultrasound Unit, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Mayumi
M
Eguchi
Abdominal Ultrasound Unit, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Ai
A
Kuwaguchi
Abdominal Ultrasound Unit, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, 589-8511, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
Kumiko
K
Kawabata
Doppler imaging; directional power; image quality; personal ultrasound imager (PUI); power doppler imaging; ultrasound