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Ultrasound Int Open 2017; 03(02): E82-E88
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-101511
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Ultrasound Needle Visibility in Contrast Mode Imaging: An In Vitro and Ex Vivo Study

Marga B. Rominger
1   University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Katharina Martini
1   University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Evelyn Dappa
1   University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zurich, Switzerland
2   University Hospital Mainz, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Mainz, Germany
3   ETH, Computer Vision Laboratory, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Gilbert Puippe
1   University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Volker Klingmüller
1   University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Thomas Frauenfelder
1   University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zurich, Switzerland
,
Sergio J. Sanabria
3   ETH, Computer Vision Laboratory, Zurich, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 24 May 2016
revised 21 December 2016

accepted 07 January 2017

Publication Date:
22 June 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Purpose To evaluate needle visibility in ultrasound under contrast mode conditions.

Materials and Methods Needle visibility was evaluated for bevel, EchoTip® and shaft of 18G Chiba biopsy needle with a 9 MHz linear probe (GE Logiq E9). Insertion angles varied between 30°(steep) and 90°(parallel to the probe surface). The acoustic output varied from 5–28%. 2 different contrast mode presets with either 'Amplitude Modulation' (Penetration) or 'Phase Inversion Harmonics' (High Resolution) were assessed. All other imaging parameters were kept constant. The visibility of bevel, EchoTip® and shaft was assessed for grayscale and color-coded images with a 3-point Likert-like scale (not, poorly, well visible) by 2 independent readers. The echogenicity of the needle bevel, EchoTip® and shaft was assessed in deciBel (dB) on the color-coded images.

Results With the parallel insertion angle, all needle areas were well visible. With steep insertion the EchoTip® was the only visible area. High Resolution was superior to Penetration (p<0.001). The visibility and echogenicity of the needle bevel (r grayscale=0.109, pgrayscale=0.178; r color-coded=0.236, pcolor-coded=0.266; r dB=0.956, pdB=0.001), EchoTip® (r grayscale+= 0.477, pgrayscale+= 0.018; r color-coded=0.540, pcolor-coded+= 0.006; r dB=0.911, pdB=0.001) and shaft (r grayscale=0.124, pgrayscale=0.563; r color-coded=0.061, pcolor-coded+= 0.775; r dB+= 0.926, pdB=0.001) increased with increasing acoustic output. Grayscale images were superior to color-coded images for needle visibility (p=0.004).

Conclusion Parallel needle insertion, use of an echogenic tip, adequate choice of presets, increased acoustic output, and dual view of grayscale and color-coded images improve needle visibility in ultrasound under contrast mode conditions.

Key words

ultrasound - biopsy - contrast agents
 

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