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Ayusha Abbas

Developing a low-cost ultrasound scanner.

Email: a.abbas1@ncl.ac.uk

Project title

Ego-motion estimation for low-cost freehand ultrasound scanner

Supervisors

Project description

I am developing a very low-cost medical ultrasound imaging system. The system uses concepts of ego-motion estimation. This will enable construction of a geometrically correct, B-mode image from a very simple probe with a single fixed beam. The beam is either manually scanned across the skin (linear) or rotated against the skin (polar).

Methodology and objectives

In the case of a linear scan, we have proposed an algorithm which measures the decorrelation between successive scanlines to estimate probe velocity. With the aid of an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF), we use this to reconstruct a geometrically correct 2D image of a resolution phantom. The image has well-defined image patterns for precise measurement of geometric accuracy.

In the case of a polar scan, we use angular data obtained from a low cost MEMS gyroscope to reconstruct the image. Data collected on human subjects show promising results for clinical diagnostics.

Results

We have replaced a multi-element piezoelectric transducer array with a single piezoelectric element. This will reduce the production cost.

We have used a go-motion estimation algorithm for processing 1D, raw echo-data to generate a 2D ultrasound image.

We have estimated the velocity of the probe used to create the geometrically correct image of the phantom, which we compare with the real image. We will compare estimated values for motion with the controlled motion by using a mechanical rig in the future work.

We used angular data gathered from the gyroscope to create a polar image. We did this by converting the polar coordinates into Cartesian coordinates.

Initial in-vivo experiments have shown promising results for clinical diagnostics. With further work, this technique has potential to deliver a very low cost ultrasound probe design for use in the developing world.

Publications

Qualifications

  • BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Newcastle University

 

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