On evaluation of First Call 2000™

Abstract

Diagnostic ultrasound is used as a tool in many different fields. The image quality is a vital part of the examination method, and it is crucial for a correct diagnostic assessment. The image quality depends to a large extent on the ultrasound probes' acoustic ability to send out and to pick up signals. In the clinical usage an image with deteriorated quality is often difficult to assess. A successive deterioration and wear in an ultrasound probe is hard to discover with the naked eye. Thus there is a need for efficient assessments and in this regard the Department of Biomedical Engineering (DBE) lacks an appropriate test method. At the Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SU) there are a great number of ultrasound probes. Today there is a lack of an objective test method that in a quick and easy way verifies the technical performance of the probe. The DBE decided to evaluate the test method First Call 2000™ in order to find out if this method could be a replacement or complement to the current methods. During three days 115 tests were performed at SU. The collected data were studied and were evaluated by DBE. Out of 115 tests performed with First Call 2000™ 43 probes were free from remarks, 45 had some kind of remark and 27 were excluded for various reasons. The results show that with this test method it is possible to quickly and easily obtain a prognosis for the technical performance of the probe. Many tests pointed at technical defects for probes used in daily operation. By collecting reference data with recurrent First Call 2000™ tests, you could have a better outline of the technical performance of the probes. Thus the test results could be the basis for the fact if the probe should be exchanged. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.