scope:

This document describes representative methods of measuring the performance of complete real-time medical ultrasonic imaging equipment in the frequency range 0,5 MHz to 23 MHz.

NOTE The frequency range given represents, in general, the widely used range in hospitals at the date of publication; special medical applications use higher frequencies for imaging but mainly in research or pre-clinical imaging.

This document is relevant for real-time ultrasonic scanners based on the pulse-echo principle, for the types listed below:

• mechanical sector scanner;

• electronic phased array sector scanner;

• electronic linear array scanner;

• electronic curved array sector scanner;

• water-bath scanner based on any of the above four scanning mechanisms;

• plane-wave/fast imaging scanners;

• combination of several of the above methods (e.g. a linear array phased at the edge to produce a sector there to enlarge the field of view.

The methods described are based on evaluation of:

• sonograms obtained by scanning of tissue mimicking objects (phantoms);

• sonograms obtained by scanning of artificial, low- or highly reflective targets in suitable environments;

• parameters of the ultrasound field transmitted by the measured scanner.

This document does not relate to methods for measuring electrical parameters of the scanner's electronic systems.