INTRODUCTION
While reading of the same across the board each machine will have its own controls and buttons. So it is important to remember that learning the meaning behind the controls and buttons will help you when you use different equipment. Terminology controls and this may refer mostly to the GE Voluson 730 PRO.
Manipulation of three data sets is simple, if you can train your brain to think 3D.
What is 3D ultrasound?
2D = acquisition of two dimensional information
3D = acquisition by three and a motorized scanning techniques to display:
Volume rendered image
Surface rendering image
Sectional images
4D Ultrasound = “Real Time” 3D – continuous display of the 3D images
Physics of 3D Ultrasound
- Acquisition of the 3D data set – 3D data is usually acquired as a large number of consecutive, tomographic images through the movement of a 3D ultrasound probe, using their automatic method acquisition
- Construction of the 3D data set – tomographic images obtained must be constructed into a 3-D data set and processed by the machines software. 2D images are composed of pixels, 3D data sets are composed of a set of volume elements each of which have a gray scale
- Volume – visualization of the data.
Acquisition of 3D data
3D data is usually acquired as a large number of consecutive tomographic images through the movement of a 3D ultrasound probe. These “tomograms” are digitized and loaded into the machines software program, along with positional information to build the volume of data.
Motorized acquisition
Transducers that support 3D image acquisition require you to hold the transducer in a fixed location during acquisition.
Construction of the 3D data set
The tomographic slices obtain through the image acquisition must be constructed three-dimensionally into a 3D data set for further computer processing.
The 3D data set is composed of a set of volume elements, which are basically a three dimensional representation of the pixels. Each body element defines a point in three-dimensional space with an X, Y, & Z coordinates. That this lady can be minute deleted in the same manner as pixels and can also be changed by manipulation of texture transparency and brightness controls.
Volume visualization of the data
The 3D data must be processed by the computer to be displayed on the monitor. There are three main rendering models commonly used. For 3D/4D elective ultrasound we use the surface rendering mode. Surface rendering is when we show the face or body part as if it was a “photo.”
