The Imaging Performance of Preclinical Ultrasound Scanners Using the Edinburgh Pipe Phantom

The greyscale imaging performance of a total 17 preclinical transducer/scanner combinations were measured over period 10 years. These comprised nine single element transducers and eight array with nominal central frequencies ranging between 15 55 MHz, from four commercially-available ultrasound scanners. Performance was assessed using figure merit, the resolution integral, measurements acquired images test-object, Edinburgh Pipe Phantom. Two further parameters derived integral: characteristic depth-of-field . Our results demonstrate that 1) integral values greater than single-element transducers, 2) demonstrated depths field same frequency. Moreover we use this figure-of-merit enabled identification quantification changes in 10-years period.