Displays and Image Processing

Practice flashcards covering key concepts in ultrasound display and image processing.

Display

The essential link between the ultrasound system and medical staff, determining the conclusions drawn from images.

Bistable Displays

Images composed of only 2 shades: black and white.

Gray Scale Displays

Displays that present multiple levels of brightness to differentiate biological tissues of varying reflectivity.

Contrast (in ultrasound)

Determines the range of brilliancies within a displayed image, impacting the visibility of different shades.

Brightness (in ultrasound)

Determines the brilliance of the displayed image, affecting its visual appearance.

Scan Converter

A device that stores ultrasound information and converts it for display, changing data format from spoke to horizontal lines.

Analog Numbers

Real-world numbers with a continuous range of values, such as weight.

Digital Numbers

Numbers associated with computer devices that have discrete values, limited in range.

Pixel

The smallest building block of a digital picture, each showing a single shade of gray.

Bit

The smallest amount of computer memory, capable of being either 0 or 1.

Read Magnification

A postprocessing technique that enlarges an image by reading existing image data.

Write Magnification

A preprocessing technique that rescans a region of interest and acquires new image data.

Coded Excitation

A technique that creates long sound pulses for improved image quality while staying under FDA intensity regulations.

Spatial Compounding

Combining sonographic information from different angles to improve image quality and reduce artifacts.

Frequency Compounding

A method that reduces speckle and noise by using reflected signals from specific frequency sub-bands.

Edge Enhancement

An image processing method that emphasizes sharp edges to create a clearer contrast around boundaries.

Temporal Compounding

An image processing technique that overlays previous frames to create a smoother image.

Fill-in Interpolation

A method of constructing new data points to fill gaps between scan lines in ultrasound images.

Elastography

An imaging technique that assesses tissue stiffness and produces elastograms based on tissue deformation.

PACS

Picture Archiving and Communications System, a digital system for storing and accessing medical images.

DICOM

Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine, a set of protocols for sharing images on a network.