Programs & Resources
Ultrasound Research Interface
The Ultrasound Research Interface (URI) permits extensive instrument parameter control of a commercially available scanner that allows access to, and export of, the beam-formed signal data while simultaneously displaying the ultrasound system-processed data as a clinical image. The instrument will be available to clinicians and ultrasound physicists pursuing fundamental and clinical research in ultrasound. The interface for the first time allows extensive pre-display control over a wide range of scanning and receiving system properties. The interface runs on a current ultrasound machine and the data is network-transmissible to stand-alone computer systems (PC's).
The intent of this concept, sponsored by a contract from the NCI Cancer Imaging Program and implemented by a leading commercial manufacturer, is to allow biomedical engineers, clinical and physics researchers to develop innovative new research protocols and ways of interacting in flexible research groups. It will allow a wider clinical-research community to explore ultrasound characterization of specific diseases, and to extend the horizons of ultrasound into new frontiers in contrast materials development, signal processing and tissue characterization. The expectation for this interface is modeled after the MRI research interfaces made available to MR researchers in academia over the last 20 years that resulted in the development of MRI imaging protocols for a wide range of clinical investigations including cancer.
Developers: Levin Nock, Ph.D. (Siemens Corp.), Gregg E. Trahey, Ph.D. (Duke U.), Michael Insana, Ph.D. (UC Davis), Jerome J. Mai, Ph.D. (UC Davis), Shelby S. Brunke Ph,D. (Siemens Corp.), Pat Von Behren, Ph.D. (Siemens Corp.), Larry Clarke (NCI), Barbara Croft, Ph.D. (NCI).
