aixplorer SonicResearch SSIP01143 User manual

Research Guide
SSIP01143
Revision 05A
November 2016
Copyright 2016
by SuperSonic Imagine S.A.
All rights reserved
Printed in 2016

Table of Contents
1. Welcome! ...................................... 1
................................................................ 3
2. SonicResearch ............................... 5
Introduction .............................................. 7
Description of the SonicResearch™ application ......... 7
Ultrafast Imaging ...................................... 7
Description ............................................................ 7
Setting up the mode .............................................. 7
Trigger Parameters ................................................ 9
Choosing the Research Application ........................ 10
Acquisition ........................................................... 11
Acquisition with trigger enabled ............................ 11
Saving data ......................................................... 11
Saved data .......................................................... 12
Focused B-mode ...................................... 13
Description .......................................................... 13
Setting up the mode ............................................ 13
Choosing the Research Application ........................ 14
2D Acquisition ..................................................... 15
3D Acquisition ..................................................... 15
Saving data ......................................................... 15
Saved data .......................................................... 16
3. Advanced Research Package ......... 19
Introduction and Functionalities ............... 21
Recommendations and Important Information
About Aixplorer Research Package ........... 21
Non-diagnostic Use .............................................. 21
Patient Safety ..................................................... 22
Patient Data Protection ....................................... 22
Clinical Data Export (optional) ................. 23
Exporting Clinical Measurements ........................... 23
Exporting Raw SWE Data with DICOM ................... 24
Remote Access to the System with
Matlab ................................................... 26
Requirements ....................................................... 27
Installation ........................................................... 27
Sending a Command to the System or Server ......... 27
Aixplorer® Research Guide iii

Connecting to Aixplorer ........................................ 27
Available Remote Controls .................................... 29
Remote Access to the System ................. 35
Sequence Library ................................................. 35
Sending a Research Sequence ............................... 36
Research Sequence Graphical User Interface .......... 36
Triggering a Research Sequence ............................ 37
FTP Access to Raw Data ...................................... 38
Raw Data USB Export .......................................... 38
Opening SWE Raw Data with Matlab ..................... 39
Aixplorer Specifications ........................... 40
Transmit-receive signal path ................................. 40
Signal processing ................................................. 40
Transducers ......................................................... 40
iv Aixplorer® Research Guide

1 Welcome!
Aixplorer® Research Guide 1

2 Aixplorer® Research Guide

Welcome and congratulations on your purchase of the Aixplorer®
Ultrasound System.
This Research Guide contains information regarding the use of the
SonicResearch™ package and the Advanced Research pack.
The following documents are available for the Aixplorer® Ultrasound
System: Quick Guide, User's Guide.
Carefully read the User's Guide for important information
regarding the use and safety of the product.
TheAixplorer® system has beendesigned with the safetyof the operator
and patient in mind.
However, the SonicResearch™ package can be used for research
protocols only and must not be used to perform clinical diagnosis.
Customer service representatives are available regionally to help answer
your questions.
Please contact your local SuperSonic Imagine sales or service
representative for assistance.
Aixplorer® Research Guide 3

4 Aixplorer® Research Guide

2 SonicResearch
Aixplorer® Research Guide 5

6 Aixplorer® Research Guide

Introduction
Description of the
SonicResearch™ application
SonicResearch™ is a preset for Aixplorer®, under the General
application.
The Research preset can be used for research protocols only and must
not be used to perform clinical diagnosis.
The Research preset may be used with the SL18-5, SL15-4, SC6-1,
XC6-1, SLV16-5, SL10-2 and SE12-3 probes.
Only B-mode is authorized in the Research application.
A number of transmit and receive parameters can be changed in the
Research application. They are stored and saved through a setup menu
where each parameter is given a value taken from a finite list.
Ultrafast Imaging
Description
In the Ultrafast mode, you can acquire up to 1000 images at a time, at a
frame rate that can reach up to 5000 frames per second.
Setting up the mode
1. Touch Sys. Config.
2. Press the Research tab
The system configuration page is displayed.
3. Select the probe for which you want to set up the mode
Aixplorer® Research Guide 7

In transmission mode, the transducer elements are driven by symmetric
bipolar square pulses with two variable parameters:
•Number of half cycles
Sum of the number of positive and number of negative square pulses.
•Tx Freq
Transmit frequency (MHz).
The maximal depth of the image decreases with the value of the
transmit frequency.
Other parameters:
•Nb firings
Total number of images for one acquisition.
The maximal depth of the image may decrease with the total number
of images.
•PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency or frame rate)
Inverse of the time interval between two acquired frames.
8 Aixplorer® Research Guide

Trigger Parameters
The beginning of the acquisition of an ultrafast sequence can be
synchronized with an external device using electronic signals.
Your Aixplorer system with the research package option can be
equipped with an additional triggering module that has input/output
connectors for BNC cables.
The symbols for the connectors are as follows:
Trig IN connector
Trig OUT connector
Aixplorer® Research Guide 9

Description of the trigger parameters
Trig out duration (us)
In the case that Trig out Duration is non-zero, the system sends an
output trigger signal event on the trig OUT connector to signal that the
acquisition of the ultrafast sequence started. The duration of this event
corresponds to the chosen value. The trigger OUT event corresponds to
a voltage transition from +2.6 V to 0 V.
Trig out delay (ns)
It is possible to delay the occurrence of the first ultrafast firing after the
trig IN event by modifying this value.
Trig in (ON: OFF)
In the case Trig In is on, the system waits for an input trigger event to be
received to begin the acquisition of the ultrafast acquisition. The delay
between the trigger in event and the first firing of the ultrafast sequence
is on the order of 2 microseconds. A trigger IN event occurs when the
voltage transitions from 0 V to +2.6 V.
Touch Exit when finished.
Choosing the Research
Application
1. Press Probe on the control panel
The probe menu is displayed
2. Touch the General tab
3. On the General tab, touch one of the Research presets.
The system initializes the Research preset and goes back to live B-
mode.
10 Aixplorer® Research Guide

Acquisition
1. Scan in B-mode to obtain the desired image
2. Touch Other Settings
3. Touch Research Flat Acquisition to trigger the acquisition of
the total dataset.
Acquisition with trigger enabled
1. Scan in B-mode to obtain the desired image
2. Touch Other Settings
3. Touch Research Flat Acquisition
• IfTrig InisOFFthen theacquisitionofthe total datasetistriggered
• If Trig In is ON, then the system waits for a trigger IN event
to launch the acquisition of an ultrafast sequence. If the waiting
duration is more than about 2 seconds, then a timeout message
appears in a pop-up window.
4. Press Bto restart live imaging.
Saving data
1. Insert a USB stick in the system
2. Touch Sys.Config.
3. Waitfor theUSBiconto appear inthenotificationarea (maindisplay)
4. Click on Export data to USB device
Aixplorer® Research Guide 11

5. Wait until the export is complete
6. Eject the USB stick
CAUTION
After the export on the USB stick, the data will be deleted from the
system.
Saved data
The data are saved and archived into a .tar file.
AdirectoryAixplorer→ Researchis created on the USB exportdevice.
The .tar file is named as follows: year_month_day_
hourminutesec_millisec_research_data.tar
Within the .tar archive, two files are created per acquired dataset:
• a first file:
year_month_day_hourminutesec_millisec_2decho_
ultrafast_iq.data
The first file is a binary file that contains the beamformed
demodulated complex envelop (in the order I[1] Q[1] I[2] Q[2] I[3]
Q[3]...) ranked by:
1. increasing depth
2. then by increasing azimuth
The format of the data is float 32 bits.
• a second file:
year_month_day_hourminutesec_millisec_2decho_
ultrafast_iq.cml
The second file has an XML structure and contains parameters that
describe the dataset:
• transmit parameters
• receive parameters
• size of the data
• sampling parameters
The two files can then be exploited with any programming language.
12 Aixplorer® Research Guide

Focused B-mode
Description
In the focused B-mode, you can save data that correspond to the last
acquired image.
Setting up the mode
1. Touch Sys. Config.
2. Press the Research tab
3. Select the probe for which you want to set up the mode
In the focused B-mode, you can optimize the following parameters:
•Number of half cycles
Sum of the number of positive and number of negative square pulses.
•Tx Freq
Transmit frequency (MHz).
The maximal depth of the image decreases with the value of the
transmit frequency.
•Nb transmit
Aixplorer® Research Guide 13

Number of firing beams used to create a single image.
•Steer angle
Transmit and receive angle
•Data type
Two data formats are available in the Research mode:
•Raw data
This option allows you to save the signal received from each of the
transducer elements of the probe. Sampling frequency is 4 times
the transmit frequency
•Beamformed
This option allows you to save the beamformed demodulated
signals (IQ) to generate the current image
•Raw synthetic
This option allows you to save the signal received from each of the
transducerelements of the probe. Sampling frequency is 4 times the
transmit frequency. For each firing, a single element is emitting.
Press Exit when finished.
NOTE
When the system is turned OFF, all the parameters are saved. At next
boot up, the same parameters will be restored.
Choosing the Research
Application
1. Press Probe on the control panel
The probe menu is displayed
2. Touch the General tab
3. On the General tab, touch one of the Research presets.
The system initializes the Research preset and goes back to live B-
mode.
14 Aixplorer® Research Guide

2D Acquisition
1. Scan in B-mode to obtain the desired image
2. Press Freeze
3. Touch Store Research BMode
3D Acquisition
1. Scan in B-mode to obtain the desired image
2. Press Freeze
3. Touch Store Research 3D BMode
Saving data
1. Insert a USB stick in the system
2. Touch Sys.Config.
3. Waitfor theUSBiconto appear inthenotificationarea (maindisplay)
4. Click on Export data to USB device
Aixplorer® Research Guide 15

5. Wait until the export is complete
6. Eject the USB stick
CAUTION
After the export on the USB stick, the data will be deleted from the
system.
Saved data
The data are saved and archived into a .tar file.
A directory Aixplorer → Research is created on the USB export device.
The .tar file is named as follows:
year_month_day_hourminutesec_millisec_
research_data.tar
Within the .tar archive, two files are created per acquired dataset:
• a first file:
year_month_day_hourminutesec_millisec_2decho_
ultrafast_iq.data
• a second file:
year_month_day_hourminutesec_millisec_2decho_ ultrafast_iq.cml
16 Aixplorer® Research Guide