Sensor Geometry Generalization to Untrained Conditions in Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging

Abstract

Recent improvements in deep learning have brought great progress in ultrasonic lesion quantification. However, the learning-based scheme performs properly only when a certain level of similarity between train and test condition is ensured. However, real-world test condition expects diverse untrained probe geometry from various manufacturers, which undermines the credibility of learning-based ultrasonic approaches. In this paper, we present a meta-learned deformable sensor generalization network that generates consistent attenuation coefficient (AC) image regardless of the probe condition. The proposed method was assessed through numerical simulation and in-vivo breast patient measurements. The numerical simulation shows that the proposed network outperforms existing state-of-the-art domain generalization methods for the AC reconstruction under unseen probe conditions. In in-vivo studies, the proposed network provides consistent AC images irrespective of various probe conditions and demonstrates great clinical potential in differential breast cancer diagnosis.