Evaluation of Image Quality in Obstetrical Ultrasonography: Comparison Between Subjective Assessment and Contrast-to-noise Ratio

The goal of this observational study is to determine whether the subjective assessment of the quality of obstetrical ultrasonography pictures can be similar to that of an objective tool.

The main question it aims to answer is:

Is the subjective assessment of the quality of obstetrical ultrasonography pictures by a young practitioner and an experienced one can be similar to that of an objective tool, such as the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR)? The contrast-to-noise ratio is commonly used in radiology to evaluate image quality by assessing the ability to distinguish differences between two elements.

The investigators selected a retrospective cohort of 198 patients, including three pictures per fetus screened between 18 and 18 weeks and 6 days. For each picture, the investigators assessed the quality of two different elements and the entire image, and then calculated the CNR using software. The investigators will compare the three assessment between them

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Ultrasonography Obstetrics

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University Hospital La MILETRIE

Poitiers, 86000, France

Who can participate

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Patient who underwent ultrasound between 18 weeks and 18 weeks + 6 days for prenatal diagnosis
Ultrasound performed by the same practitioner
Ultrasound performed on the same ultrasound machine "Voluson E10", with the "RM6C" probe

Exclusion criteria

Patient's refusal
Use of another ultrasound device other than the "Voluson E10", and/or an ultrasound probe other than the "RM6C"
Intrauterine fetal deaths

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

The comparability between a subjective and objective assessment of the contrast to noise ratio of an obstetric ultrasound image

Time frame: baseline

Both an experienced operator (a Ph.D. doctor) and a novice operator (a residency student) subjectively evaluated the contrast and noise of each region of interest previously chosen. Contrast was scored on a scale of 1 to 3, with 1 indicating low contrast, 2 for medium, and 3 for high contrast. Noise was scored on the same scale, with 1 corresponding to low noise, 2 for medium, and 3 for high noise. The subjective contrast to noise ratio (CNR) was determined by the ratio between these two scores.

To assess the objective CNR, computer-assisted image analysis was performed using MATLAB software.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Poitiers University Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

ECHOQUALITY: Evaluation of Image Quality in Obstetrical Ultrasonography: Comparison Between Subjective Assessment and Contrast-to-noise Ratio

Important dates

Study start: 2023
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2024
First posted: Feb 20, 2024
Registry last updated: Feb 20, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed