Construction of a low-cost simulator for evaluating doppler ultrasound image quality
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29384/rbfm.2025.v19.19849001808Keywords:
simulator; ultrasonography; doppler.Abstract
The doppler ultrasound technique is widely used in medicine, being essential for cardiac function assessment and other applications. Understanding the physical principles that underpin each diagnostic examination modality and applying them in simulators (phantoms) allows for the analysis of image formation and the identification of quality parameters required by health regulations. This study aims to describe the construction of a low-cost doppler simulator prototype for evaluating image quality parameters in doppler ultrasound devices. The methodology was developed in stages that included: study and development of the base material and ducts simulating biological tissues, construction of the electronic system for pumping and monitoring flow, assembly of the simulator, acquisition of static and dynamic images, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results. The analyses indicate that the device satisfactorily reproduces the similarity to biological tissues, blood vessels, and flow, in addition to demonstrating the doppler phenomenon in flow variation in both directions. The simulator also proved useful for the calibration of ultrasound equipment, with a sensitivity of 83% in the assessment of blood flow velocity.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Francisco Gomes, Fabio Rolemberg Silva

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