Evaluating the effect of bit rate on the quality of portable ultrasound video

This study analyzes the effect of bit rate on real time, wireless, and secure medical ultrasound video transmission quality. In order to achieve a thorough quality analysis, transmitted ultrasound video of varying bit rates was analyzed through both objective and subjective assessments. Objective assessment calculations of peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index (SSIM) indicate that as bit rate decreases, ultrasound video quality also decreases. For subjective assessments, ultrasound trained medical professionals evaluated the video and rated its quality using Mean Opinion Scores. The resulting data is used to develop a minimum bit rate threshold to ensure transmitted video is of adequate quality so that physicians may make an accurate diagnosis. A correlation is made and a minimum bit rate threshold of 1 Mbps is established. This bit rate threshold is the first quality standard for real time wirelessly transmitted ultrasound video, is needed to optimize quality and time delay, and can provide a reference bit rate for the transmission of other types of medical video.