Efficient Ultrasound Video Streaming using HEVC

Abstract

This work investigates the feasibility of using High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) to stream ultra-sound scan video over mobile networks. HEVC is designed to efficiently encode and decode high volume video to achieve a significant bit-rate saving while preserving the video quality. Even though HEVC is capable of encoding and decoding movies, the efficient usage of HEVC specifically for ultra-sound scan video streaming is not investigated thoroughly. In response, we investigate the feasibility of using HEVC to encode a full-high-definition abdominal ultrasound scan video in order to efficiently stream across a mobile network and decode in the receiver at an acceptable quality. Ultra-sound scan videos are encoded at different quantization parameters to produce video sequences at different bit-rates. These video sequences are transmitted across a mobile network and the received video is evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. Initial results of the experiment are presented in this paper. These results indicate that at least 6 Mbps of bandwidth is required in order to transmit a full-high-definition ultrasound scan video at an acceptable quality. Hence, the PSNR(Peak Signal to Noise Ratio) of the received video sequence should be at least 50. These results also raise the requirement to develop more efficient HEVC schemes and transmission techniques to facilitate real time ultra-sound scan video streaming over mobile networks in advanced telemedicine applications.