CACTUS: An open dataset and framework for automated Cardiac Assessment and Classification of Ultrasound images using deep transfer learning

The Cardiac Assessment and Classification of Ultrasound (CACTUS) dataset is an open-graded dataset designed for the evaluation and classification of cardiac ultrasound images. The dataset was created as part of the ARQUS project, which aims to develop an autonomous robotic system capable of performing ultrasound scans and extracting quantitative measurements. This project is funded by the NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada). The dataset contains ultrasound images obtained from scans of the CAE Blue Phantom, a synthetic model used to simulate the human heart. These images represent a variety of heart views and exhibit different quality levels. A detailed grading schema was developed by two medical imaging experts to assess the quality of each image, which ensures that the dataset contains a diverse range of both high- and low-quality ultrasound scans. The CACTUS dataset is particularly valuable for applications in artificial intelligence, specifically in the domain of echocardiography. It has been used in the development of automated system for the classification of cardiac ultrasound images and the assessment of image quality, which can assist medical practitioners in automating these traditionally labor-intensive tasks.