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Chen B, Lu Q, Hu B, Sun D, Ying T. Protocol of quantitative ultrasound techniques for noninvasive assessing of hepatic steatosis after bariatric surgery. Front Surg 2024; 10:1244199. [PMID: 38239667 PMCID: PMC10794322 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1244199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery can effectively improve steatosis, necroinflammatory activity, and hepatic fibrosis in individuals diagnosed with morbid obesity or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Common methods such as body mass index (BMI) to evaluate the postoperative effect of clinical bariatric surgery cannot differentiate subcutaneous fats from visceral fats and muscles. Several Quantitative ultrasound (QUS)-based approaches have been developed to quantify hepatic steatosis. QUS techniques (tissue attenuation imaging (TAI), tissue scatter distribution imaging (TSI)) from radio frequency (RF) data analysis as a means for the detection and grading of hepatic steatosis has been posited as an objective and noninvasive approach. The implementation and standardization of QUS techniques (TAI, TSI) in assessing hepatic steatosis quantitatively after bariatric surgery is of high-priority. Our study is aimed to assess hepatic steatosis with QUS techniques (TAI, TSI) in morbidly obese individuals before and after bariatric surgery, and to compare with anthropometric measurements, laboratory assessments and other imaging methods. Methods and analysis The present investigation, a self-discipline examination of navigational capacity devoid of visual cues, is designed as a single-site, forward-looking evaluation of efficacy with the imprimatur of the institutional review board. The duration of the study has been provisionally determined to span from 1 January 2023 through 31 December 2025. Our cohort shall encompass one hundred participants, who was scheduled to undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) at Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. All patients will undergo anthropometric measurements, blood-based biochemical analyses, ultrasonic examination and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). The primary endpoint is the analysis of evaluating the efficacy of QUS techniques assessing hepatic steatosis compared to other methods before and after bariatric surgery. Results Prior to the fomal study, we recruited 21 obese Chinese participants who received ultrasonic examination (TAI, TSI) and MRI-PDFF. AC-TAI showed moderate correlations with MRI-PDFF (adjusted r = 0.632; P < 0.05). For MRI-PDFF ≥10%, SC-TSI showed moderate correlations with MRI-PDFF (adjusted r = 0.677; P < 0.05). Conclusion Our pre-experiment results signified that using QUS techniques for postoperative evaluation of bariatric surgery is promising. QUS techniques will be signed a widespread availability, real-time functionality, and low-cost approach for assessing hepatic steatosis before and after bariatric surgery in obese individuals, thus is capable for subsequent scale-up liver fat quantification. Ethics and dissemination The present research endeavor has been bestowed with the imprimatur of the Ethics Committee of the Hospital, as indicated by its Approval Number: 2023-KY-015. In due course, upon completion of the study, we intend to disseminate our findings by publishing them in a suitable academic journal, thereby facilitating their widespread utilization. Registration The trial is duly registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, and with a unique Trial Registration Number, ChiCTR2300069892, approved on March 28, 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qijie Lu
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Hu
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Sun
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Ying
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Zhu Y, Yin H, Zhou D, Zhao Q, Wang K, Fan Y, Chen K, Han H, Xu H. A prospective comparison of three ultrasound-based techniques in quantitative diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in NAFLD. Abdom Radiol (NY) 2024; 49:81-92. [PMID: 37950767 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-023-04078-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the correlation between different ultrasound attenuation-based techniques and to compare their diagnostic performances using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) as a reference standard. METHODS Participants who had clinical suspicion of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were prospectively recruited. Each subject had ultrasound with attenuation imaging (ATI) or quantitative ultrasound including tissue attenuation imaging (TAI) and tissue scatter-distribution imaging (TSI), and controlled-attenuation parameter (CAP) and 1H-MRS if available. The technical success rates, intra-observer repeatabilities of attenuation and backscattering coefficient were evaluated. ATI, TAI and CAP were three attenuation-based techniques. Spearman coefficient was used to test correlations among them and 1H-MRS. In addition, the diagnostic performances of these parameters for detecting ≥ 5% or 10% hepatic steatosis were evaluated. RESULTS 130 participants had ultrasound scanning. Among them, 67 had CAP and 48 had 1H-MRS. The technical success rates were all 100%. The intra-observer repeatabilities of them were also excellent (ICCs > 0.90) and AC-ATI correlated well with AC-TAI (r = 0.752). AC-ATI, AC-TAI showed moderate correlation with CAP, (rATI = 0.623, 95% CI 0.446-0.752, P < 0.001; rTAI = 0.573, 95% CI 0.377-0.720, P < 0.001). For correlation with 1H-MRS, ATI and TAI performed better than CAP(rATI = 0.587; rTAI = 0.712; r CAP = 0.485). The AUCs of ATI, TAI, TSI and CAP for detecting ≥ 5% hepatic steatosis were 0.883, 0.862, 0.870 and 0.868, respectively. The AUC improved to 0.907 when TAI and TSI were combined (P < 0.05). When detecting ≥ 10% hepatic steatosis, the AUCs were 0.855, 0.702, 0.822 and 0.838, respectively. CONCLUSION Different ultrasound attenuation-based techniques were well correlated and exhibited good diagnostic performances in quantitative diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, however, the threshold values were different. Combinations of multiple parameters may improve the diagnostic performance in detecting hepatic steatosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study has been registered online ( https://www.chictr.org.cn ; unique identifier: ChiCTR2300069459).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuli Zhu
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Haohao Yin
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Da Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiannan Zhao
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yunling Fan
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Kailing Chen
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hong Han
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Huixiong Xu
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Liu SYC, Bosschieter PFN, Abdelwahab M, Chao PY, Chen A, Kushida C. Association of Backscattered Ultrasonographic Imaging of the Tongue With Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2023; 149:580-586. [PMID: 37166815 PMCID: PMC10176178 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2023.0589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Importance Determining interventions to manage obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) depends on clinical examination, polysomnography (PSG) results, and imaging analysis. There remains the need of a noninvasive and cost-effective way to correlate relevant upper airway anatomy with severity of OSA to direct treatment and optimize outcome. Objective To determine whether backscattered ultrasonographic imaging (BUI) analysis of the tongue is associated with severity of OSA in adults. Design, Setting, and Participants In this prospective, single-center, diagnostic study of a consecutive series of patients (aged ≥18 years) at a sleep surgery clinic, the 89 included patients had a PSG within 3 years at the time of ultrasonography and BUI analysis between July 2020 and March 2022. Patients were excluded if body mass index had changed more than 10% since time of PSG. A standardized submental ultrasonographic scan with laser alignment was used with B-mode and BUI analysis applied to the tongue. The B-mode and BUI intensity were associated with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), a measure of severity of apnea from normal (no OSA) to severe OSA. Exposures Ultrasonography and PSG. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcomes were BUI parameters and their association with AHI value. Results Eighty-nine patients were included between July 2020 and March 2022. A total of 70 (78.7%) male patients were included; and distribution by race and ethnicity was 46 (52%) White participants, 22 (25%) Asian participants, and 2 (2%) African American participants, and 19 (21%) others. Median (IQR) age was 37.0 (29.0-48.3) years; median (IQR) BMI was 25.3 (23.2-29.8); and median (IQR) AHI was 11.1 (5.6-23.1) events per hour. At the middle to posterior tongue region, the 4 OSA severity levels explained a significant portion of the BUI variance (η2 = 0.153-0.236), and a significant difference in BUI values was found between the subgroups with AHI values of less than 15 (no OSA and mild OSA) and greater than or equal to 15 (moderate OSA and severe OSA) events per hour. The echo intensity showed no significant differences. The BUI values showed a positive association with AHI, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of up to 0.43. Higher BUI values remained associated with higher AHI after correction for the covariates of BMI and age. Conclusions and Relevance In this prospective diagnostic study, standardized BUI analysis of the tongue was associated with OSA severity. With the practicality of ultrasonography, this analysis is pivotal in connecting anatomy with physiology in treatment planning for patients with OSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanley Y C Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Pien F N Bosschieter
- Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Mohammed Abdelwahab
- Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
| | | | - Argon Chen
- AmCad Biomed Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Industrial Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Clete Kushida
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
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Singla R, Hu R, Ringstrom C, Lessoway V, Reid J, Nguan C, Rohling R. The Kidneys Are Not All Normal: Transplanted Kidneys and Their Speckle Distributions. Ultrasound Med Biol 2023; 49:1268-1274. [PMID: 36842904 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2023.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Modelling ultrasound speckle to characterise tissue properties has generated considerable interest. As speckle is dependent on the underlying tissue architecture, modelling it may aid in tasks such as segmentation or disease detection. For the transplanted kidney, where ultrasound is used to investigate dysfunction, it is unknown which statistical distribution best characterises such speckle. This applies to the regions of the transplanted kidney: the cortex, the medulla and the central echogenic complex. Furthermore, it is unclear how these distributions vary by patient variables such as age, sex, body mass index, primary disease or donor type. These traits may influence speckle modelling given their influence on kidney anatomy. We investigate these two aims. METHODS B-mode images from n = 821 kidney transplant recipients (one image per recipient) were automatically segmented into the cortex, medulla and central echogenic complex using a neural network. Seven distinct probability distributions were fitted to each region's histogram, and statistical analysis was performed. DISCUSSION The Rayleigh and Nakagami distributions had model parameters that differed significantly between the three regions (p ≤ 0.05). Although both had excellent goodness of fit, the Nakagami had higher Kullbeck-Leibler divergence. Recipient age correlated weakly with scale in the cortex (Ω: ρ = 0.11, p = 0.004), while body mass index correlated weakly with shape in the medulla (m: ρ = 0.08, p = 0.04). Neither sex, primary disease nor donor type exhibited any correlation. CONCLUSION We propose the Nakagami distribution be used to characterize transplanted kidneys regionally independent of disease etiology and most patient characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Singla
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Ricky Hu
- Faculty of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cailin Ringstrom
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Victoria Lessoway
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Janice Reid
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher Nguan
- Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Robert Rohling
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Nam K, Torkzaban M, Halegoua-DeMarzio D, Wessner CE, Lyshchik A. Improving diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound texture features in detecting and quantifying hepatic steatosis using various beamforming sound speeds. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68:10.1088/1361-6560/acb635. [PMID: 36696691 PMCID: PMC10009771 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/acb635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Objective.While ultrasound image texture has been utilized to detect and quantify hepatic steatosis, the texture features extracted using a single (conventionally 1540 m s-1) beamforming speed of sound (SoS) failed to achieve reliable diagnostic performance. This study aimed to investigate if the texture features extracted using various beamforming SoSs can improve the accuracy of hepatic steatosis detection and quantification.Approach.Patients with suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease underwent liver biopsy or MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF) as part of standard of care, were prospectively enrolled. The radio-frequency data from subjects' right and left liver lobes were collected using 6 beamforming SoSs: 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500 and 1540 m s-1and analyzed offline. The texture features, i.e. Contrast, Correlation, Energy and Homogeneity from gray-level co-occurrence matrix of normalized envelope were obtained from a region of interest in the liver parenchyma.Main results.Forty-three subjects (67.2%) were diagnosed with steatosis while 21 had no steatosis. Homogeneity showed the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75-0.82 and 0.58-0.81 for left and right lobes, respectively with varying beamforming SoSs. The combined Homogeneity value over 1300-1540 m s-1from left and right lobes showed the AUC of 0.90 and 0.81, respectively. Furthermore, the combined Homogeneity values from left and right lobes over 1300-1540 m s-1improved the AUC to 0.94. The correlation between texture features and steatosis severity was improved by using the images from various beamforming SoSs. The combined Contrast values over 1300-1540 m s-1from left and right lobes demonstrated the highest correlation (r= 0.90) with the MRI PDFF while the combined Homogeneity values over 1300-1540 m s-1from left and right lobes showed the highest correlation with the biopsy grades (r= -0.81).Significance.The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound texture features in detecting and quantifying hepatic steatosis was improved by combining its values extracted using various beamforming SoSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kibo Nam
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Mehnoosh Torkzaban
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Dina Halegoua-DeMarzio
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Corinne E. Wessner
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Andrej Lyshchik
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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Jeon SK, Lee JM, Joo I, Yoon JH, Lee G. Two-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network Using Quantitative US for Noninvasive Assessment of Hepatic Steatosis in NAFLD. Radiology 2023; 307:e221510. [PMID: 36594835 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.221510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Quantitative US (QUS) using radiofrequency data analysis has been recently introduced for noninvasive evaluation of hepatic steatosis. Deep learning algorithms may improve the diagnostic performance of QUS for hepatic steatosis. Purpose To evaluate a two-dimensional (2D) convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm using QUS parametric maps and B-mode images for diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, with the MRI-derived proton density fat fraction (PDFF) as the reference standard, in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Materials and Methods: Consecutive adult participants with suspected NAFLD were prospectively enrolled at a single academic medical center from July 2020 to June 2021. Using radiofrequency data analysis, two QUS parameters (tissue attenuation imaging [TAI] and tissue scatter-distribution imaging [TSI]) were measured. On B-mode images, hepatic steatosis was graded using visual scoring (none, mild, moderate, or severe). Using B-mode images and two QUS parametric maps (TAI and TSI) as input data, the algorithm estimated the US fat fraction (USFF) as a percentage. The correlation between the USFF and MRI PDFF was evaluated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The diagnostic performance of the USFF for hepatic steatosis (MRI PDFF ≥5%) was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and compared with that of TAI, TSI, and visual scoring. Results Overall, 173 participants (mean age, 51 years ± 14 [SD]; 96 men) were included, with 126 (73%) having hepatic steatosis (MRI PDFF ≥5%). USFF correlated strongly with MRI PDFF (Pearson r = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.90; P < .001). For diagnosing hepatic steatosis (MRI PDFF ≥5%), the USFF yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.93, 0.99), higher than those of TAI, TSI, and visual scoring (P = .015, .006, and < .001, respectively), with a sensitivity of 90% (95% CI: 84, 95 [114 of 126]) and a specificity of 91% (95% CI: 80, 98 [43 of 47]) at a cutoff value of 5.7%. Conclusion A deep learning algorithm using quantitative US parametric maps and B-mode images accurately estimated the hepatic fat fraction and diagnosed hepatic steatosis in participants with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. ClinicalTrials.gov registration nos. NCT04462562, NCT04180631 © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Sidhu and Fang in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Kyung Jeon
- From the Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehangno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea (S.K.J., J.M.L., I.J., J.H.Y.); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea (J.M.L.); and Ultrasound R&D 2 Group, Health & Medical Equipment Business, Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea (G.L.)
| | - Jeong Min Lee
- From the Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehangno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea (S.K.J., J.M.L., I.J., J.H.Y.); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea (J.M.L.); and Ultrasound R&D 2 Group, Health & Medical Equipment Business, Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea (G.L.)
| | - Ijin Joo
- From the Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehangno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea (S.K.J., J.M.L., I.J., J.H.Y.); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea (J.M.L.); and Ultrasound R&D 2 Group, Health & Medical Equipment Business, Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea (G.L.)
| | - Jeong Hee Yoon
- From the Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehangno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea (S.K.J., J.M.L., I.J., J.H.Y.); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea (J.M.L.); and Ultrasound R&D 2 Group, Health & Medical Equipment Business, Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea (G.L.)
| | - Gunwoo Lee
- From the Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehangno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea (S.K.J., J.M.L., I.J., J.H.Y.); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea (J.M.L.); and Ultrasound R&D 2 Group, Health & Medical Equipment Business, Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea (G.L.)
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Tsui PH. Information Entropy and Its Applications. Adv Exp Med Biol 2023; 1403:153-167. [PMID: 37495918 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-21987-0_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound is a first-line diagnostic tool for imaging many disease states. A number of statistical distributions have been proposed to describe ultrasound backscattering measured from tissues having different disease states. As an example, in this chapter we use nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is a critical health issue on a global scale, to demonstrate the capabilities of ultrasound to diagnose disease. Ultrasound interaction with the liver is typically characterized by scattering, which is quantified for the purpose of determining the degree of liver steatosis and fibrosis. Information entropy provides an insight into signal uncertainty. This concept allows for the analysis of backscattered statistics without considering the distribution of data or the statistical properties of ultrasound signals. In this chapter, we examined the background of NAFLD and the sources of scattering in the liver. The fundamentals of information entropy and an algorithmic scheme for ultrasound entropy imaging are then presented. Lastly, some examples of using ultrasound entropy imaging to grade hepatic steatosis and evaluate the risk of liver fibrosis in patients with significant hepatic steatosis are presented to illustrate future opportunities for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
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Guan X, Chen YC, Xu HX. New horizon of ultrasound for screening and surveillance of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease spectrum. Eur J Radiol 2022; 154:110450. [PMID: 35917757 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2022.110450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
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Kim S, Park J, Yi J, Kim H. End-to-End Convolutional Neural Network Framework for Breast Ultrasound Analysis Using Multiple Parametric Images Generated from Radiofrequency Signals. Applied Sciences 2022; 12:4942. [DOI: 10.3390/app12104942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Breast ultrasound (BUS) is an effective clinical modality for diagnosing breast abnormalities in women. Deep-learning techniques based on convolutional neural networks (CNN) have been widely used to analyze BUS images. However, the low quality of B-mode images owing to speckle noise and a lack of training datasets makes BUS analysis challenging in clinical applications. In this study, we proposed an end-to-end CNN framework for BUS analysis using multiple parametric images generated from radiofrequency (RF) signals. The entropy and phase images, which represent the microstructural and anatomical information, respectively, and the traditional B-mode images were used as parametric images in the time domain. In addition, the attenuation image, estimated from the frequency domain using RF signals, was used for the spectral features. Because one set of RF signals from one patient produced multiple images as CNN inputs, the proposed framework overcame the limitation of datasets in a broad sense of data augmentation while providing complementary information to compensate for the low quality of the B-mode images. The experimental results showed that the proposed architecture improved the classification accuracy and recall by 5.5% and 11.6%, respectively, compared with the traditional approach using only B-mode images. The proposed framework can be extended to various other parametric images in both the time and frequency domains using deep neural networks to improve its performance.
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Park J, Lee JM, Lee G, Jeon SK, Joo I. Quantitative Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Using Advanced Imaging Techniques: Focusing on New Quantitative Ultrasound Techniques. Korean J Radiol 2022; 23:13-29. [PMID: 34983091 PMCID: PMC8743150 DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2021.0112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, characterized by excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. The current standard for the detection of hepatic steatosis is liver biopsy; however, it is limited by invasiveness and sampling errors. Accordingly, MR spectroscopy and proton density fat fraction obtained with MRI have been accepted as non-invasive modalities for quantifying hepatic steatosis. Recently, various quantitative ultrasonography techniques have been developed and validated for the quantification of hepatic steatosis. These techniques measure various acoustic parameters, including attenuation coefficient, backscatter coefficient and speckle statistics, speed of sound, and shear wave elastography metrics. In this article, we introduce several representative quantitative ultrasonography techniques and their diagnostic value for the detection of hepatic steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junghoan Park
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong Min Lee
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Gunwoo Lee
- Ultrasound R&D 2 Group, Health & Medical Equipment Business, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun Kyung Jeon
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ijin Joo
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Pirmoazen AM, Khurana A, Loening AM, Liang T, Shamdasani V, Xie H, El Kaffas A, Kamaya A. Diagnostic Performance of 9 Quantitative Ultrasound Parameters for Detection and Classification of Hepatic Steatosis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Invest Radiol 2022; 57:23-32. [PMID: 34049335 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000000797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters based on radiofrequency raw data show promise in quantifying liver fat. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 9 QUS parameters compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-estimated proton density fat fraction (PDFF) in detecting and staging hepatic steatosis in patients with or suspected of NAFLD. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant institutional review board-approved prospective study, 31 participants with or suspected of NAFLD, without other underlying chronic liver diseases (13 men, 18 women; average age, 52 years [range, 26-90 years]), were examined. The following parameters were obtained: acoustic attenuation coefficient (AC); hepatorenal index (HRI); Nakagami parameter; shear wave elastography measures such as shear wave elasticity, viscosity, and dispersion; and spectroscopy-derived parameters including spectral intercept (SI), spectral slope (SS), and midband fit (MBF). The diagnostic ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves and accuracy) of QUS parameters was assessed against different MRI-PDFF cutoffs (the reference standard): 6.4%, 17.4%, and 22.1%. Linearity with MRI-PDFF was evaluated with Spearman correlation coefficients (p). RESULTS The AC, SI, Nakagami, SS, HRI, and MBF strongly correlated with MRI-PDFF (P = 0.89, 0.89, 0.88, -0.87, 0.81, and 0.71, respectively [P < 0.01]), with highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (ranging from 0.85 to 1) for identifying hepatic steatosis using 6.4%, 17.4%, and 22.1% MRI-PDFF cutoffs. In contrast, shear wave elasticity, shear wave viscosity, and shear wave dispersion did not strongly correlate to MRI-PDFF (P = 0.45, 0.38, and 0.07, respectively) and had poor diagnostic performance. CONCLUSION The AC, Nakagami, SI, SS, MBF, and HRI best correlate with MRI-PDFF and show high diagnostic performance for detecting and classifying hepatic steatosis in our study population. SUMMARY STATEMENT Quantitative ultrasound is an accurate alternative to MRI-based techniques for evaluating hepatic steatosis in patients with or at risk of NAFLD. KEY FINDINGS Our preliminary results show that specific quantitative ultrasound parameters accurately detect different degrees of hepatic steatosis in NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir M Pirmoazen
- From the Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, California
| | - Aman Khurana
- Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington
| | - Andreas M Loening
- From the Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, California
| | - Tie Liang
- From the Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, California
| | - Vijay Shamdasani
- Strategy & Business Development, Philips Healthcare, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Hua Xie
- Department of Precision Diagnosis and Image Guided Therapy, Philips Research North America, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Ahmed El Kaffas
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, School of Medicine, Stanford University, California
| | - Aya Kamaya
- From the Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, California
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Jeon SK, Lee JM, Joo I, Park SJ. Quantitative Ultrasound Radiofrequency Data Analysis for the Assessment of Hepatic Steatosis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Proton Density Fat Fraction as the Reference Standard. Korean J Radiol 2021; 22:1077-1086. [PMID: 33739636 PMCID: PMC8236371 DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2020.1262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the diagnostic performance of quantitative ultrasound (US) parameters for the assessment of hepatic steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) as the reference standard. Materials and Methods In this single-center prospective study, 120 patients with clinically suspected NAFLD were enrolled between March 2019 and January 2020. The participants underwent US examination for radiofrequency (RF) data acquisition and chemical shift-encoded liver MRI for PDFF measurement. Using the RF data analysis, the attenuation coefficient (AC) based on tissue attenuation imaging (TAI) (AC-TAI) and scatter-distribution coefficient (SC) based on tissue scatter-distribution imaging (TSI) (SC-TSI) were measured. The correlations between the quantitative US parameters (AC and SC) and MRI-PDFF were evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficients. The diagnostic performance of AC-TAI and SC-TSI for detecting hepatic fat contents of ≥ 5% (MRI-PDFF ≥ 5%) and ≥ 10% (MRI-PDFF ≥ 10%) were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The significant clinical or imaging factors associated with AC and SC were analyzed using linear regression analysis. Results The participants were classified based on MRI-PDFF: < 5% (n = 38), 5–10% (n = 23), and ≥ 10% (n = 59). AC-TAI and SC-TSI were significantly correlated with MRI-PDFF (r = 0.659 and 0.727, p < 0.001 for both). For detecting hepatic fat contents of ≥ 5% and ≥ 10%, the areas under the ROC curves of AC-TAI were 0.861 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.786–0.918) and 0.835 (95% CI: 0.757–0.897), and those of SC-TSI were 0.964 (95% CI: 0.913–0.989) and 0.935 (95% CI: 0.875–0.972), respectively. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that MRI-PDFF was an independent determinant of AC-TAI and SC-TSI. Conclusion AC-TAI and SC-TSI derived from quantitative US RF data analysis yielded a good correlation with MRI-PDFF and provided good performance for detecting hepatic steatosis and assessing its severity in NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Kyung Jeon
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong Min Lee
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Ijin Joo
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sae Jin Park
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Department Radiology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
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Jeon SK, Lee JM, Joo I. Clinical Feasibility of Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging for Suspected Hepatic Steatosis: Intra- and Inter-examiner Reliability and Correlation with Controlled Attenuation Parameter. Ultrasound Med Biol 2021; 47:438-445. [PMID: 33277108 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study was aimed at investigating the clinical feasibility of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) imaging in the evaluation of suspected hepatic steatosis through assessment of the reliability of measurements and its correlation with the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). This retrospective study included 117 patients who underwent liver B-mode ultrasound (US) with QUS imaging with a clinical US machine (RS85, Samsung Medison, Seoul, Korea) and CAP measurements between December 2019 and March 2020. For QUS examination, tissue attenuation imaging (TAI) and tissue scatter-distribution imaging (TSI) parameters were obtained. Intra- and inter-examiner reliability were assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), and QUS imaging parameters were correlated with CAP measurements using Spearman's correlation analysis. TAI and TSI revealed excellent intra- and inter-examiner reliability with ICCs of 0.994 and 0.975 and 0.991 and 0.947, respectively. Both TAI and TSI were significantly positively correlated with CAP values. QUS imaging provided good intra-and inter-observer reliability and correlated well with CAP in assessing suspected hepatic steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Kyung Jeon
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong Min Lee
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Ijin Joo
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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D'Hondt A, Rubesova E, Xie H, Shamdasani V, Barth RA. Liver Fat Quantification by Ultrasound in Children: A Prospective Study. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2021; 217:996-1006. [PMID: 33438457 DOI: 10.2214/AJR.20.24874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in children in certain regions and is rising in prevalence with increasing obesity. Accurate noninvasive imaging methods for diagnosing and quantifying liver fat are needed to guide NAFLD management. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to evaluate four ultrasound technologies for quantitative assessment of liver fat content in children using MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF) as a reference standard. METHODS. This prospective study enrolled children who underwent clinical abdominal MRI without general anesthesia between November 2018 and July 2019. Patients underwent investigational liver ultrasound within a day of 1.5-T or 3-T MRI. Acquired ultrasound radiofrequency data were processed offline to compute the acoustic attenuation coefficient, hepatorenal index (HRI), Nakagami parameter, and shear-wave elastography (SWE) parameters (elasticity, viscosity, and dispersion). Ultrasound parameters were compared with MRI PDFF obtained using a multiecho sequence. A second observer independently performed offline attenuation coefficient and HRI measurements in all patients. RESULTS. A total of 48 patients were enrolled: 22 girls, 26 boys; mean age of 13 years (range, 7-17 years); mean body mass index (weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) of 22.25 (range, 14.5-48.1). A total of 21% (10/48) had steatosis (PDFF ≥ 5%). PDFF was correlated with attenuation coefficient (r = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.60-0.86; p < .001), HRI (r = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.91; p < .001), and Nakagami parameter (r = 0.55, 95% CI, 0.32-0.72, p < .001), but not SWE parameters (r = 0.05-0.25; p > .05). In patients with no, mild, moderate, and severe steatosis according to PDFF, the mean (± SD) attenuation coefficient was 0.48 ± 0.08, 0.54 ± 0.03, 0.57 ± 0.04, and 0.86 ± 0.07 dB/cm/MHz, respectively, and the mean HRI was 1.28 ± 0.30, 1.59 ± 0.23, 2.25 ± 0.04, and 3.06 ± 0.49, respectively. For the attenuation coefficient, the threshold of 0.54 dB/cm/MHz achieved a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 82% for steatosis, and 0.60 dB/cm/MHz achieved a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 98% for moderate steatosis. For HRI, the threshold of 1.48 achieved sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 76% for steatosis, and 2.11 achieved sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 100% for moderate steatosis. The interobserver concordance coefficient was 0.92 for attenuation coefficient and 0.91 for HRI. CONCLUSION. Attenuation coefficient and HRI accurately detected and quantified liver fat in this small sample of children. CLINICAL IMPACT. Quantitative ultrasound parameters may guide NAFLD diagnosis and management in children.
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Chuang YH, Hsieh CS, Lai MW, Chen CC, Chao HC, Yeh HY, Lai HH, Tsui PH. Detection of pediatric hepatic steatosis through ultrasound backscattering analysis. Eur Radiol 2021; 31:3216-25. [PMID: 33123795 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-07391-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hepatic steatosis has become a considerable concern in the pediatric population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using ultrasound Nakagami imaging to produce a parametric image for analyzing the echo amplitude distribution to assess pediatric hepatic steatosis. METHODS A total of 68 pediatric participants were enrolled in healthy control (n = 26) and study groups (n = 42). Raw data from ultrasound imaging were acquired for each participant analysis using AmCAD-US, a software approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for ultrasound Nakagami imaging. The Nakagami parameters were compared with the hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and the steatosis grade (G0: HSI < 30; G1: 30 ≤ HSI < 36; G2: 36 ≤ HSI < 41.6; G3: 41.6 ≤ HSI < 43; G4: HSI ≥ 43) using correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS The Nakagami parameter increased from 0.53 ± 0.13 to 0.82 ± 0.05 with increasing severity of hepatic steatosis from G0 to G4 and were significantly different between the different grades of hepatic steatosis (p < .05). The areas under the ROC curves were 0.96, 0.92, 0.85, and 0.82 for diagnosing hepatic steatosis ≥ G1, ≥ G2, ≥ G3, and ≥ G4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The Nakagami parameter value quantifies changes in the echo amplitude distribution of ultrasound backscattered signals caused by fatty infiltration, providing a novel, noninvasive, and effective data analysis technique to detect pediatric hepatic steatosis. KEY POINTS • Ultrasound Nakagami imaging enabled quantification of the echo amplitude distribution for tissue characterization. • The Nakagami parameter increased with the increasing severity of pediatric hepatic steatosis. • The Nakagami parameter demonstrated promising diagnostic performance in evaluating pediatric hepatic steatosis.
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Chen JR, Chao YP, Tsai YW, Chan HJ, Wan YL, Tai DI, Tsui PH. Clinical Value of Information Entropy Compared with Deep Learning for Ultrasound Grading of Hepatic Steatosis. Entropy (Basel) 2020; 22:e22091006. [PMID: 33286775 PMCID: PMC7597079 DOI: 10.3390/e22091006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Entropy is a quantitative measure of signal uncertainty and has been widely applied to ultrasound tissue characterization. Ultrasound assessment of hepatic steatosis typically involves a backscattered statistical analysis of signals based on information entropy. Deep learning extracts features for classification without any physical assumptions or considerations in acoustics. In this study, we assessed clinical values of information entropy and deep learning in the grading of hepatic steatosis. A total of 205 participants underwent ultrasound examinations. The image raw data were used for Shannon entropy imaging and for training and testing by the pretrained VGG-16 model, which has been employed for medical data analysis. The entropy imaging and VGG-16 model predictions were compared with histological examinations. The diagnostic performances in grading hepatic steatosis were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the DeLong test. The areas under the ROC curves when using the VGG-16 model to grade mild, moderate, and severe hepatic steatosis were 0.71, 0.75, and 0.88, respectively; those for entropy imaging were 0.68, 0.85, and 0.9, respectively. Ultrasound entropy, which varies with fatty infiltration in the liver, outperformed VGG-16 in identifying participants with moderate or severe hepatic steatosis (p < 0.05). The results indicated that physics-based information entropy for backscattering statistics analysis can be recommended for ultrasound diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, providing not only improved performance in grading but also clinical interpretations of hepatic steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jheng-Ru Chen
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (J.-R.C.); (Y.-W.T.); (H.-J.C.); (Y.-L.W.)
| | - Yi-Ping Chao
- Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, College of Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chang Gung University, College of Engineering, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Wei Tsai
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (J.-R.C.); (Y.-W.T.); (H.-J.C.); (Y.-L.W.)
| | - Hsien-Jung Chan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (J.-R.C.); (Y.-W.T.); (H.-J.C.); (Y.-L.W.)
| | - Yung-Liang Wan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (J.-R.C.); (Y.-W.T.); (H.-J.C.); (Y.-L.W.)
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
| | - Dar-In Tai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (D.-I.T.); (P.-H.T.)
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333323, Taiwan; (J.-R.C.); (Y.-W.T.); (H.-J.C.); (Y.-L.W.)
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (D.-I.T.); (P.-H.T.)
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Fang F, Fang J, Li Q, Tai DI, Wan YL, Tamura K, Yamaguchi T, Tsui PH. Ultrasound Assessment of Hepatic Steatosis by Using the Double Nakagami Distribution: A Feasibility Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10080557. [PMID: 32759867 PMCID: PMC7459679 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10080557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound imaging is a first-line assessment tool for hepatic steatosis. Properties of tissue microstructures correlate with the statistical distribution of ultrasound backscattered signals, which can be described by the Nakagami distribution (a widely adopted approximation of backscattered statistics). The double Nakagami distribution (DND) model, which combines two Nakagami distributions, was recently proposed for using high-frequency ultrasound to analyze backscattered statistics corresponding to lipid droplets in the fat-infiltrated liver. This study evaluated the clinical feasibility of the DND model in ultrasound parametric imaging of hepatic steatosis by conducting clinical experiments using low-frequency ultrasound dedicated to general abdominal examinations. A total of 204 patients were recruited, and ultrasound image raw data were acquired using a 3.5 MHz array transducer for DND parametric imaging using the sliding window technique. The DND parameters were compared with hepatic steatosis grades identified histologically. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance. The results indicated that DND parametric imaging constructed using a sliding window with the side length of five times the pulse length of the transducer provided stable and reliable DND parameter estimations and visualized changes in the backscattered statistics caused by hepatic steatosis. The DND parameter increased with the hepatic steatosis grade. The areas under the ROC curve for identifying hepatic steatosis were 0.76 (≥mild), 0.81 (≥moderate), and 0.82 (≥severe). When using low-frequency ultrasound, DND imaging allows the clinical detection of hepatic steatosis and reflects information associated with lipid droplets in the fat-infiltrated liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Fang
- School of Microelectronics, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (F.F.); (Q.L.)
| | - Jui Fang
- x-Dimension Center for Medical Research and Translation, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404332, Taiwan;
| | - Qiang Li
- School of Microelectronics, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (F.F.); (Q.L.)
| | - Dar-In Tai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
| | - Yung-Liang Wan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan;
- Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Kazuki Tamura
- Preeminent Medical Photonics Education & Research Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan;
| | - Tadashi Yamaguchi
- Center for Frontier Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
- Correspondence: (T.Y.); (P.-H.T.)
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan;
- Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (T.Y.); (P.-H.T.)
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Jeon SK, Joo I, Kim SY, Jang JK, Park J, Park HS, Lee ES, Lee JM. Quantitative ultrasound radiofrequency data analysis for the assessment of hepatic steatosis using the controlled attenuation parameter as a reference standard. Ultrasonography 2020; 40:136-146. [PMID: 32654442 PMCID: PMC7758108 DOI: 10.14366/usg.20042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study was aimed to investigate the value of quantitative ultrasound (US) parameters from radiofrequency (RF) data analysis for assessing hepatic steatosis, using controlled attenuation parameter (CAP)-based steatosis grades as the reference standard. Methods We analyzed 243 participants with both B-mode liver US with RF data acquisition and CAP measurements. On B-mode US images, hepatic steatosis was visually scored (0/1/2/3, none/mild/moderate/severe), and the hepatorenal index (HRI) was calculated. From the RF data analysis, the tissue scatter-distribution imaging parameter (TSI-p) and tissue attenuation imaging parameter (TAI-p) of the liver parenchyma were measured. US parameters were correlated with CAP-based steatosis grades (S0/1/2/3, none/mild/moderate/severe) and their diagnostic performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify determinants of TSI-p and TAI-p. Results Participants were classified as having S0 (n=152), S1 (n=54), S2 (n=14), and S3 (n=23) on CAP measurements. TSI-p and TAI-p were significantly correlated with steatosis grades (ρ =0.593 and ρ=-0.617, P<0.001 for both). For predicting ≥S1, ≥S2, and S3, the areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) of TSI-p were 0.827/0.914/0.917; TAI-p, 0.844/0.914/0.909; visual scores, 0.659/0.778/0.794; and HRI, 0.629/0.751/0.759, respectively. TSI-p and TAI-p had significantly higher AUCs than did visual scores or HRI for ≥S1 or ≥S2 (P≤0.003). In the multivariate analysis, the transient elastography-based fibrosis grade (P=0.034) and steatosis grade (P<0.001) were independent determinants of TSI-p, while steatosis grade (P<0.001) was an independent determinant of TAI-p. Conclusion TSI-p and TAI-p derived from US RF data may be useful for detecting hepatic steatosis and assessing its severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Kyung Jeon
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ijin Joo
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - So Yeon Kim
- Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jong Keon Jang
- Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Juil Park
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hee Sun Park
- Department of Radiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eun Sun Lee
- Department of Radiology, ChungAng University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong Min Lee
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Pirmoazen AM, Khurana A, El Kaffas A, Kamaya A. Quantitative ultrasound approaches for diagnosis and monitoring hepatic steatosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:4277-4289. [PMID: 32226553 PMCID: PMC7086372 DOI: 10.7150/thno.40249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a major global health concern with increasing prevalence, associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Recently, quantitative ultrasound-based imaging techniques have dramatically improved the ability of ultrasound to detect and quantify hepatic steatosis. These newer ultrasound techniques possess many inherent advantages similar to conventional ultrasound such as universal availability, real-time capability, and relatively low cost along with quantitative rather than a qualitative assessment of liver fat. In addition, quantitative ultrasound-based imaging techniques are less operator dependent than traditional ultrasound. Here we review several different emerging quantitative ultrasound-based approaches used for detection and quantification of hepatic steatosis in patients at risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We also briefly summarize other clinically available imaging modalities for evaluating hepatic steatosis such as MRI, CT, and serum analysis.
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Chen FH, Yu CF, Yang CL, Lin YC, Lin G, Wang CC, Yu HP, Fang J, Chang NF, Hong JH. Multimodal imaging reveals transient liver metabolic disturbance and sinusoidal circulation obstruction after a single administration of ketamine/xylazine mixture. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3657. [PMID: 32108154 PMCID: PMC7046666 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60347-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A ketamine/xylazine (K/X) mixture is widely used before and during experiments in rodents. However, the impact of short-term use of K/X mixture and its influences on data interpretation have rarely been discussed. In this study, we administered one shot of a K/X mixture and examined acute hepatic responses using biochemical analysis, histopathological examination, and non-invasive imaging to determine the delay required prior to further assessment of the liver to avoid confounding effects triggered by anaesthesia. After the K/X injection, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum was significantly elevated from 3 to 48 h. Obstructed sinusoidal circulation lasting for 24 or 36 h was revealed by DCE-MRI and drug distribution analysis, respectively. Metabolic alterations were detected at 3 h by NMR analysis and FDG-PET. Moreover, ultrasonography showed that lipid droplet accumulation increased from 1 to 16 h and declined thereafter. Taken together, our findings show that the K/X mixture induces acute hepatotoxicity and metabolic disturbance, and these disturbances cause hemodynamical disorders in the liver. The required time interval for recovery from K/X impact was dependent on the chosen assay. It took at least 16 h for metabolic recovery and 36 h for recovery of sinusoidal circulation. However, the liver was not fully recovered from the injury within 48 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Hsin Chen
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Radiation Biology Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University/Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Fang Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Lin Yang
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lin
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Gigin Lin
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Imaging Core Laboratory, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University/Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Clinical Metabolomics Core Laboratory, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chieh Wang
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Radiation Biology Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University/Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Huang-Ping Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jui Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ning-Fang Chang
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ji-Hong Hong
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. .,Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan. .,Radiation Biology Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University/Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Zhou Z, Fang J, Cristea A, Lin YH, Tsai YW, Wan YL, Yeow KM, Ho MC, Tsui PH. Value of homodyned K distribution in ultrasound parametric imaging of hepatic steatosis: An animal study. Ultrasonics 2020; 101:106001. [PMID: 31505328 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2019.106001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound is the first-line tool for screening hepatic steatosis. Statistical distributions can be used to model the backscattered signals for liver characterization. The Nakagami distribution is the most frequently adopted model; however, the homodyned K (HK) distribution has received attention due to its link to physical meaning and improved parameter estimation through X- and U-statistics (termed "XU"). To assess hepatic steatosis, we proposed HK parametric imaging based on the α parameter (a measure of the number of scatterers per resolution cell) calculated using the XU estimator. Using a commercial system equipped with a 7-MHz linear array transducer, phantom experiments were performed to suggest an appropriate window size for α imaging using the sliding window technique, which was further applied to measuring the livers of rats (n = 66) with hepatic steatosis induced by feeding the rats a methionine- and choline-deficient diet. The relationships between the α parameter, the stage of hepatic steatosis, and histological features were verified by the correlation coefficient r, one-way analysis of variance, and regression analysis. The phantom results showed that the window side length corresponding to five times the pulse length supported a reliable α imaging. The α parameter showed a promising performance for grading hepatic steatosis (p < 0.05; r2 = 0.68). Compared with conventional Nakagami imaging, α parametric imaging provided significant information associated with fat droplet size (p < 0.05; r2 = 0.53), enabling further analysis and evaluation of severe hepatic steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuhuang Zhou
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jui Fang
- 3D Printing Medical Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Anca Cristea
- Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ying-Hsiu Lin
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Wei Tsai
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Liang Wan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kee-Min Yeow
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chih Ho
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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22
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Zhou Z, Zhang Q, Wu W, Lin YH, Tai DI, Tseng JH, Lin YR, Wu S, Tsui PH. Hepatic steatosis assessment using ultrasound homodyned-K parametric imaging: the effects of estimators. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2019; 9:1932-1947. [PMID: 31929966 PMCID: PMC6942974 DOI: 10.21037/qims.2019.08.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The homodyned-K (HK) distribution is an important statistical model for describing ultrasound backscatter envelope statistics. HK parametric imaging has shown potential for characterizing hepatic steatosis. However, the feasibility of HK parametric imaging in assessing human hepatic steatosis in vivo remains unclear. METHODS In this paper, ultrasound HK μ parametric imaging was proposed for assessing human hepatic steatosis in vivo. Two recent estimators for the HK model, RSK (the level-curve method that uses the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), skewness, and kurtosis based on the fractional moments of the envelope) and XU (the estimation method based on the first moment of the intensity and two log-moments, namely X- and U-statistics), were investigated. Liver donors (n=72) and patients (n=204) were recruited to evaluate hepatic fat fractions (HFFs) using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and to evaluate the stages of fatty liver disease (normal, mild, moderate, and severe) using liver biopsy with histopathology. Livers were scanned using a 3-MHz ultrasound to construct μ RSK and μ XU images to correlate with HFF analyses and fatty liver stages. The μ RSK and μ XU parametric images were constructed using the sliding window technique with the window side length (WSL) =1-9 pulse lengths (PLs). The diagnostic values of the μ RSK and μ XU parametric imaging methods were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS For the 72 participants in Group A, the μ RSK parametric imaging with WSL =2-9 PLs exhibited similar correlation with log10(HFF), and the μ RSK parametric imaging with WSL = 3 PLs had the highest correlation with log10(HFF) (r=0.592); the μ XU parametric imaging with WSL =1-9 PLs exhibited similar correlation with log10(HFF), and the μ XU parametric imaging with WSL =1 PL had the highest correlation with log10(HFF) (r=0.628). For the 204 patients in Group B, the areas under the ROC (AUROCs) obtained using μ RSK for fatty stages ≥ mild (AUROC1), ≥ moderate (AUROC2), and ≥ severe (AUROC3) were (AUROC1, AUROC2, AUROC3) = (0.56, 0.57, 0.53), (0.68, 0.72, 0.75), (0.73, 0.78, 0.80), (0.74, 0.77, 0.79), (0.74, 0.78, 0.79), (0.75, 0.80, 0.82), (0.74, 0.77, 0.83), (0.74, 0.78, 0.84) and (0.73, 0.76, 0.83) for WSL =1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 PLs, respectively. The AUROCs obtained using μ XU for fatty stages ≥ mild, ≥ moderate, and ≥ severe were (AUROC1, AUROC2, AUROC3) = (0.75, 0.83, 0.81), (0.74, 0.80, 0.80), (0.76, 0.82, 0.82), (0.74, 0.80, 0.84), (0.76, 0.80, 0.83), (0.75, 0.80, 0.84), (0.75, 0.79, 0.85), (0.75, 0.80, 0.85) and (0.73, 0.77, 0.83) for WSL = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 PLs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Both the μ RSK and μ XU parametric images are feasible for evaluating human hepatic steatosis. The WSL exhibits little impact on the diagnosing performance of the μ RSK and μ XU parametric imaging. The μ XU parametric imaging provided improved performance compared to the μ RSK parametric imaging in characterizing human hepatic steatosis in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuhuang Zhou
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Ying-Hsiu Lin
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Dar-In Tai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Hwei Tseng
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ru Lin
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
| | - Shuicai Wu
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
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23
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Lin YH, Wan YL, Tai DI, Tseng JH, Wang CY, Tsai YW, Lin YR, Chang TY, Tsui PH. Considerations of Ultrasound Scanning Approaches in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Assessment through Acoustic Structure Quantification. Ultrasound Med Biol 2019; 45:1955-1969. [PMID: 31130411 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. Acoustic structure quantification (ASQ), based on statistical analysis of ultrasound echoes, is an emerging technique for hepatic steatosis diagnosis. A standardized measurement protocol for ASQ analysis was suggested previously; however, an optimal ultrasound scanning approach has not been concluded thus far. In this study, the suitability of scanning approaches for the ASQ-based evaluation of hepatic steatosis was investigated. Hepatic fat fractions (HFFs; liver segments VIII, III and VI) of 70 living liver donors were assessed with magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A clinical ultrasound machine equipped with a 3-MHz convex transducer was used to scan each participant using the intercostal, epigastric and subcostal planes to acquire raw data for estimating two ASQ parameters (Cm2 and focal disturbance [FD] ratio) of segments VIII, III and VI, respectively. The parameters were plotted as functions of the HFF for calculating the values of the correlation coefficient (r) and probability value (p). The diagnostic performance of the parameters in discriminating between the normal and steatotic (≥5 and ≥10%) groups was also compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The Cm2 and FD ratio values measured using the epigastric and subcostal planes did not correlate with the severity of hepatic steatosis. However, intercostal imaging exhibited a higher correlation between the ASQ parameters and HFF (r = -0.64, p < 0.001). The diagnostic performance of Cm2 and FD ratio in detecting hepatic steatosis using intercostal imaging was also satisfactory (areas under ROC curves >0.8). Intercostal imaging is an appropriate scanning approach for ASQ analysis of the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Hsiu Lin
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Liang Wan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Dar-In Tai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Hwei Tseng
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chiao-Yin Wang
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Wei Tsai
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ru Lin
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tu-Yung Chang
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Zhou Z, Zhang Q, Wu W, Wu S, Tsui P. Hepatic Steatosis Assessment Using Quantitative Ultrasound Parametric Imaging Based on Backscatter Envelope Statistics. Applied Sciences 2019; 9:661. [DOI: 10.3390/app9040661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic steatosis is a key manifestation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Early detection of hepatic steatosis is of critical importance. Currently, liver biopsy is the clinical golden standard for hepatic steatosis assessment. However, liver biopsy is invasive and associated with sampling errors. Ultrasound has been recommended as a first-line diagnostic test for the management of NAFLD. However, B-mode ultrasound is qualitative and can be affected by factors including image post-processing parameters. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) aims to extract quantified acoustic parameters from the ultrasound backscattered signals for ultrasound tissue characterization and can be a complement to conventional B-mode ultrasound. QUS envelope statistics techniques, both statistical model-based and non-model-based, have shown potential for hepatic steatosis characterization. However, a state-of-the-art review of hepatic steatosis assessment using envelope statistics techniques is still lacking. In this paper, envelope statistics-based QUS parametric imaging techniques for characterizing hepatic steatosis are reviewed and discussed. The reviewed ultrasound envelope statistics parametric imaging techniques include acoustic structure quantification imaging, ultrasound Nakagami imaging, homodyned-K imaging, kurtosis imaging, and entropy imaging. Future developments are suggested.
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25
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Lin YH, Liao YY, Yeh CK, Yang KC, Tsui PH. Ultrasound Entropy Imaging of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Association with Metabolic Syndrome. Entropy (Basel) 2018; 20:E893. [PMID: 33266617 DOI: 10.3390/e20120893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of advanced liver diseases. Fat accumulation in the liver changes the hepatic microstructure and the corresponding statistics of ultrasound backscattered signals. Acoustic structure quantification (ASQ) is a typical model-based method for analyzing backscattered statistics. Shannon entropy, initially proposed in information theory, has been demonstrated as a more flexible solution for imaging and describing backscattered statistics without considering data distribution. NAFLD is a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Therefore, we investigated the association between ultrasound entropy imaging of NAFLD and MetS for comparison with that obtained from ASQ. A total of 394 participants were recruited to undergo physical examinations and blood tests to diagnose MetS. Then, abdominal ultrasound screening of the liver was performed to calculate the ultrasonographic fatty liver indicator (US-FLI) as a measure of NAFLD severity. The ASQ analysis and ultrasound entropy parametric imaging were further constructed using the raw image data to calculate the focal disturbance (FD) ratio and entropy value, respectively. Tertiles were used to split the data of the FD ratio and entropy into three groups for statistical analysis. The correlation coefficient r, probability value p, and odds ratio (OR) were calculated. With an increase in the US-FLI, the entropy value increased (r = 0.713; p < 0.0001) and the FD ratio decreased (r = –0.630; p < 0.0001). In addition, the entropy value and FD ratio correlated with metabolic indices (p < 0.0001). After adjustment for confounding factors, entropy imaging (OR = 7.91, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.96–65.18 for the second tertile; OR = 20.47, 95% CI: 2.48–168.67 for the third tertile; p = 0.0021) still provided a more significant link to the risk of MetS than did the FD ratio obtained from ASQ (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.27–1.14 for the second tertile; OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.15–1.17 for the third tertile; p = 0.13). Thus, ultrasound entropy imaging can provide information on hepatic steatosis. In particular, ultrasound entropy imaging can describe the risk of MetS for individuals with NAFLD and is superior to the conventional ASQ technique.
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26
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Fang J, Zhou Z, Chang NF, Wan YL, Tsui PH. Ultrasound parametric imaging of hepatic steatosis using the homodyned-K distribution: An animal study. Ultrasonics 2018; 87:91-102. [PMID: 29476945 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2018.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic steatosis is an abnormal state where excess lipid mass is accumulated in hepatocyte vesicles. Backscattered ultrasound signals received from the liver contain useful information regarding the degree of steatosis in the liver. The homodyned-K (HK) distribution has been demonstrated as a general model for ultrasound backscattering. The estimator based on the first three integer moments (denoted as "FTM") of the intensity has potential for practical applications because of its simplicity and low computational complexity. This study explored the diagnostic performance of HK parametric imaging based on the FTM method in the assessment of hepatic steatosis. Phantom experiments were initially conducted using the sliding window technique to determine an appropriate window size length (WSL) for HK parametric imaging. Subsequently, hepatic steatosis was induced in male Wistar rats fed a methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet for 0 (i.e., normal control), 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks (n = 36; six rats in each group). After completing the scheduled MCD diet, ultrasound B-mode and HK imaging of the rat livers were performed in vivo and histopathological examinations were conducted to score the degree of hepatic steatosis. HK parameters μ (related to scatterer number density) and k (related to scatterer periodicity) were expressed as functions of the steatosis stage in terms of the median and interquartile range (IQR). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to assess the diagnostic performance levels of the μ and k parameters. The results showed that an appropriate WSL for HK parametric imaging is seven times the pulse length of the transducer. The median value of the μ parameter increased monotonically from 0.194 (IQR: 0.18-0.23) to 0.893 (IQR: 0.64-1.04) as the steatosis stage increased. Concurrently, the median value of the k parameter increased from 0.279 (IQR: 0.26-0.31) to 0.5 (IQR: 0.41-0.54) in the early stages (normal to mild) and decreased to 0.39 (IQR: 0.29-0.45) in the advanced stages (moderate to severe). The areas under the ROC curves obtained using (μ, k) were (0.947, 0.804), (0.914, 0.575), and (0.813, 0.604) for the steatosis stages of ≥mild, ≥moderate, and ≥severe, respectively. The current findings suggest that ultrasound HK parametric imaging based on FTM estimation has great potential for future clinical diagnoses of hepatic steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jui Fang
- Ph. D. Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Zhuhuang Zhou
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Ning-Fang Chang
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Liang Wan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Zhou Z, Tai DI, Wan YL, Tseng JH, Lin YR, Wu S, Yang KC, Liao YY, Yeh CK, Tsui PH. Hepatic Steatosis Assessment with Ultrasound Small-Window Entropy Imaging. Ultrasound Med Biol 2018; 44:1327-1340. [PMID: 29622501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a type of hepatic steatosis that is not only associated with critical metabolic risk factors but can also result in advanced liver diseases. Ultrasound parametric imaging, which is based on statistical models, assesses fatty liver changes, using quantitative visualization of hepatic-steatosis-caused variations in the statistical properties of backscattered signals. One constraint with using statistical models in ultrasound imaging is that ultrasound data must conform to the distribution employed. Small-window entropy imaging was recently proposed as a non-model-based parametric imaging technique with physical meanings of backscattered statistics. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using small-window entropy imaging in the assessment of fatty liver disease and evaluated its performance through comparisons with parametric imaging based on the Nakagami distribution model (currently the most frequently used statistical model). Liver donors (n = 53) and patients (n = 142) were recruited to evaluate hepatic fat fractions (HFFs), using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and to evaluate the stages of fatty liver disease (normal, mild, moderate and severe), using liver biopsy with histopathology. Livers were scanned using a 3-MHz ultrasound to construct B-mode, small-window entropy and Nakagami images to correlate with HFF analyses and fatty liver stages. The diagnostic values of the imaging methods were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. The results demonstrated that the entropy value obtained using small-window entropy imaging correlated well with log10(HFF), with a correlation coefficient r = 0.74, which was higher than those obtained for the B-scan and Nakagami images. Moreover, small-window entropy imaging also resulted in the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.80 for stages equal to or more severe than mild; 0.90 for equal to or more severe than moderate; 0.89 for severe), which indicated that non-model-based entropy imaging-using the small-window technique-performs more favorably than other techniques in fatty liver assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuhuang Zhou
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Dar-In Tai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Liang Wan
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Hwei Tseng
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ru Lin
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shuicai Wu
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Kuen-Cheh Yang
- Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Beihu Branch, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Yin Liao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Kuang Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Zhou Z, Wu S, Lin MY, Fang J, Liu HL, Tsui PH. Three-dimensional Visualization of Ultrasound Backscatter Statistics by Window-modulated Compounding Nakagami Imaging. Ultrason Imaging 2018; 40:171-189. [PMID: 29506441 DOI: 10.1177/0161734618756101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the window-modulated compounding (WMC) technique was integrated into three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound Nakagami imaging for improving the spatial visualization of backscatter statistics. A 3D WMC Nakagami image was produced by summing and averaging a number of 3D Nakagami images (number of frames denoted as N) formed using sliding cubes with varying side lengths ranging from 1 to N times the transducer pulse. To evaluate the performance of the proposed 3D WMC Nakagami imaging method, agar phantoms with scatterer concentrations ranging from 2 to 64 scatterers/mm3 were made, and six stages of fatty liver (zero, one, two, four, six, and eight weeks) were induced in rats by methionine-choline-deficient diets (three rats for each stage, total n = 18). A mechanical scanning system with a 5-MHz focused single-element transducer was used for ultrasound radiofrequency data acquisition. The experimental results showed that 3D WMC Nakagami imaging was able to characterize different scatterer concentrations. Backscatter statistics were visualized with various numbers of frames; N = 5 reduced the estimation error of 3D WMC Nakagami imaging in visualizing the backscatter statistics. Compared with conventional 3D Nakagami imaging, 3D WMC Nakagami imaging improved the image smoothness without significant image resolution degradation, and it can thus be used for describing different stages of fatty liver in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuhuang Zhou
- 1 College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- 2 Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shuicai Wu
- 1 College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Man-Yen Lin
- 3 Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jui Fang
- 4 PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- 3 Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hsiang Tsui
- 5 Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- 6 Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- 7 Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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Fang J, Chang NF, Tsui PH. Performance Evaluations on Using Entropy of Ultrasound Log-Compressed Envelope Images for Hepatic Steatosis Assessment: An In Vivo Animal Study. Entropy (Basel) 2018; 20:E120. [PMID: 33265211 DOI: 10.3390/e20020120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Ultrasound B-mode imaging based on log-compressed envelope data has been widely applied to examine hepatic steatosis. Modeling raw backscattered signals returned from the liver parenchyma by using statistical distributions can provide additional information to assist in hepatic steatosis diagnosis. Since raw data are not always available in modern ultrasound systems, information entropy, which is a widely known nonmodel-based approach, may allow ultrasound backscattering analysis using B-scan for assessing hepatic steatosis. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using ultrasound entropy imaging constructed using log-compressed backscattered envelopes for assessing hepatic steatosis. Different stages of hepatic steatosis were induced in male Wistar rats fed with a methionine- and choline-deficient diet for 0 (i.e., normal control) and 1, 1.5, and 2 weeks (n = 48; 12 rats in each group). In vivo scanning of rat livers was performed using a commercial ultrasound machine (Model 3000, Terason, Burlington, MA, USA) equipped with a 7-MHz linear array transducer (Model 10L5, Terason) for ultrasound B-mode and entropy imaging based on uncompressed (HE image) and log-compressed envelopes (HB image), which were subsequently compared with histopathological examinations. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were used to assess diagnostic performance levels. The results showed that ultrasound entropy imaging can be used to assess hepatic steatosis. The AUCs obtained from HE imaging for diagnosing different steatosis stages were 0.93 (≥mild), 0.89 (≥moderate), and 0.89 (≥severe), respectively. HB imaging produced AUCs ranging from 0.74 (≥mild) to 0.84 (≥severe) as long as a higher number of bins was used to reconstruct the signal histogram for estimating entropy. The results indicated that entropy use enables ultrasound parametric imaging based on log-compressed envelope signals with great potential for diagnosing hepatic steatosis.
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Tsui PH, Zhou Z, Lin YH, Hung CM, Chung SJ, Wan YL. Effect of ultrasound frequency on the Nakagami statistics of human liver tissues. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181789. [PMID: 28763461 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The analysis of the backscattered statistics using the Nakagami parameter is an emerging ultrasound technique for assessing hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. Previous studies indicated that the echo amplitude distribution of a normal liver follows the Rayleigh distribution (the Nakagami parameter m is close to 1). However, using different frequencies may change the backscattered statistics of normal livers. This study explored the frequency dependence of the backscattered statistics in human livers and then discussed the sources of ultrasound scattering in the liver. A total of 30 healthy participants were enrolled to undergo a standard care ultrasound examination on the liver, which is a natural model containing diffuse and coherent scatterers. The liver of each volunteer was scanned from the right intercostal view to obtain image raw data at different central frequencies ranging from 2 to 3.5 MHz. Phantoms with diffuse scatterers only were also made to perform ultrasound scanning using the same protocol for comparisons with clinical data. The Nakagami parameter-frequency correlation was evaluated using Pearson correlation analysis. The median and interquartile range of the Nakagami parameter obtained from livers was 1.00 (0.98-1.05) for 2 MHz, 0.93 (0.89-0.98) for 2.3 MHz, 0.87 (0.84-0.92) for 2.5 MHz, 0.82 (0.77-0.88) for 3.3 MHz, and 0.81 (0.76-0.88) for 3.5 MHz. The Nakagami parameter decreased with the increasing central frequency (r = -0.67, p < 0.0001). However, the effect of ultrasound frequency on the statistical distribution of the backscattered envelopes was not found in the phantom results (r = -0.147, p = 0.0727). The current results demonstrated that the backscattered statistics of normal livers is frequency-dependent. Moreover, the coherent scatterers may be the primary factor to dominate the frequency dependence of the backscattered statistics in a liver.
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Han M, Wan J, Zhao Y, Zhou X, Wan M. Nakagami-m Parametric Imaging for Atherosclerotic Plaque Characterization Using the Coarse-to-Fine Method. Ultrasound Med Biol 2017; 43:1275-1289. [PMID: 28392001 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2017.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Nakagami model was used to analyze the statistical differences in ultrasound backscattered signals between different plaque types. To improve image resolution, Nakagami-m parametric imaging using the coarse-to-fine method based on the maximum likelihood estimation (CTF-BOW) was proposed for atherosclerotic plaque characterization. Simulation results confirmed that the CTF-BOW method significantly outperforms the sliding window method in precision, smoothness and resolution. Preliminary in vivo results (n = 45) indicated that the ranges of the m parameters for calcified, mixed and echolucent plaques are, respectively, 0.2852-0.5225, 0.6532-0.8784 and 0.8908-1.4011, with no overlap. Results revealed that the CTF-BOW method significantly improves image resolution without sacrificing accuracy and can distinguish between calcified, mixed and echolucent plaques. Moreover, it was found that the parameter m is related to the composition of the plaque, indicating that Nakagami-m parametric imaging has the potential to characterize plaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Han
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinjin Wan
- Science and Technology on Electro-optical Control Laboratory, Luoyang, China
| | - Yongfeng Zhao
- Department of Ultrasound, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhou
- Department of Ultrasound, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Mingxi Wan
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
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Bharti P, Mittal D, Ananthasivan R. Computer-aided Characterization and Diagnosis of Diffuse Liver Diseases Based on Ultrasound Imaging: A Review. Ultrason Imaging 2017; 39:33-61. [PMID: 27097589 DOI: 10.1177/0161734616639875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Diffuse liver diseases, such as hepatitis, fatty liver, and cirrhosis, are becoming a leading cause of fatality and disability all over the world. Early detection and diagnosis of these diseases is extremely important to save lives and improve effectiveness of treatment. Ultrasound imaging, a noninvasive diagnostic technique, is the most commonly used modality for examining liver abnormalities. However, the accuracy of ultrasound-based diagnosis depends highly on expertise of radiologists. Computer-aided diagnosis systems based on ultrasound imaging assist in fast diagnosis, provide a reliable "second opinion" for experts, and act as an effective tool to measure response of treatment on patients undergoing clinical trials. In this review, we first describe appearance of liver abnormalities in ultrasound images and state the practical issues encountered in characterization of diffuse liver diseases that can be addressed by software algorithms. We then discuss computer-aided diagnosis in general with features and classifiers relevant to diffuse liver diseases. In later sections of this paper, we review the published studies and describe the key findings of those studies. A concise tabular summary comparing image database, features extraction, feature selection, and classification algorithms presented in the published studies is also exhibited. Finally, we conclude with a summary of key findings and directions for further improvements in the areas of accuracy and objectiveness of computer-aided diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puja Bharti
- 1 Department of Electrical and Instrumentation Engineering, Thapar University, Patiala, India
| | - Deepti Mittal
- 1 Department of Electrical and Instrumentation Engineering, Thapar University, Patiala, India
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Tsui P, Wan Y. Effects of Fatty Infiltration of the Liver on the Shannon Entropy of Ultrasound Backscattered Signals. Entropy 2016; 18:341. [DOI: 10.3390/e18090341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Ma H, Zhou Z, Wu S, Wan Y, Tsui P. A Computer-Aided Diagnosis Scheme For Detection Of Fatty Liver In Vivo Based On Ultrasound Kurtosis Imaging. J Med Syst 2016; 40. [DOI: 10.1007/s10916-015-0395-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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