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Dos Santos DS, Ossenkoppele B, Hopf YM, Soozande M, Noothout E, Vos HJ, Bosch JG, Pertijs MAP, Verweij MD, de Jong N. An Ultrasound Matrix Transducer for High-Frame-Rate 3-D Intra-cardiac Echocardiography. Ultrasound Med Biol 2024; 50:285-294. [PMID: 38036310 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2023.11.001] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Described here is the development of an ultrasound matrix transducer prototype for high-frame-rate 3-D intra-cardiac echocardiography. METHODS The matrix array consists of 16 × 18 lead zirconate titanate elements with a pitch of 160 µm × 160 µm built on top of an application-specific integrated circuit that generates transmission signals and digitizes the received signals. To reduce the number of cables in the catheter to a feasible number, we implement subarray beamforming and digitization in receive and use a combination of time-division multiplexing and pulse amplitude modulation data transmission, achieving an 18-fold reduction. The proposed imaging scheme employs seven fan-shaped diverging transmit beams operating at a pulse repetition frequency of 7.7 kHz to obtain a high frame rate. The performance of the prototype is characterized, and its functionality is fully verified. RESULTS The transducer exhibits a transmit efficiency of 28 Pa/V at 5 cm per element and a bandwidth of 60% in transmission. In receive, a dynamic range of 80 dB is measured with a minimum detectable pressure of 10 Pa per element. The element yield of the prototype is 98%, indicating the efficacy of the manufacturing process. The transducer is capable of imaging at a frame rate of up to 1000 volumes/s and is intended to cover a volume of 70° × 70° × 10 cm. CONCLUSION These advanced imaging capabilities have the potential to support complex interventional procedures and enable full-volumetric flow, tissue, and electromechanical wave tracking in the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djalma Simões Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Boudewine Ossenkoppele
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Yannick M Hopf
- Electronic Instrumentation Laboratory, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Mehdi Soozande
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emile Noothout
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik J Vos
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johan G Bosch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel A P Pertijs
- Electronic Instrumentation Laboratory, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Martin D Verweij
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Wei L, Wahyulaksana G, Te Lintel Hekkert M, Beurskens R, Boni E, Ramalli A, Noothout E, Duncker DJ, Tortoli P, van der Steen AFW, de Jong N, Verweij M, Vos HJ. High-Frame-Rate Volumetric Porcine Renal Vasculature Imaging. Ultrasound Med Biol 2023; 49:2476-2482. [PMID: 37704558 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2023.08.009] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and imaging options of contrast-enhanced volumetric ultrasound kidney vasculature imaging in a porcine model using a prototype sparse spiral array. METHODS Transcutaneous freehand in vivo imaging of two healthy porcine kidneys was performed according to three protocols with different microbubble concentrations and transmission sequences. Combining high-frame-rate transmission sequences with our previously described spatial coherence beamformer, we determined the ability to produce detailed volumetric images of the vasculature. We also determined power, color and spectral Doppler, as well as super-resolved microvasculature in a volume. The results were compared against a clinical 2-D ultrasound machine. RESULTS Three-dimensional visualization of the kidney vasculature structure and blood flow was possible with our method. Good structural agreement was found between the visualized vasculature structure and the 2-D reference. Microvasculature patterns in the kidney cortex were visible with super-resolution processing. Blood flow velocity estimations were within a physiological range and pattern, also in agreement with the 2-D reference results. CONCLUSION Volumetric imaging of the kidney vasculature was possible using a prototype sparse spiral array. Reliable structural and temporal information could be extracted from these imaging results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luxi Wei
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Geraldi Wahyulaksana
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert Beurskens
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Enrico Boni
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ramalli
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Emile Noothout
- Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk J Duncker
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Piero Tortoli
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Antonius F W van der Steen
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Verweij
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik J Vos
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
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Moore C, McCrary AW, LeFevre M, Sturgeon GM, Barker PAC, von Ramm OT. Ultrasound Visualization and Recording of Transient Myocardial Vibrations. Ultrasound Med Biol 2023; 49:1431-1440. [PMID: 36990961 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2023.02.006] [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: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A new visualization and recording method used to assess and quantitate autogenic high-velocity motions in myocardial walls to provide a new description of cardiac function is described. METHODS The regional motion display (RMD) is based on high-speed difference ultrasound B-mode images and spatiotemporal processing to record propagating events (PEs). Sixteen normal participants and one patient with cardiac amyloidosis were imaged at rates of 500-1000/s using the Duke Phased Array Scanner, T5. RMDs were generated using difference images and spatially integrating these to display velocity as function of time along a cardiac wall. RESULTS In normal participants, RMDs revealed four discrete PEs with average onset timing with respect to the QRS complex of -31.7, +46, +365 and +536 ms. The late diastolic PE propagated apex to base in all participants at an average velocity of 3.4 m/s by the RMD. The RMD of the amyloidosis patient revealed significant changes in the appearance of PEs compared with normal participants. The late diastolic PE propagated at 5.3 m/s from apex to base. All four PEs lagged the average timing of normal participants. CONCLUSION The RMD method reliably reveals PEs as discrete events and successfully allows reproducible measurement of PE timing and the velocity of at least one PE. The RMD method is applicable to live, clinical high-speed studies and may offer a new approach to characterization of cardiac function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cooper Moore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Andrew W McCrary
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Melissa LeFevre
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gregory M Sturgeon
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Piers A C Barker
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Olaf T von Ramm
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Paridar R, Asl BM. Ultrafast Plane Wave Imaging Using Tensor Completion-Based Minimum Variance Algorithm. Ultrasound Med Biol 2023; 49:1627-1637. [PMID: 37087375 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2023.03.015] [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] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Coherent plane wave compounding (CPWC) imaging is an efficient technique in high-frame-rate ultrasound imaging. To improve the image quality obtained from the CPWC, the adaptive minimum variance (MV) algorithm can be used. However, the high computational complexity of this algorithm negatively affects the frame rate. In other words, achieving a high frame rate and high-quality features simultaneously remains a challenge in medical ultrasound imaging. The aim of the work described here was to develop an algorithm to tackle this challenge and improve the frame rate while preserving the good quality of the resulting image. METHODS A tensor completion (TC)-based MV algorithm is proposed to simultaneously improve the frame rate and image quality in CPWC. In the proposed method, the MV algorithm is applied to a limited number of pixels in the beamforming grid. Then, the appropriate values are assigned to the remaining unprocessed pixels by using the TC algorithm. The proposed algorithm speeds up the beamforming process, and consequently, improves the frame rate. RESULTS The computational complexity of the proposed TC-based MV algorithm is reduced compared with that of the conventional MV algorithm while the good quality of this algorithm is preserved. The results indicate that, in particular, by processing 40% of the beamforming grid using the MV beamformer followed by the TC algorithm, a reconstructed image comparable to that in the case in which the MV algorithm is performed on the full beamforming grid is obtained; the difference between the contrast-to-noise ratio evaluation metric between these two cases is about 0.16 dB for the experimental-resolution phantom. Also, the resulting images obtained from the MV algorithm and the TC-based MV method have the same resolution, indicating that the TC-based MV algorithm can successfully achieve the quality of the MV algorithm with a lower computational complexity. CONCLUSION The TC-based MV algorithm is proposed in CPWC with the goal of improving frame rate and image quality. Qualitative and quantitative results reveal that by use of the proposed algorithm, the quality of the reconstructed image will be comparable to that of the conventional MV algorithm, and the frame rate will be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roya Paridar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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Engelhard S, van Helvert M, Voorneveld J, Bosch JG, Lajoinie G, Jebbink EG, Reijnen MMPJ, Versluis M. Blood Flow Quantification with High-Frame-Rate, Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Velocimetry in Stented Aortoiliac Arteries: In Vivo Feasibility. Ultrasound Med Biol 2022; 48:1518-1527. [PMID: 35577661 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2022.03.016] [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: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Local flow patterns influence stent patency, while blood flow quantification in stents is challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of 2-D blood flow quantification using high-frame-rate, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (HFR-CEUS) and particle image velocimetry (PIV), or echoPIV, in patients with aortoiliac stents. HFR-CEUS measurements were performed at 129 locations in 62 patients. Two-dimensional blood flow velocity fields were obtained using echoPIV. Visual inspection was performed by five observers to evaluate feasibility. The contrast-to-background ratio and average vector correlation were calculated and compared between stented and native vessel segments. Flow quantification with echoPIV was feasible in 128 of 129 locations (99%), with optimal quantification in 40 of 129 locations (31%). Partial quantification was achieved in 88 of 129 locations (68%), where one or multiple limiting issues occurred (not related to the stent) including loss of correlation during systole (57/129), short vessel segments (20/129), loss of contrast during diastole (20/129) and shadow regions (20/129). The contrast-to-background ratio and vector correlation were lower downstream in the imaged blood vessel, independent of the location of the stent. In conclusion, echoPIV was feasible in stents placed in the aortoiliac region, and the stents did not adversely affect flow tracking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Engelhard
- Multi-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands; Physics of Fluids Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Majorie van Helvert
- Multi-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands; Physics of Fluids Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Jason Voorneveld
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johan G Bosch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Lajoinie
- Physics of Fluids Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Groot Jebbink
- Multi-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands
| | - Michel M P J Reijnen
- Multi-Modality Medical Imaging Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group, TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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Orlowska M, Bézy S, Ramalli A, Voigt JU, D'hooge J. High-Frame-Rate Speckle Tracking for Echocardiographic Stress Testing. Ultrasound Med Biol 2022; 48:1644-1651. [PMID: 35637027 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2022.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Stress echocardiography helps to diagnose cardiac diseases that cannot easily be detected or do not even manifest at rest. In clinical practice, assessment of the stress test is usually performed visually and, therefore, in a qualitative and subjective way. Although speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been proposed for the quantification of function during stress, its time resolution is inadequate at high heart rates. Recently, high-frame-rate (HFR) imaging approaches have been proposed together with dedicated STE algorithms capable of handling small interframe displacements. The aim of this study was to determine if HFR STE is effective in assessing strain and strain rate parameters during echocardiographic stress testing. Specifically, stress echocardiography, at four different workload intensities, was performed in 25 healthy volunteers. At each stress level, HFR images from the apical four-chamber view were recorded using the ULA-OP 256 experimental scanner. Then, the myocardium was tracked with HFR STE, and strain and strain rate biomarkers were extracted to further analyze systolic and diastolic (early and late) peaks, as well as a short-lived isovolumic relaxation peak during stress testing. The global systolic strain response was monophasic, revealing a significant (p < 0.001) increase at low stress but then reaching a plateau. In contrast, all strain rate indices linearly increased (p < 0.001) with increasing stress level. These findings are in line with those reported using tissue Doppler imaging and, thus, indicate that HFR STE can be a useful tool in assessing cardiac function during stress echocardiography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Orlowska
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Imaging and Dynamics, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Stéphanie Bézy
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Imaging and Dynamics, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alessandro Ramalli
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Jens-Uwe Voigt
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Imaging and Dynamics, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan D'hooge
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Imaging and Dynamics, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Liu P, de Hoop H, Schwab HM, Lopata RGP. High frame rate multi-perspective cardiac ultrasound imaging using phased array probes. Ultrasonics 2022; 123:106701. [PMID: 35189524 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2022.106701] [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: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) imaging is used to assess cardiac disease by assessing the geometry and function of the heart utilizing its high spatial and temporal resolution. However, because of physical constraints, drawbacks of US include limited field-of-view, refraction, resolution and contrast anisotropy. These issues cannot be resolved when using a single probe. Here, an interleaved multi-perspective 2-D US imaging system was introduced, aiming at improved imaging of the left ventricle (LV) of the heart by acquiring US data from two separate phased array probes simultaneously at a high frame rate. In an ex-vivo experiment of a beating porcine heart, parasternal long-axis and apical views of the left ventricle were acquired using two phased array probes. Interleaved multi-probe US data were acquired at a frame rate of 170 frames per second (FPS) using diverging wave imaging under 11 angles. Image registration and fusion algorithms were developed to align and fuse the US images from two different probes. First- and second-order speckle statistics were computed to characterize the resulting probability distribution function and point spread function of the multi-probe image data. First-order speckle analysis showed less overlap of the histograms (reduction of 34.4%) and higher contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR, increase of 27.3%) between endocardium and myocardium in the fused images. Autocorrelation results showed an improved and more isotropic resolution for the multi-perspective images (single-perspective: 0.59 mm × 0.21 mm, multi-perspective: 0.35 mm × 0.18 mm). Moreover, mean gradient (MG) (increase of 74.4%) and entropy (increase of 23.1%) results indicated that image details of the myocardial tissue can be better observed after fusion. To conclude, interleaved multi-perspective high frame rate US imaging was developed and demonstrated in an ex-vivo experimental setup, revealing enlarged field-of-view, and improved image contrast and resolution of cardiac images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peilu Liu
- Photoacoustics & Ultrasound Laboratory Eindhoven (PULS/e), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands.
| | - Hein de Hoop
- Photoacoustics & Ultrasound Laboratory Eindhoven (PULS/e), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Hans-Martin Schwab
- Photoacoustics & Ultrasound Laboratory Eindhoven (PULS/e), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Richard G P Lopata
- Photoacoustics & Ultrasound Laboratory Eindhoven (PULS/e), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
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Chen JH, Huang Y. High-frame-rate contrast-enhanced ultrasound findings of liver metastasis of duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A case report and literature review. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:5899-5909. [PMID: 35979134 PMCID: PMC9258392 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i17.5899] [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] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver metastasis of duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is rare. Most reports mainly focus on its treatment and approaches to surgical resection, while details on its contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) findings are lacking. The diagnosis and imaging modalities for this condition remain challenging.
CASE SUMMARY A 53-year-old Chinese man presented with mild signs and symptoms of the digestive tract. He underwent routine examinations after GIST surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a 2.3 cm hepatic space-occupying lesion. All the laboratory test results were within normal limits. For further diagnostic confirmation, we conducted high frame rate CEUS (H-CEUS) and found a malignant perfusion pattern. Heterogeneous concentric hyper-enhancement, earlier wash-in than the liver parenchyma, and two irregular vessel columns could be observed at the periphery of the lesion during the arterial phase. Ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy was used to confirm the diagnosis of the lesion as liver metastasis of duodenal GIST. Imatinib was prescribed after biopsy, and the patient’s clinical course was monitored.
CONCLUSION H-CEUS is useful for detecting microcirculation differences, wash-in patterns, and vascular morphogenesis and diagnosing liver metastasis of duodenal GIST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Hui Chen
- Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
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Fei X, Han P, Jiang B, Zhu L, Tian W, Sang M, Zhang X, Zhu Y, Luo Y. High Frame Rate Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound Helps Differentiate Malignant and Benign Focal Liver Lesions. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2022; 10:26-33. [PMID: 35233370 PMCID: PMC8845153 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2020.00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of high frame rate contrast-enhanced ultrasound (H-CEUS) of focal liver lesions (FLLs). METHODS From July 2017 to June 2019, conventional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (C-CEUS) and H-CEUS were performed in 78 patients with 78 nodules. The characteristics of C-CEUS and H-CEUS in malignant and benign groups and the differences between different lesion sizes (1-3 cm, 3-5 cm, or >5 cm) of C-CEUS and H-CEUS were examined. The diagnostic performance of C-CEUS and H-CEUS was analyzed. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to assess inter-group differences. The receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to determine the diagnostic performance of C-CEUS and H-CEUS. RESULTS There were significant differences in the enhancement area, fill-in direction and vascular architecture between C-CEUS and H-CEUS for both benign and malignant lesions (all p=0.000-0.008), but there were no significant differences in washout results (p=0.566 and p=0.684, respectively). For lesions 1-3 cm in size, the enhancement area, fill-in direction, and vascular architecture on C-CEUS and H-CEUS were significantly different (all p=0.000), unlike for lesions 3-5 cm or >5 cm in size. For differentiation of malignant from benign FLLs in the 1-3 cm group, H-CEUS showed sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of 92.86%, 95.0%, 96.3%, 90.48% and 93.75%, respectively, which were higher than those for C-CEUS (75.0%, 70.0%, 77.78%, 66.67% and 72.91%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS H-CEUS provided more vascular information which could help differentiate malignant from benign FLLs, especially for lesions 1-3 cm in size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Fei
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Han
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Jiang
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lianhua Zhu
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wenshuo Tian
- Clinical Research Division of Ultrasound Imaging System, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Maodong Sang
- R&D Division of Ultrasound Imaging System, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xirui Zhang
- R&D Division of Ultrasound Imaging System, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yaqiong Zhu
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yukun Luo
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Correspondence to: Yukun Luo, Department of Ultrasound, The First Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, NO. 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, China. Tel: +86-10-66936848, E-mail:
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10
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Ohira A, Hayata K, Mishima S, Tani K, Maki J, Mitsui T, Eto E, Masuyama H. The assessment of the fetal heart function using two-dimensional speckle tracking with a high frame rate. Early Hum Dev 2020; 151:105160. [PMID: 32866674 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105160] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echography (STE) is a new diagnostic modality that allows for the assessment of myocardial deformation. The present study assessed the feasibility of fetal 2D-STE at a high frame rate and determined the reference values for left ventricular (LV)- and right ventricular (RV)- global longitudinal strain (GLS). METHODS In this prospective study, 109 fetuses with gestational ages ranging from 18 to 38 weeks underwent 2D echocardiography between August 2018 and December 2019. All recordings were performed using the Aplio i800 (CANON Medical Systems Corporation, Tochigi, Japan) and a convex probe (4 MHz) for fetuses. RESULTS Longitudinal peak systolic strain measurements were obtained in 98 of 109 healthy fetuses (90%). All ultrasound videos were recorded with a median frame rate of 172 (range, 100-274) frames/s. The LV-GLS was almost constant, regardless of the number of weeks since the second trimester (r = -0.0087, p = ns). The RV-GLS decreased significantly with gestational age (r = 0.39, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS STE may be useful for quantifying the systolic myocardial function in a fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Ohira
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Kei Hayata
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Sakurako Mishima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Tani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Jota Maki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Takashi Mitsui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Eriko Eto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hisashi Masuyama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikada-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama, Japan.
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11
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Vos HJ, Voorneveld JD, Groot Jebbink E, Leow CH, Nie L, van den Bosch AE, Tang MX, Freear S, Bosch JG. Contrast-Enhanced High-Frame-Rate Ultrasound Imaging of Flow Patterns in Cardiac Chambers and Deep Vessels. Ultrasound Med Biol 2020; 46:2875-2890. [PMID: 32843233 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac function and vascular function are closely related to the flow of blood within. The flow velocities in these larger cavities easily reach 1 m/s, and generally complex spatiotemporal flow patterns are involved, especially in a non-physiologic state. Visualization of such flow patterns using ultrasound can be greatly enhanced by administration of contrast agents. Tracking the high-velocity complex flows is challenging with current clinical echographic tools, mostly because of limitations in signal-to-noise ratio; estimation of lateral velocities; and/or frame rate of the contrast-enhanced imaging mode. This review addresses the state of the art in 2-D high-frame-rate contrast-enhanced echography of ventricular and deep-vessel flow, from both technological and clinical perspectives. It concludes that current advanced ultrasound equipment is technologically ready for use in human contrast-enhanced studies, thus potentially leading to identification of the most clinically relevant flow parameters for quantifying cardiac and vascular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik J Vos
- Biomedical Engineering, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Medical Imaging, Department of Imaging Physics, Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Jason D Voorneveld
- Biomedical Engineering, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Groot Jebbink
- M3i: Multi-modality Medical Imaging Group, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Department of Vascular Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands
| | - Chee Hau Leow
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Luzhen Nie
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Meng-Xing Tang
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Freear
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Johan G Bosch
- Biomedical Engineering, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Rivera-Rivera LA, Cody KA, Rutkowski D, Cary P, Eisenmenger L, Rowley HA, Carlsson CM, Johnson SC, Johnson KM. Intracranial vascular flow oscillations in Alzheimer's disease from 4D flow MRI. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 28:102379. [PMID: 32871386 PMCID: PMC7476069 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent modeling and experimental evidence suggests clearance of soluble metabolites from the brain can be driven by low frequency flow oscillations (LFOs) through the intramural periarterial drainage (IPAD) pathway. This study investigates the use of 4D flow MRI to derive LFOs from arterial and venous measures of blood flow. 3D radial 4D flow MRI data were acquired on a 3.0 T scanner and reconstructed using a low-rank constraint to produce time resolved measurements of blood flow. Physical phantom experiments were performed to validate the time resolved 4D flow against a standard 2D phase contrast (PC) approach. To evaluate the ability of 4D flow to distinguish physiologic flow changes from noise, healthy volunteers were scanned during a breath-hold (BH) maneuver and compared against 2D PC measures. Finally, flow measures were performed in intracranial arteries and veins of 112 participants including subjects diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical syndrome (n = 23), and healthy controls (n = 89) on whom apolipoprotein ɛ4 positivity (APOE4+) and parental history of AD dementia (FH+) was known. To assess LFOs, flow range, standard deviation, demeaned temporal flow changes, and power spectral density were quantified from the time series. Group differences were assessed using ANOVA followed by Tukey-Kramer method for pairwise comparison for adjusted means (P < 0.05). Significantly lower LFOs as measured from flow variation range and standard deviations were observed in the arteries of AD subjects when compared to age-matched controls (P = 0.005, P = 0.011). Results suggest altered vascular function in AD subjects. 4D flow based spontaneous LFO measures might hold potential for longitudinal studies aimed at predicting cognitive trajectories in AD and study disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo A Rivera-Rivera
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Karly A Cody
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - David Rutkowski
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Paul Cary
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Laura Eisenmenger
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Howard A Rowley
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Cynthia M Carlsson
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sterling C Johnson
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kevin M Johnson
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
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13
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Keijzer LBH, Strachinaru M, Bowen DJ, Geleijnse ML, van der Steen AFW, Bosch JG, de Jong N, Vos HJ. Reproducibility of Natural Shear Wave Elastography Measurements. Ultrasound Med Biol 2019; 45:3172-3185. [PMID: 31564460 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
For the quantification of myocardial function, myocardial stiffness can potentially be measured non-invasively using shear wave elastography. Clinical diagnosis requires high precision. In 10 healthy volunteers, we studied the reproducibility of the measurement of propagation speeds of shear waves induced by aortic and mitral valve closure (AVC, MVC). Inter-scan was slightly higher but in similar ranges as intra-scan variability (AVC: 0.67 m/s (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.40-0.86 m/s) versus 0.38 m/s (IQR: 0.26-0.68 m/s), MVC: 0.61 m/s (IQR: 0.26-0.94 m/s) versus 0.26 m/s (IQR: 0.15-0.46 m/s)). For AVC, the propagation speeds obtained on different day were not statistically different (p = 0.13). We observed different propagation speeds between 2 systems (AVC: 3.23-4.25 m/s [Zonare ZS3] versus 1.82-4.76 m/s [Philips iE33]), p = 0.04). No statistical difference was observed between observers (AVC: p = 0.35). Our results suggest that measurement inaccuracies dominate the variabilities measured among healthy volunteers. Therefore, measurement precision can be improved by averaging over multiple heartbeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana B H Keijzer
- Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Mihai Strachinaru
- Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Cardiology, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dan J Bowen
- Cardiology, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Antonius F W van der Steen
- Cardiology, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Acoustical Wavefield Imaging, ImPhys, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
| | - Johan G Bosch
- Cardiology, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Cardiology, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Acoustical Wavefield Imaging, ImPhys, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik J Vos
- Cardiology, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Acoustical Wavefield Imaging, ImPhys, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
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14
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Jeon S, Park EY, Choi W, Managuli R, Lee KJ, Kim C. Real-time delay-multiply-and-sum beamforming with coherence factor for in vivo clinical photoacoustic imaging of humans. Photoacoustics 2019; 15:100136. [PMID: 31467842 PMCID: PMC6710719 DOI: 10.1016/j.pacs.2019.100136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In the clinical photoacoustic (PA) imaging, ultrasound (US) array transducers are typically used to provide B-mode images in real-time. To form a B-mode image, delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming algorithm is the most commonly used algorithm because of its ease of implementation. However, this algorithm suffers from low image resolution and low contrast drawbacks. To address this issue, delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) beamforming algorithm has been developed to provide enhanced image quality with higher contrast, and narrower main lobe compared but has limitations on the imaging speed for clinical applications. In this paper, we present an enhanced real-time DMAS algorithm with modified coherence factor (CF) for clinical PA imaging of humans in vivo. Our algorithm improves the lateral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of original DMAS beamformer by suppressing the background noise and side lobes using the coherence of received signals. We optimized the computations of the proposed DMAS with CF (DMAS-CF) to achieve real-time frame rate imaging on a graphics processing unit (GPU). To evaluate the proposed algorithm, we implemented DAS and DMAS with/without CF on a clinical US/PA imaging system and quantitatively assessed their processing speed and image quality. The processing time to reconstruct one B-mode image using DAS, DAS with CF (DAS-CF), DMAS, and DMAS-CF algorithms was 7.5, 7.6, 11.1, and 11.3 ms, respectively, all achieving the real-time imaging frame rate. In terms of the image quality, the proposed DMAS-CF algorithm improved the lateral resolution and SNR by 55.4% and 93.6 dB, respectively, compared to the DAS algorithm in the phantom imaging experiments. We believe the proposed DMAS-CF algorithm and its real-time implementation contributes significantly to the improvement of imaging quality of clinical US/PA imaging system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungwan Jeon
- Department of Creative IT Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Yeong Park
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonseok Choi
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Ravi Managuli
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Hitachi Medical Systems of America, Twinsburg, OH, 44087, USA
| | - Ki jong Lee
- Future IT Innovation Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Chulhong Kim
- Departments of Creative IT Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
- Corresponding author.
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15
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Strachinaru M, Bosch JG, van Gils L, van Dalen BM, Schinkel AFL, van der Steen AFW, de Jong N, Michels M, Vos HJ, Geleijnse ML. Naturally Occurring Shear Waves in Healthy Volunteers and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Patients. Ultrasound Med Biol 2019; 45:1977-1986. [PMID: 31079873 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We apply a high frame rate (over 500 Hz) tissue Doppler method to measure the propagation velocity of naturally occurring shear waves (SW) generated by aortic and mitral valves closure. The aim of this work is to demonstrate clinical relevance. We included 45 healthy volunteers and 43 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The mitral SW (4.68 ± 0.66 m/s) was consistently faster than the aortic (3.51 ± 0.38 m/s) in all volunteers (p < 0.0001). In HCM patients, SW velocity correlated with E/e' ratio (r = 0.346, p = 0.04 for aortic SW and r = 0.667, p = 0.04 for mitral SW). A subgroup of 20 volunteers were matched for age and gender to 20 HCM patients. In HCM, the mean velocity of 5.1 ± 0.7 m/s for the aortic SW (3.61 ± 0.46 m/s in matched volunteers, p < 0.0001) and 6.88 ± 1.12 m/s for the mitral SW(4.65 ± 0.77 m/s in matched volunteers, p < 0.0001). A threshold of 4 m/s for the aortic SW correctly classified pathologic myocardium with a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 90%. Naturally occurring SW can be used to assess differences between normal and pathologic myocardium.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan G Bosch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lennart van Gils
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bas M van Dalen
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Nico de Jong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle Michels
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik J Vos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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16
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Andersen MV, Moore C, Søgaard P, Friedman D, Atwater BD, Arges K, LeFevre M, Struijk JJ, Kisslo J, Schmidt SE, von Ramm OT. Quantitative Parameters of High-Frame-Rate Strain in Patients with Echocardiographically Normal Function. Ultrasound Med Biol 2019; 45:1197-1207. [PMID: 30773380 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Recently, we developed a high-frame-rate echocardiographic imaging system capable of acquiring images at rates up to 2500 per second. High imaging rates were used to quantify longitudinal strain parameters in patients with echocardiographically normal function. These data can serve as a baseline for comparing strain parameters in disease states. The derived timing data also reveal the propagation of mechanical events in the left ventricle throughout the cardiac cycle. High-frame-rate echocardiographic images were acquired from 17 patients in the apical four-chamber view using Duke University's phased array ultrasound system, T5. B-Mode images were acquired at 500-1000 images per second by employing 16:1 or 32:1 parallel processing in receive, a scan depth ≤14 cm and an 80° field of view with a 3.5-MegaHertZ (MHz), 96-element linear array. The images were analyzed using a speckle tracking algorithm tailored for high-frame-rate echocardiographic images developed at Aalborg and Duke University. Four specific mechanical events were defined using strain curves from six regions along the myocardial contour of the left ventricle. The strain curves measure the local deformation events of the myocardium and are independent of the overall cardiac motion. We observed statistically significant differences in the temporal sequence among different myocardial segments for the first mechanical event described, myocardial tissue shortening onset (p < 0.01). We found that the spatial origin of tissue shortening was located near the middle of the interventricular septum in patients with echocardiographically normal function. The quantitative parameters defined here, based on high-speed strain measurements in patients with echocardiographically normal function, can serve as a means of assessing degree of contractile abnormality in the myocardium and enable the identification of contraction propagation. The relative timing pattern among specific events with respect to the Q wave may become an important new metric in assessing cardiac function and may, in turn, improve diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter Søgaard
- Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Joseph Kisslo
- Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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17
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Zhao F, Luo J. Diverging wave compounding with spatio-temporal encoding using orthogonal Golay pairs for high frame rate imaging. Ultrasonics 2018; 89:155-165. [PMID: 29807304 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Golay coded excitation for diverging wave compounding (DWC) has been demonstrated to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast for high frame rate cardiac imaging. However, the complementary codes need to be transmitted in two consecutive firings for decoding, which reduces the frame rate by 2 folds. This paper proposes an orthogonal Golay pairs coded (OGPs-coded) DWC sequence to overcome this problem, which implements spatio-temporal encoding for DWC. Two diverging waves (DWs) at different steering angles coded by an orthogonal Golay pair are transmitted simultaneously, thus compensating the frame rate reduction caused by transmissions of complementary codes. The two DWs can be separated based on the orthogonality of Golay pairs. To test the feasibility of the proposed sequence, we performed simulations of point targets and tissue phantoms in both static and moving states. Compared with non-coded DWC at the same frame rate, OGPs-coded DWC obtains comparable resolution, SNR gains of 7.5-10 dB and contrast gains of 3-5 dB. The OGPs-coded DWC sequence was also tested experimentally on a tissue-mimicking phantom. Compared with non-coded DWC, OGPs-coded DWC achieves improvements in the SNR (3-6 dB) and contrast (1-2 dB). Preliminary in vivo results show brighter myocardium and larger penetration depth with the proposed method. The proposed OGPs-coded DWC sequence has potential for high frame rate and high quality cardiac imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jianwen Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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18
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Jing B, Tang S, Wu L, Wang S, Wan M. Visualizing the Vibration of Laryngeal Tissue during Phonation Using Ultrafast Plane Wave Ultrasonography. Ultrasound Med Biol 2016; 42:2812-2825. [PMID: 27633284 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2016.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 03/07/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafast plane wave ultrasonography is employed in this study to visualize the vibration of the larynx and quantify the vibration phase as well as the vibration amplitude of the laryngeal tissue. Ultrasonic images were obtained at 5000 to 10,000 frames/s in the coronal plane at the level of the glottis. Although the image quality degraded when the imaging mode was switched from conventional ultrasonography to ultrafast plane wave ultrasonography, certain anatomic structures such as the vocal folds, as well as the sub- and supraglottic structures, including the false vocal folds, can be identified in the ultrafast plane wave ultrasonic image. The periodic vibration of the vocal fold edge could be visualized in the recorded image sequence during phonation. Furthermore, a motion estimation method was used to quantify the displacement of laryngeal tissue from hundreds of frames of ultrasonic data acquired. Vibratory displacement waveforms of the sub- and supraglottic structures were successfully obtained at a high level of ultrasonic signal correlation. Moreover, statistically significant differences in vibration pattern between the sub- and supraglottic structures were found. Variation of vibration amplitude along the subglottic mucosal surface is significantly smaller than that along the supraglottic mucosal surface. Phase delay of vibration along the subglottic mucosal surface is significantly smaller than that along the supraglottic mucosal surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Jing
- 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
| | - Shanshan Tang
- 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
| | - Liang Wu
- 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
| | - Supin Wang
- 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
| | - 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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19
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Andersen MV, Moore C, Arges K, Søgaard P, Østergaard LR, Schmidt SE, Kisslo J, Von Ramm OT. High-Frame-Rate Deformation Imaging in Two Dimensions Using Continuous Speckle-Feature Tracking. Ultrasound Med Biol 2016; 42:2606-2615. [PMID: 27595177 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2016.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/09/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The study describes a novel algorithm for deriving myocardial strain from an entire cardiac cycle using high-frame-rate ultrasound images. Validation of the tracking algorithm was conducted in vitro prior to the application to patient images. High-frame-rate ultrasound images were acquired in vivo from 10 patients, and strain curves were derived in six myocardial regions around the left ventricle from the apical four-chamber view. Strain curves derived from high-frame-rate images had a higher frequency content than those derived using conventional methods, reflecting improved temporal sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin V Andersen
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
| | - Cooper Moore
- Duke Biomedical Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kristine Arges
- Duke Department of Medicine, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Peter Søgaard
- Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Lasse R Østergaard
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Samuel E Schmidt
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Joseph Kisslo
- Duke Department of Medicine, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Olaf T Von Ramm
- Duke Biomedical Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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20
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Li F, He Q, Huang C, Liu K, Shao J, Luo J. High frame rate and high line density ultrasound imaging for local pulse wave velocity estimation using motion matching: A feasibility study on vessel phantoms. Ultrasonics 2016; 67:41-54. [PMID: 26773791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2015.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Pulse wave imaging (PWI) is an ultrasound-based method to visualize the propagation of pulse wave and to quantitatively estimate regional pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the arteries within the imaging field of view (FOV). To guarantee the reliability of PWV measurement, high frame rate imaging is required, which can be achieved by reducing the line density of ultrasound imaging or transmitting plane wave at the expense of spatial resolution and/or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this study, a composite, full-view imaging method using motion matching was proposed with both high temporal and spatial resolution. Ultrasound radiofrequency (RF) data of 4 sub-sectors, each with 34 beams, including a common beam, were acquired successively to achieve a frame rate of ∼507 Hz at an imaging depth of 35 mm. The acceleration profiles of the vessel wall estimated from the common beam were used to reconstruct the full-view (38-mm width, 128-beam) image sequence. The feasibility of mapping local PWV variation along the artery using PWI technique was preliminarily validated on both homogeneous and inhomogeneous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) cryogel vessel phantoms. Regional PWVs for the three homogeneous phantoms measured by the proposed method were in accordance with the sparse imaging method (38-mm width, 32-beam) and plane wave imaging method. Local PWV was estimated using the above-mentioned three methods on 3 inhomogeneous phantoms, and good agreement was obtained in both the softer (1.91±0.24 m/s, 1.97±0.27 m/s and 1.78±0.28 m/s) and the stiffer region (4.17±0.46 m/s, 3.99±0.53 m/s and 4.27±0.49 m/s) of the phantoms. In addition to the improved spatial resolution, higher precision of local PWV estimation in low SNR circumstances was also obtained by the proposed method as compared with the sparse imaging method. The proposed method might be helpful in disease detections through mapping the local PWV of the vascular wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fubing Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qiong He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chengwu Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Division of Electronics and Information Technology, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100013, China
| | - Jinhua Shao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jianwen Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Zboray R, Mor I, Dangendorf V, Stark M, Tittelmeier K, Cortesi M, Adams R. High-frame rate imaging of two-phase flow in a thin rectangular channel using fast neutrons. Appl Radiat Isot 2014; 90:122-31. [PMID: 24709611 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Revised: 03/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We have demonstrated the feasibility of performing high-frame-rate, fast neutron radiography of air-water two-phase flows in a thin channel with rectangular cross section. The experiments have been carried out at the accelerator facility of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. A polychromatic, high-intensity fast neutron beam with average energy of 6 MeV was produced by 11.5 MeV deuterons hitting a thick Be target. Image sequences down to 10 ms exposure times were obtained using a fast-neutron imaging detector developed in the context of fast-neutron resonance imaging. Different two-phase flow regimes such as bubbly slug and churn flows have been examined. Two phase flow parameters like the volumetric gas fraction, bubble size and mean bubble velocities have been measured. The first results are promising, improvements for future experiments are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Zboray
- Paul Scherrer Institute, PSI Villigen, CH-5232, Switzerland.
| | - I Mor
- Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800, Israel
| | - V Dangendorf
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - M Stark
- Paul Scherrer Institute, PSI Villigen, CH-5232, Switzerland
| | - K Tittelmeier
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - M Cortesi
- Paul Scherrer Institute, PSI Villigen, CH-5232, Switzerland; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Sonnegstrasse 3, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - R Adams
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Sonnegstrasse 3, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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