New Image Processing Methods for Ultrasound Musculoskeletal Applications

In the past few years, ultrasound (US) imaging modalities have received increasing interest as diagnostic tools for orthopedic applications. The goal for many of these novel ultrasonic methods is to be able to create three-dimensional (3D) bone visualization non-invasively, safely and with high accuracy and spatial resolution. Availability of accurate bone segmentation and 3D reconstruction methods would help correctly interpreting complex bone morphology as well as facilitate quantitative analysis. However, in vivo ultrasound images of bones may have poor quality due to uncontrollable motion, high ultrasonic attenuation and the presence of imaging artifacts, which can affect the quality of the bone segmentation and reconstruction results. In this study, we investigate the use of novel ultrasonic processing methods that can significantly improve bone visualization, segmentation and 3D reconstruction in ultrasound volumetric data acquired in applications in vivo. Specifically, in this study, we investigate the use of new elastography-based, Doppler-based and statistical shape model-based methods that can be applied to ultrasound bone imaging applications with the overall major goal of obtaining fast yet accurate 3D bone reconstructions. This study is composed to three projects, which all have the potential to significantly contribute to this major goal. The first project deals with the fast and accurate implementation of correlation-based elastography and poroelastography techniques for real-time assessment of the mechanical properties of musculoskeletal tissues. The rationale behind this project is that, iii in the future, elastography-based features can be used to reduce false positives in ultrasonic bone segmentation methods based on the differences between the mechanical properties of soft tissues and the mechanical properties of hard tissues. In this study, a hybrid computation model is designed, implemented and tested to achieve real time performance without compromise in elastographic image quality . In the second project, a Power Doppler-based signal enhancement method is designed and tested with the intent of increasing the contrast between soft tissue and bone while suppressing the contrast between soft tissue and connective tissue, which is often a cause of false positives in ultrasonic bone segmentation problems. Both in-vitro and in-vivo experiments are performed to statistically analyze the performance of this method. In the third project, a statistical shape model based bone surface segmentation method is proposed and investigated. This method uses statistical models to determine if a curve detected in a segmented ultrasound image belongs to a bone surface or not. Both in-vitro and in-vivo experiments are performed to statistically analyze the performance of this method. I conclude this Dissertation with a discussion on possible future work in the field of ultrasound bone imaging and assessment

Reflection matrix approach for quantitative imaging of scattering media

We present a physically intuitive matrix approach for wave imaging and characterization in scattering media. The experimental proof-of-concept is performed with ultrasonic waves, but this approach can be applied to any field of wave physics for which multi-element technology is available. The concept is that focused beamforming enables the synthesis, in transmit and receive, of an array of virtual transducers which map the entire medium to be imaged. The inter-element responses of this virtual array form a focused reflection matrix from which spatial maps of various characteristics of the propagating wave can be retrieved. Here we demonstrate: (i) a local focusing criterion that enables the image quality and the wave velocity to be evaluated everywhere inside the medium, including in random speckle, and (ii) an highly resolved spatial mapping of the prevalence of multiple scattering, which constitutes a new and unique contrast for ultrasonic imaging. The approach is demonstrated for a controllable phantom system, and for in vivo imaging of the human abdomen. More generally, this matrix approach opens an original and powerful route for quantitative imaging in wave physics.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

Vocal fold vibratory and acoustic features in fatigued Karaoke singers

Session 3aMU - Musical Acoustics and Speech Communication: Singing Voice in Asian CulturesKaraoke is a popular singing entertainment particularly in Asia and is gaining more popularity in the rest of world. In Karaoke, an amateur singer sings with the background music and video (usually guided by the lyric captions on the video screen) played by Karaoke machine, using a microphone and an amplification system. As the Karaoke singers usually have no formal training, they may be more vulnerable to vocal fatigue as they may overuse and/or misuse their voices in the intensive and extensive singing activities. It is unclear whether vocal fatigue is accompanied by any vibration pattern or physiological changes of vocal folds. In this study, 20 participants aged from 18 to 23 years with normal voice were recruited to participate in an prolonged singing task, which induced vocal fatigue. High speed laryngscopic imaging and acoustic signals were recorded before and after the singing task. Images of /i/ phonation were quantitatively analyzed using the High Speed Video Processing (HSVP) program (Yiu, et al. 2010). It was found that the glottis became relatively narrower following fatigue, while the acoustic signals were not sensitive to measure change following fatigue. © 2012 Acoustical Society of Americapublished_or_final_versio

Multispectral imaging for preclinical assessment of rheumatoid arthritis models

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune condition affecting multiple body systems. Murine models of RA are vital in progressing understanding of the disease. The severity of arthritis symptoms is currently assessed in vivo by observations and subjective scoring which are time-consuming and prone to bias and inaccuracy. The main aim of this thesis is to determine whether multispectral imaging of murine arthritis models has the potential to assess the severity of arthritis symptoms in vivo in an objective manner. Given that pathology can influence the optical properties of a tissue, changes may be detectable in the spectral response. Monte Carlo modelling of reflectance and transmittance for varying levels of blood volume fraction, blood oxygen saturation, and water percentage in the mouse paw tissue demonstrated spectral changes consistent with the reported/published physiological markers of arthritis. Subsequent reflectance and transmittance in vivo spectroscopy of the hind paw successfully detected significant spectral differences between normal and arthritic mice. Using a novel non-contact imaging system, multispectral reflectance and transmittance images were simultaneously collected, enabling investigation of arthritis symptoms at different anatomical paw locations. In a blind experiment, Principal Component (PC) analysis of four regions of the paw was successful in identifying all 6 arthritic mice in a total sample of 10. The first PC scores for the TNF dARE arthritis model were found to correlate significantly with bone erosion ratio results from microCT, histology scoring, and the manual scoring method. In a longitudinal study at 5, 7 and 9 weeks the PC scores identified changes in spectral responses at an early stage in arthritis development for the TNF dARE model, before clinical signs were manifest. Comparison of the multispectral image data with the Monte Carlo simulations suggest that in this study decreased oxygen saturation is likely to be the most significant factor differentiating arthritic mice from their normal littermates. The results of the experiments are indicative that multispectral imaging performs well as an assessor of arthritis for RA models and may outperform existing techniques. This has implications for better assessment of preclinical arthritis and hence for better experimental outcomes and improvement of animal welfare

Assessment of Ultrasound Elastography for Orthopedic Applications

Ultrasound imaging is emerging as an attractive alternative modality to standard x-ray and CT methods for bone assessment applications. The high reflectivity at the bone/soft tissue interface that occurs due to high acoustic impedance mismatch presents an important diagnostic opportunity affording the detection of abnormalities at bone surfaces with high accuracy and contrast-to-noise ratios. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the soft tissue surrounding the bones undergo changes depending on the integrity of the underlying bone, viz. intact, fractured or healing. Unlike other imaging modalities, ultrasound elastography techniques, with their sensitivity to variations in soft tissue stiffness, are able to assist with monitoring bone regrowth. However, there is presently a lack of systematic studies that investigate the performance of diagnostic ultrasound techniques in bone imaging applications. This dissertation aims at understanding the performance limitations of new ultrasound techniques for assessing intact and fractured bones in vitro as well as in vivo. Ultrasound based 2D, 3D and elastography imaging experiments were performed on in vitro and in vivo samples of mammalian as well as non-mammalian bones. Ultrasound measurements of controlled defects were statistically compared with those obtained from the same samples using alternate imaging modalities. The performance of axial strain elastograms and axial shear strain elastograms at the soft tissue/bone interface was also studied in intact and fractured bones, and statistical analysis was carried out using elastographic image quality tools. The results of this study demonstrate that it is feasible to use diagnostic ultrasound imaging techniques to assess bone defects in real time and with high accuracy and precision. The relative strength of the axial strains and the axial shear strains at the bone/soft tissue interface with respect to the background soft tissue reduce in the presence of a fracture. Consequently, the study concluded that a combination of these imaging modalities might provide information regarding the integrity of the underlying bone and also an insight into the severity of the fractures, alignment of bone fragments and the progress of bone healing. In the future, ultrasound imaging techniques might provide a cost-effective, real-time, safe and portable diagnostic tool for bone imaging applications