Automated 3-D Ultrasound Elastography of the Breast:An In Vivo Validation Study

Objective: Studies have indicated that adding 2-D quasi-static elastography to B-mode ultrasound imaging improved the specificity for malignant lesion detection, as malignant lesions are often stiffer (increased strain ratio) compared with benign lesions. This method is limited by its user dependency and so unsuitable for breast screening. To overcome this limitation, we implemented quasi-static elastography in an automated breast volume scanner (ABVS), which is an operator-independent 3-D ultrasound system and is especially useful for screening women with dense breasts. The study aim was to investigate if 3-D quasi-static elastography implemented in a clinically used ABVS can discriminate between benign and malignant breast lesions. Methods: Volumetric breast ultrasound radiofrequency data sets of 82 patients were acquired before and after automated transducer lifting. Lesions were annotated and strain was calculated using an in-house-developed strain algorithm. Two strain ratio types were calculated per lesion: using axial and maximal principal strain (i.e., strain in dominant direction). Results: Forty-four lesions were detected: 9 carcinomas, 23 cysts and 12 other benign lesions. A significant difference was found between malignant (median: 1.7, range: [1.0–3.2]) and benign (1.0, [0.6–1.9]) using maximal principal strain ratios. Axial strain ratio did not reveal a significant difference between benign (0.6, [–12.7 to 4.9]) and malignant lesions (0.8, [–3.5 to 5.1]). Conclusion: Three-dimensional strain imaging was successfully implemented on a clinically used ABVS to obtain, visualize and analyze in vivo strain images in three dimensions. Results revealed that maximal principal strain ratios are significantly increased in malignant compared with benign lesions.</p

Dynamic Computed Tomography Angiography for capturing vessel wall motion:A phantom study for optimal image reconstruction

Background Reliably capturing sub-millimeter vessel wall motion over time, using dynamic Computed Tomography Angiography (4D CTA), might provide insight in biomechanical properties of these vessels. This may improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decision making in vascular pathologies. Purpose The aim of this study is to determine the most suitable image reconstruction method for 4D CTA to accurately assess harmonic diameter changes of vessels. Methods An elastic tube (inner diameter 6 mm, wall thickness 2 mm) was exposed to sinusoidal pressure waves with a frequency of 70 beats-per-minute. Five flow amplitudes were set, resulting in increasing sinusoidal diameter changes of the elastic tube, measured during three simulated pulsation cycles, using ECG-gated 4D CTA on a 320-detector row CT system. Tomographic images were reconstructed using one of the following three reconstruction methods: hybrid iterative (Hybrid-IR), model-based iterative (MBIR) and deep-learning based (DLR) reconstruction. The three reconstruction methods where based on 180 degrees (half reconstruction mode) and 360 degrees (full reconstruction mode) raw data. The diameter change, captured by 4D CTA, was computed based on image registration. As a reference metric for diameter change measurement, a 9 MHz linear ultrasound transducer was used. The sum of relative absolute differences (SRAD) between the ultrasound and 4D CTA measurements was calculated for each reconstruction method. The standard deviation was computed across the three pulsation cycles. Results MBIR and DLR resulted in a decreased SRAD and standard deviation compared to Hybrid-IR. Full reconstruction mode resulted in a decreased SRAD and standard deviations, compared to half reconstruction mode. Conclusions 4D CTA can capture a diameter change pattern comparable to the pattern captured by US. DLR and MBIR algorithms show more accurate results than Hybrid-IR. Reconstruction with DLR is &gt;3 times faster, compared to reconstruction with MBIR. Full reconstruction mode is more accurate than half reconstruction mode.</p

Real-time volumetric ultrasound imaging using free hand scanning

Collecting high quality volumetric ultrasound (US) data using freehand scanning is challenging. The quality of the final 3DUS image is highly related to the applied scanning protocol and the subsequently used reconstruction method. The protocol should ensure the sonographer collects sufficient data of satisfactory quality for an accurate reconstruction. In this study we developed a real-time reconstruction method that provides visual feedback during scanning. The feedback indicates the areas, of which the sonographer should collect more data. The method was tested by acquiring US data of a breast phantom in a setup mimicking freehand scanning which consisted of a linear transducer mounted in a translation stage that also allowed rotation. To reconstruct the volume in real-time on a target grid of 0.5x0.5x0.5mm, we applied a simplified Voxel Nearest Neighbor (VNN) method, i.e., only the closest to B-mode plane voxels were updated. Furthermore, voxels were updated only when their projection on the B-mode plane was closer to the transducer surface than in the previous scan planes. Interpolation was performed within the acquired volume to fill in the holes where sufficient data were available. Sub-volumes with insufficient data were visualized in the reconstructed volume (update rate 50 Hz). This visual feedback can guide the sonographer during freehand scanning to improve the quality of the reconstructed 3DUS images. Cross-sections of the reconstructed data were compared to the independently acquired B-mode images and confirmed that our real-time method of low computational complexity provided accurate volumetric ultrasound images

Ultrasound strain imaging for quantification of tissue function:cardiovascular applications

With ultrasound imaging, the motion and deformation of tissue can be measured. Tissue can be deformed by applying a force on it and the resulting deformation is a function of its mechanical properties. Quantification of this resulting tissue deformation to assess the mechanical properties of tissue is called elastography. If the tissue under interrogation is actively deforming, the deformation is directly related to its function and quantification of this deformation is normally referred as 'strain imaging'. Elastography can be used for atherosclerotic plaques characterization, while the contractility of the heart or skeletal muscles can be assessed with strain imaging. We developed radio frequency (RF) based ultrasound methods to assess the deformation at higher resolution and with higher accuracy than commercial methods using conventional image data (Tissue Doppler Imaging and 2D speckle tracking methods). However, the improvement in accuracy is mainly achieved when measuring strain along the ultrasound beam direction, so 1D. We further extended this method to multiple directions and further improved precision by using compounding of data acquired at multiple beam steered angles. In arteries, the presence of vulnerable plaques may lead to acute events like stroke and myocardial infarction. Consequently, timely detection of these plaques is of great diagnostic value. Non-invasive ultrasound strain compounding is currently being evaluated as a diagnostic tool to identify the vulnerability of plaques. In the heart, we determined the strain locally and at high resolution resulting in a local assessment in contrary to conventional global functional parameters like cardiac output or shortening fraction.</p

Vascular Shear Wave Elastography in Atherosclerotic Arteries: A Systematic Review

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, so adequate prevention strategies are crucial. However, current stroke risk stratification is based on epidemiologic studies and is still suboptimal for individual patients. The aim of this systematic review was to provide a literature overview on the feasibility and diagnostic value of vascular shear wave elastography (SWE) using ultrasound (US) in (mimicked) human and non-human arteries affected by different stages of atherosclerotic diseases or diseases related to atherosclerosis. An online search was conducted on Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and IEEE databases to identify studies using US SWE for the assessment of vascular elasticity. A quality assessment was performed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) checklist, and relevant data were extracted. A total of 19 studies were included: 10 with human patients and 9 with non-human subjects (i.e., [excised] animal arteries and polyvinyl alcohol phantoms). All studies revealed the feasibility of using US SWE to assess individually stiffness of the arterial wall and plaques. Quantitative elasticity values were highly variable between studies. However, within studies, SWE could detect statistically significant elasticity differences in patient/subject characteristics and could distinguish different plaque types with good reproducibility. US SWE, with its unique ability to assess the elasticity of the vessel wall and plaque throughout the cardiac cycle, might be a good candidate to improve stroke risk stratification. However, more clinical studies have to be performed to assess this technique's exact clinical value

3-D Single Breath-hold Shear Strain Estimation for Improved Breast Lesion Detection and Classification in Automated Volumetric Ultrasound Scanners

Automated breast volume scanner (ABVS) is an ultrasound imaging modality used in breast cancer screening. It has high sensitivity but limited specificity as it is hard to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions by echogenic properties. Specificity might be improved by shear strain imaging as malignant lesions, firmly bonded to its host tissue, show different shear patterns compared to benign lesions, often loosely bonded. Therefore, 3-D quasi-static elastography was implemented in an ABVS-like system. Plane wave instead of conventional focused transmissions were used to reduce scan times within a single breath hold. A 3-D strain tensor was obtained and shear strains were reconstructed in phantoms containing firmly and loosely bonded lesions. Experiments were also simulated in finite-element models (FEMs). Experimental results, confirmed by FEM-results, indicated that loosely bonded lesions showed increased maximal shear strains (2.5%) and different shear patterns compared to firmly bonded lesions (0.9%). To conclude, we successfully implemented 3-D elastography in an ABVS-like system to assess lesion bonding by shear strain imaging