Elasticity Imaging for Trauma
This upcoming research will deal with the development of a new imaging method, that is, the imaging of tissue elasticity. The elasticity image may be presented separately from the conventional ultrasound image, or it may be an overlay to the ultrasound image. The technique is based on measuring the force or force distribution, applied to the skin surface by the ultrasound transducer at two different force levels, and calculating the change in tissue stress across the image plane. The tissue strain (tissue deformation) across the image plane will be determined from the ultrasound image, captured at the two different force levels that the transducer applies to the skin.
An RA position is open for this work; important skills: programming and Matlab experience; good mathematical skills
The intended application is trauma, including diagnosis of the Compartment Syndrome and detection of shrapnels and other foreign bodies, detection of internal bleeding and possibly other forms of trauma. The proposed technique is based on measuring the force or force distribution, which is applied to the skin surface by the ultrasound transducer, and then simultaneously determining the tissue deformation across the image plane. The calculation of stress in elastic materials due to an externally applied stress distribution has been widely studied, and exact solutions exist for a number of specific cases.
The development will be carried out on the Sonix RP ultrasound scanner from Ultrasonix. This scanner is equipped with investigational research package, pre-beam forming real-time acquisition software, RF mode, and SDK for client applications. Sonix RP offers complete control and access to pre and post beamformer RF data. In investigating application, for instance, Sonix RP provides custom filtering, envelope, detection and compression of acquired data.
A future development can consider a freehand 3D elasticity imaging, by combining of tracking technique with the elasticity imaging technique. By first scanning along a approximately straight path in one direction with a light pressure, and then carry out the return scan in the opposite direction with a somewhat larger compression force, two 3D scans of the same tissue volume, at different compression levels, are acquired, from which is will be possible to carry out 3D reconstruction of the tissue elasticity.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: March 11, 2008 14:02:47