超声弹性成像参数联合血清MK和VEGF对分化型甲状腺癌的诊断价值及与肿瘤恶性程度关系研究

本研究选取了分化型甲状腺癌(DTC)患者106例为甲状腺癌组,同期106例甲状腺腺瘤患者为甲状腺腺瘤组,检测比较了两组患者的超声弹性成像参数(弹性比值、蓝色面积比值)、血清中期因子(midkine,MK)、血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)水平.研究结果发现,弹性比值、蓝色面积比值、血清MK和VEGF水平与DTC患者淋巴结转...     

超声弹性成像应用在角膜疾病诊断中的有限元分析

弹性成像在医学成像领域具有广阔的应用前景.在本文中,有限元法被用于模拟角膜组织的超声弹性成像,通过改变角膜病变组织与正常组织杨氏模量的数值大小及分布,模拟角膜病变的不同情形,分析计算各种不同情形时的应变、应力和位移分布,并对仿真结果进行分析.当角膜正常组织与病变组织的杨氏模量之比为1∶4时,病变区域中心的应变为-0.0...     

Improving motion estimation by accounting for local image distortion

Cardiac elastography is a useful diagnostic technique for detection of heart function abnormalities, based on analysis of echocardiograms. The analysis of the regional heart motion allows assessing the extent of myocardial ischemia and infarction. In this paper, a new two-stage algorithm for cardiac motion estimation is proposed, where the data is taken from a sequence of 2D echocardiograms. The method combines the advantages of block-matching and optical flow techniques. The first stage employs a standard block-matching algorithm (sum of absolute differences) to provide a displacement estimate with accuracy of up to one pixel. At the second stage, this estimate is corrected by estimating the parameters of a local image transform within a test window. The parameters of the image transform are estimated in the least-square sense. In order to account for typical heart motions, like contraction/expansion, translation and rotation, a local affine model is assumed within the test window. The accuracy of the new algorithm is evaluated using a sequence of 500 grayscale B-mode images, which are generated as distorted, but known copies of an original ROI, taken from a real echocardiogram. The accuracy of the motion estimation is expressed in terms of errors: maximum absolute error, root-mean-square error, average error and standard deviation. The errors of the proposed algorithm are compared with these of the known block-matching technique with cross-correlation and interpolation in the sub-pixel space. Statistical analysis of the errors shows that the proposed algorithm provides more accurate estimates of the heart motion than the cross-correlation technique with interpolation in the sub-pixel space.     

磁共振弹性成像技术在肝纤维化检测中的研究

对肝脏组织的弹性应力分析在肝纤维化程度的精确定量评价方面是非常关键的,因此从弹性力学角度结合磁共振成像技术的磁共振弹性成像研究在肝脏疾病的早期诊断和治疗方面将具有重要意义和广泛应用. 该文针对弹性磁共振成像技术的理论与技术进行了全面的研究,开发了磁共振弹性图研究平台,主要包括：组织生物力学模型分析与建模,剪切波激励装置的开发,弹性成像序列的设计,弹性拟合算法研究与实现4个方面的工作. 基于上述工作,进行了相关体模和离体猪肝以及志愿者在体肝脏实验,实验结果表明,研究平台基本可以满足肝脏弹性成像研究的需要.     

The combined effect of nonlinear filtration and window size on the accuracy of tissue displacement estimation using detected echo signals

In cardiac elastography, the regional strain and strain rate imaging is based on displacement estimation of tissue sections within the heart muscle carried out with various block-matching techniques (cross-correlation, sum of absolute differences, sum of squared differences, etc.). The accuracy of these techniques depends on a combination of ultrasonic imaging parameters such as ultrasonic frequency of interrogation, signal-to-noise ratio, size of a kernel used in a block-matching algorithm, type of data and speckle decorrelation. In this paper, we discuss the possibility to enhance the accuracy of the displacement estimation via nonlinear filtering of B-mode images before block-matching operation. The combined effect of a filter algorithm and a kernel size on the accuracy of the displacement estimation is analyzed using a 36-frame sequence of grayscale B-mode images of a human heart acquired by an ultrasound system operating at 1.77 MHz. It is shown that the nonlinear filtering of images enables to obtain the desired accuracy (less than one pixel) of the displacement estimation with smaller kernels than without filtering. These results are obtained for two filters--an adaptive anisotropic diffusion filter and a nonlinear Gaussian filter chain.     

Error propagation model for microscopic magnetic resonance elastography shear-wave images

Microscopic magnetic resonance elastography is a high-resolution method for visualizing shear waves and assessing the biomechanical viscoelastic properties of small biological samples. In this work, we used error propagation to develop a simple analytical model that relates the signal-to-noise ratio of MR magnitude images to the variance in shear-wave maps collected using gradient-echo and spin-echo phase-contrast pulse sequences. Our model predicts results for shear-wave images in phantoms, which match the experimentally observed phase variance within 8%. This model can be used to optimize MR pulse sequences for elastography studies, as well as other phase-difference techniques in MRI.     

Magnetic resonance elastography using an air ball-actuator

The purpose of this study was to develop a new technique for a powerful compact MR elastography (MRE) actuator based on a pneumatic ball-vibrator. This is a compact actuator that generates powerful centrifugal force vibrations via high speed revolutions of an internal ball using compressed air. This equipment is easy to handle due to its simple principles and structure. Vibration frequency and centrifugal force are freely adjustable via air pressure changes (air flow volume), and replacement of the internal ball. In order to achieve MRI compatibility, all parts were constructed from non-ferromagnetic materials. Vibration amplitudes (displacements) were measured optically by a laser displacement sensor. From a bench test of displacement, even though the vibration frequency increased, the amount of displacement did not decrease. An essential step in MRE is the generation of mechanical waves within tissue via an actuator, and MRE sequences are synchronized to several phase offsets of vibration. In this system, the phase offset was detected by a four-channel optical-fiber sensor, and it was used as an MRI trigger signal. In an agarose gel phantom experiment, this actuator was used to make an MR elastogram. This study shows that the use of a ball actuator for MRE is feasible.     

Magnetic resonance elastography of the brain in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease: initial results

The increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has provided motivation for developing novel methods for assessing the disease and the effects of potential treatments. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is an MRI-based method for quantitatively imaging the shear tissue stiffness in vivo. The objective of this research was to determine whether this new imaging biomarker has potential for characterizing neurodegenerative disease. Methods were developed and tested for applying MRE to evaluate the mouse brain, using a conventional large bore 3.0T MRI system. The technique was then applied to study APP-PS1 mice, a well-characterized model of AD. Five APP-PS1 mice and 8 age-matched wild-type mice were imaged immediately following sacrifice. Brain shear stiffness measurements in APP-PS1 mice averaged 22.5% lower than those for wild-type mice (P = .0031). The results indicate that mouse brain MRE is feasible at 3.0T, and brain shear stiffness has merit for further investigation as a potential new biomarker for Alzheimer's disease.     

Phase preparation in steady-state free precession MR elastography

Strain and motion measurements in balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) imaging require high magnetic field homogeneity. This requirement is due to the nonlinear signal response to spin phase variations in bSSFP. Here, a technique that utilizes background gradients for preparing strong in-plane spin phase variations is proposed. As a result, periodic patterns of increased motion sensitivity appear, which are interleaved with bands of low phase-to-noise ratio. Spatial filters commonly used in MR elastography (MRE) remove these bands and leave wave images equivalent to a uniform phase response in bSSFP-MRE. Since phase preparation gradients locally enhance motion sensitivity, the technique can be employed for selectively increasing the wave signal amplitude in MRE. The method is applied without the need for previous shimming, which reduces the examination time. In vivo phase prepared bSSFP-MRE is demonstrated in human liver and heart.     

面向血管病变力学特性表征的光学相干弹性成像研究进展

由于血管病主要发病机制是动脉粥样硬化斑块破裂,所以动脉斑块的力学特性表征对血管病病理研究和诊治具有重要意义.光学相干断层扫描(OCT)作为心血管成像的新技术,能识别斑块的细微组织成分,但是不能评估或预测斑块的破裂风险.面向斑块力学特性表征的弹性成像技术(OCE)近年来逐渐成为了血管力学领域的一个研究热点.本综述首先介绍...