Assessment of pulmonary artery stiffness using velocity-encoding magnetic resonance imaging: evaluation of techniques

The loss of pulmonary artery (PA) compliance has significant pathophysiological effect on the right ventricle. Noninvasive and reliable assessment of PA wall stiffness would be an essential determiner of right heart load and a clinically useful factor to assess cardiovascular risk. Two MRI techniques have been proposed for assessing PA stiffness by measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV): transit time (TT) and flow area (QA). However, no data are available that compares the two techniques and evaluates their performance, especially over a wide range of PWV values or at 3.0-T, which is the purpose of the present study. Thirty-three patients with different heart conditions were imaged using optimized high-temporal resolution and high-spatial resolution velocity-encoding MRI sequences. Statistical analysis was conducted to study intermethod, interobserver and intraobserver variabilities. The PWV measurements using TT and QA techniques showed good agreement (P>0.1). The Bland-Altman analysis showed negligible differences between the two methods (mean±S.D.=0.11±0.35 m/s, correlation coefficient r=0.94). The repeated measurements showed low interobserver and intraobserver variabilities, although the S.D. of the differences was larger in the QA technique. The mean±S.D. of the TT/QA measurement differences were −0.05±0.2/0.0±0.36 m/s and 0.02±0.26/0.02±0.39 m/s for the interobserver and intraobserver differences, respectively. In conclusion, each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages. The two techniques result in similar measurements, although the QA method is more subjective due to its dependency on operator intervention.     

超声脉动环颈动脉局域脉搏波速检测性能评估

基于超声同时检测血流速度(U)和管腔直径(D)脉动变化的血流量-横截面积(QA)和直径-速度(ln (D) U)法是当前局域脉搏波速(PWV)检测的研究热点。通过仿真和临床实验系统比较了QA与ln (D) U方法的检测精度。对临床实测的颈动脉管腔半径和中心血流速度脉动变化,利用FIELDⅡ建立估计PWV的理论模型。30例仿真结果表明,QA法和ln (D) U法检测PWV与理论预设值的归一化均方根误差分别为0.30±0.08和0.45±0.13;两个年龄组20例临床结果表明,QA法和ln (D) U法对同一受试者连续两次颈动脉PWV检测的相关系数为0.94,变异系数分别为12.08V和13.17V。仿真和临床实验结果均表明QA法局域PWV的检测性能更好。     

Pulse wave velocity with 4D flow MRI: Systematic differences and age-related regional vascular stiffness

Purpose

The objective of this study was to compare multiple methods for estimation of PWV from 4D flow MRI velocity data and to investigate if 4D flow MRI-based PWV estimation with piecewise linear regression modeling of travel-distance vs. travel time is sufficient to discern age-related regional differences in PWV.

Methods

4D flow MRI velocity data were acquired in 8 young and 8 older (age: 23 ± 2 vs. 58 ± 2 years old) normal volunteers. Travel-time and travel-distance were measured throughout the aorta and piecewise linear regression was used to measure global PWV in the descending aorta and regional PWV in three equally sized segments between the top of the aortic arch and the renal arteries. Six different methods for extracting travel-time were compared.

Results

Methods for estimation of travel-time that use information about the whole flow waveform systematically overestimate PWV when compared to methods restricted to the upslope-portion of the waveforms (p < 0.05). In terms of regional PWV, a significant interaction was found between age and location (p < 0.05). The age-related differences in regional PWV were greater in the proximal compared to distal descending aorta.

Conclusion

Care must be taken as different classes of methods for the estimation of travel-time produce different results. 4D flow MRI-based PWV estimation with piecewise linear regression modeling of travel-distance vs. travel time can discern age-related differences in regional PWV well in line with previously reported data.     

超声光栅测声速的方法运用到液体表面波波速的测量

理论上分析了超声光栅衍射和液体表面波光栅衍射,得到了表面波光栅衍射图样与表面波参数的解析关系.实验上得到清晰的衍射图样,利用表面波光栅衍射法测量了液体表面波波速,实验结果与理论值误差不超过1%.     

Ultrasonically assisted evaluation of the impact of atherosclerotic plaque on the pulse pressure wave propagation: a clinical feasibility study

The purpose of this work was to evaluate ultrasound modality as a non-invasive tool for determination of impact of the degree of the atherosclerotic plaque located in human internal carotid arteries on the values of the parameters of the pulse wave. Specifically, the applicability of the method to such arteries as brachial, common, and internal carotid was examined. The method developed is based on analysis of two characteristic parameters: the value of the mean reflection coefficient modulus |Γ|_a of the blood pressure wave and time delay Δt between the forward (travelling) and backward (reflected) blood pressure waves. The blood pressure wave was determined from ultrasound measurements of the artery’s inner (internal) diameter, using the custom made wall tracking system (WTS) operating at 6.75 MHz. Clinical data were obtained from the carotid arteries measurements of 70 human subjects. These included the control group of 30 healthy individuals along with the patients diagnosed with the stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) ranging from 20% to 99% or with the ICA occlusion. The results indicate that with increasing level of stenosis of the ICA the value of the mean reflection coefficient measured in the common carotid artery, significantly increases from |Γ|_a = 0.45 for healthy individuals to |Γ|_a = 0.61 for patients with stenosis level of 90-99%, or ICA occlusion. Similarly, the time delay Δt decreases from 52 ms to 25 ms for the respective groups. The method described holds promise that it might be clinically useful as a non-invasive tool for localization of distal severe artery narrowing, which can assist in identifying early stages of atherosclerosis especially in regions, which are inaccessible for the ultrasound probe (e.g. carotid sinus or middle cerebral artery).     

An improved approximation of Bergmann's form for the Rayleigh wave velocity

In the present paper an improved approximation for the Rayleigh wave velocity in isotropic elastic solids is obtained using the method of least squares. It is of Bergmann’s form, i.e. the form of the ratio of two binomials. It is shown that this approximation is the best one of the Rayleigh wave velocity, in the sense of least squares, with respect to the class of functions whose elements are the ratio of two binomials. This approximation is much more accurate than Bergmann’s one. Its maximum percentage error is 10 times smaller than that of Bergmann’s. It is 7.6 times better than the one obtained recently by Royer and Clorennec [D. Royer, D. Clorennec, An improved approximation for the Rayleigh wave equation, Ultrasonics 46 (2007) 23–24]. An approximation of Bergmann’s form for the squared Rayleigh wave velocity is also derived and its maximum percentage error is 5 times smaller than that of Royer and Clorennec’s approximation. Some polynomial approximations with very high accuracy are also obtained.     

Assessment of pulmonary air trapping and obstruction in expiration: an experimental MRI study

PURPOSE: The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the potential of a simple expiration technique by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in an animal model to detect pulmonary air-trapping areas after artificial bronchial obstruction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixteen pigs were evaluated by means of a modified T1-weighted FLASH with fat saturation in respiratory arrest (TR=4.6 ms, TE=1.8 ms, alpha=10 degrees, S.D.=3-5 mm). A measurement of the signal intensity (SI) in the peripheral lung tissue was made in both inspiration and expiration before and after inhalation of 2 ml of 0.5% acetylcholine to simulate a bronchial obstruction. A final measurement of the lung SI was also made after bronchospasmolytic induction through salbutamol (beta2-mimetic bronchodilator). RESULTS: In expiration, a mean SI increase in peripheral lung tissue of about 183% was seen in comparison to inspiration (mean SI increase of 11-32). After inhalation of 0.5% acetylcholine, the expirational signal increase in peripheral lung tissue was only 114% of the original SI. The expirational signal homogeneity decreased after inhalation of acetylcholine. After inhalation of salbutamol, the lung tissue signal elevation in expiration was 193%. CONCLUSION: We interpret the low expiratory signal elevation after acetylcholine inhalation as a result of an air-trapped bronchial constriction in certain areas. The simple expiratory technique in an animal model showed that it is suitable to demonstrate obstructive air trapping using MRI.     

受力腓肠肌剪切波速度的超声检测

肌肉组织受力时的弹性特征变化,是其功能特性、健康状态的重要评估参量.该文利用在离体肌肉组织表面施加低频振动引起组织发生形变,在组织内部产生剪切波的方法,经过快速超声成像,通过剪切波图像估计剪切波的传播速度.研究结果表明顺肌纤维方向传播的剪切波速度快于垂直肌纤维方向传播的剪切波速度,剪切波的传播速度随受力的增加而变大,且...     

混凝土中的声发射波速特性及其在源定位中的应用

利用声发射技术监测受载混凝土裂缝发展特征的首要任务是对声发射源的准确定位.为了解混凝土中声发射波速特性,提高声发射源定位精度,该文开展了一系列室内试验,构建了考虑衰减现象的声发射波速修正模型,优化建立了基于修正波速的区域穷举定位法.结果表明:水灰比越小,基准波速越大,波速随距离的衰减越大.骨料粒径越大,基准波速越大,波...     

驻波法测量声速实验的讨论

根据声波在2个换能器之间多次反射和声波在空气中的衰减,研究了驻波法测量声速实验中接收器输出信号随接收器到发送器间距离的变化.理论推导结果表明:声波在一般情况下不是严格的驻波,但是当反射比接近-1时则是双曲函数形式的驻波,这与实验测量结果一致.只有接收器到发送器的距离比较远,反射比接近-1时,才能得到几乎理想的驻波.     

辐射温度与其驱动Al冲击波速度的定标关系研究

利用一维辐射流体力学程序,对不同脉冲波形的辐射温度与Al中冲击波速度关系进行模拟计算和分析.指出定标公式T_r=0.0126D^0.63主要适用于整形脉冲的辐射温度波形,而对高斯型和方波脉冲激光产生的辐射温度波形则不完全适用,通过计算给出修正的定标公式,且与自相似解得到的结果一致.另外对神光Ⅲ原型装置的整形脉冲辐射温度驱动Al样品冲击波轨迹进行了计算,得到第二个冲击波稳定传播所要求的Al样品的最小厚度.最后利用神光Ⅱ装置产生的辐射驱动冲击波,由修正的定标关系得到的辐射温度与软X射线能谱仪测量的辐射温度十分相符,从实验证实了修正定标关系的可靠性. 关键词： 辐射温度 冲击波速度 定标关系 整形脉冲     

Automated measurement and classification of pulmonary blood-flow velocity patterns using phase-contrast MRI and correlation analysis

An automated method was evaluated to detect blood flow in small pulmonary arteries and classify each as artery or vein, based on a temporal correlation analysis of their blood-flow velocity patterns. The method was evaluated using velocity-sensitive phase-contrast magnetic resonance data collected in vitro with a pulsatile flow phantom and in vivo in 11 human volunteers. The accuracy of the method was validated in vitro, which showed relative velocity errors of 12% at low spatial resolution (four voxels per diameter), but was reduced to 5% at increased spatial resolution (16 voxels per diameter). The performance of the method was evaluated in vivo according to its reproducibility and agreement with manual velocity measurements by an experienced radiologist. In all volunteers, the correlation analysis was able to detect and segment peripheral pulmonary vessels and distinguish arterial from venous velocity patterns. The intrasubject variability of repeated measurements was approximately 10% of peak velocity, or 2.8 cm/s root-mean-variance, demonstrating the high reproducibility of the method. Excellent agreement was obtained between the correlation analysis and radiologist measurements of pulmonary velocities, with a correlation of R2=0.98 (P<.001) and a slope of 0.99+/-0.01.     

Effect of wood properties on within-tree variation in ultrasonic wave velocity in softwood

The radial variations in the velocity of longitudinal waves propagating through Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress were experimentally investigated. In addition, the tracheid length (TL), microfibril angle (MFA), air-dried density (AD), and moisture content (MC) were measured in order to determine the effect of wood properties on velocity variations within the wood trunk. For both species, the longitudinal wave velocities measured in the longitudinal direction (V_L) exhibited minimum values near the pith. For Japanese cedar, V_L increased from 3600 m/s toward the bark and soon attained a constant value (=4500 m/s). On the other hand, for Japanese cypress, V_L kept increasing from 4000 m/s near the pith to 4800 m/s at the bark. These radial variations in V_L coincided with those in the tracheid length. V_L exhibited strong correlations with TL and MFA with a significant level of (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that the TL and MFA greatly affect the radial variation in the ultrasonic wave velocity in softwood.     

石墨烯力常数和弹性波波速随温度变化规律研究

在哈里森键联轨道法框架下,考虑到原子的短程相互作用和原子的非简谐振动,建立石墨烯弹性模型并求出原子振动的简谐系数和非简谐系数。在此基础上,确定了石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速随温度和形变势参量的变化关系式,探讨了原子非简谐振动对它们的影响。结果表明：（1）石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速均随温度升高而非线性减小,但有不同的变化特征：在C11、C12、C44这三个力常数中,以C12随温度的变化最大,以C44的变化最小;纵波波速随温度的变化要大于横波;（2）石墨烯的三个力常数随形变势参量的变化有不同的特征：C11随η和γ的增大而增大、而C12则随η的增大而减小,随γ的增大而增大;C44随η的增大而增大,而几乎不随γ而变;（3）若不考虑原子振动的非简谐项,则石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速均为常数。考虑到非简谐项后,不仅它们均随温度的升高而减小,而且,非简谐情况的力常数Cij和弹性波波速vi与简谐近似的值Cij0、vi0的差|Cij－Cij0|、|vi－vi0|均随温度的升高而增大,即温度愈高,非简谐效应愈显著。     

石墨烯力常数和弹性波波速随温度变化规律研究

在哈里森键联轨道法框架下,考虑到原子的短程相互作用和原子的非简谐振动,建立石墨烯弹性模型并求出原子振动的简谐系数和非简谐系数。在此基础上,确定了石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速随温度和形变势参量的变化关系式,探讨了原子非简谐振动对它们的影响。结果表明：（1）石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速均随温度升高而非线性减小,但有不同的变化特征：在C11、C12、C44这三个力常数中,以C12随温度的变化最大,以C44的变化最小;纵波波速随温度的变化要大于横波;（2）石墨烯的三个力常数随形变势参量的变化有不同的特征：C11随η和γ的增大而增大、而C12则随η的增大而减小,随γ的增大而增大;C44随η的增大而增大,而几乎不随γ而变;（3）若不考虑原子振动的非简谐项,则石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速均为常数。考虑到非简谐项后,不仅它们均随温度的升高而减小,而且,非简谐情况的力常数Cij和弹性波波速vi与简谐近似的值Cij0、vi0的差|Cij－Cij0|、|vi－vi0|均随温度的升高而增大,即温度愈高,非简谐效应愈显著。     

石墨烯力常数和弹性波波速随温度变化规律研究

在哈里森键联轨道法框架下,考虑到原子的短程相互作用和原子的非简谐振动,建立石墨烯弹性模型并求出原子振动的简谐系数和非简谐系数.在此基础上,确定了石墨烯的力常数随温度和形变势参量的变化关系式,以及弹性波波速随温度和形变势参量的变化关系式,并探讨了原子非简谐振动对它们的影响.结果表明:(1)石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速均随温度升高而非线性减小,但有不同的变化特征:在C_(11)、C_(12)、C_(44)这三个力常数中,以C_(12)随温度的变化最大,以C_(44)的变化最小;纵波波速随温度的变化要大于横波;(2)石墨烯的三个力常数随形变势参量的变化有不同的特征:C_(11)随η和γ的增大而增大、而C_(12)则随η的增大而减小,随γ的增大而增大;C_(44)随η的增大而增大,而几乎不随γ而变;(3)若不考虑原子振动的非简谐项,则石墨烯的力常数和弹性波波速均为常数.考虑到非简谐项后,不仅它们均随温度的升高而减小,而且,非简谐情况的力常数C_(ij)和弹性波波速v_i与简谐近似的值C_(ij)~0、v_i~0的差|C_(ij)-C_(ij)~0|、|v_i-v_i~0|均随温度的升高而增大,即温度愈高,非简谐效应愈显著.     

Assessment of strength properties of cemented paste backfill by ultrasonic pulse velocity test

Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test is one of the most popular non-destructive techniques used in the assessment of the mechanical properties of concrete or rock materials. In this study, the effects of binder type/dosage, water to cement ratio (w/c) and fines content (<20 μm) of the tailings on ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of cemented paste backfill (CPB) samples were investigated and correlated with the corresponding unconfined compressive strength (UCS) data. A total of 96 CPB samples prepared at different mixture properties were subjected to the UPV and UCS tests at 7, 14, 28 and 56-days of curing periods. UPV and UCS of CPB samples of ordinary Portland cement (CEM I 42.5 R) and sulphate resistant cement (SRC 32.5) initially increased rapidly, but, slowed down after 14 days. However, UPV and UCS of CPB samples of the blast furnace slag cement (CEM III/A 42.5 N) steadily increased between 7 and 56 days. Increasing binder dosage or reducing w/c ratio and fines content (<20 μm) increased the UCS and UPV of CPB samples. UPV was found to be particularly sensitive to fines content. UCS data were correlated with the corresponding UPV data. A linear relation appeared to exist between the UCS and UPV of CPB samples. These findings have demonstrated that the UPV test can be reliably used for the estimation of the strength of CPB samples.     

左手介质中电磁波的传播速度

在同向介质中,电磁波的群速度一般是能量传播的方向,并且电磁波的相速度和群速度在大部分情况下都满足瑞利关系.为了研究左手介质的电磁特性,本文从理论上导出了左手介质中电磁波的相速度、群速度及其关系,得出左手介质中电磁波的群速度为负,并介绍了左手介质的一些应用前景.     

简谈空气中的声速与温度关系

讨论了驻波法测空气中声速的实验,分别用相位比较法和李萨如图法来确定超声波波长.在不同温度条件下测量了声速并与理论值进行比较,实验结果显示测量温度接近室温时实验值与理论值基本一致,测量温度与室温相差较大时实验值与理论值偏差较大.     

Phase velocity of a transverse electric wave propagating in a magnetized electron beam

In this paper three-dimentional simulations are carried out to the phase velocity of a transverse electric wave which propagates in a relativistic electron beam magnetized by a wiggler field and an axial guide magnetic field. Results show that the phase velocities are quite different from each other as the axial guide magnetic field changes its direction.