Maximum-likelihood approach to strain imaging using ultrasound

Insana, Michael F.; Cook, Larry T.; Bilgen, Mehmet; Chaturvedi, P.; Zhu, Yanning

doi:10.1121/1.428429

Cited by 48 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(79 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] This method estimates local strains typically in the direction of compression by computing the gradient of shifts in echo arrival times after a quasistatic tissue compression. The echo shifts or tissue displacement are computed using a one-dimensional gated cross-correlation analysis of the pre-and post-compression radio-frequency (RF) signals, with overlapping windows to improve resolution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlation analysis of the beam angle dependence for elastography

Rao

Varghese

2006

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Signal decorrelation is a major source of error in the displacements estimated using correlation techniques for elastographic imaging. Previous papers have addressed the variation in the correlation coefficient as a function of the applied compression for a finite window size and an insonification angle of zero degrees. The recent use of angular beam-steered radio-frequency echo signals for spatial angular compounding and shear strain estimation have demonstrated the need for understanding signal decorrelation artifacts for data acquired at different beam angles. In this paper, we provide both numerical and closed form theoretical solutions of the correlation between pre-and postcompression radio-frequency echo signals acquired at a specified beam angle. The expression for the correlation coefficient obtained is a function of the beam angle and the applied compression for a finite duration window. Accuracy of the theoretical results is verified using tissue-mimicking phantom experiments on a uniformly elastic phantom using beam-steered data acquisitions on a linear array transducer. The theory predicts a faster decorrelation with changes in the beam or insonification angle for longer radio-frequency echo signal segments and at deeper locations in the medium. Theoretical results provide useful information for improving angular compounding and shear strain estimation techniques for elastography.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlation analysis of the beam angle dependence for elastography

Rao

Varghese

2006

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In this technique, local displacements are typically computed by applying a cross-correlation analysis to the pre-and postcompression ultrasonic radiofrequency (rf) echo signals. Strains are then estimated as the gradient of the displacements along the beam axis and displayed as a local strain image, referred to as an elastogram.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Angular Compounding for Elastography without the Incompressibility Assumption

Rao

Varghese

2005

Ultrason Imaging

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Spatial-angular compounding is a new technique that enables the reduction of noise artifacts in ultrasound elastography. Previous results using spatial angular compounding, however, were based on the use of the tissue incompressibility assumption. Compounded elastograms were obtained from a spatially-weighted average of local strain estimated from radiofrequency echo signals acquired at different insonification angles. In this paper, we present a new method for reducing the noise artifacts in the axial strain elastogram utilizing a least-squares approach on the angular displacement estimates that does not use the incompressibility assumption. This method produces axial strain elastograms with higher image quality, compared to noncompounded axial strain elastograms, and is referred to as the least-squares angular-compounding approach for elastography. To distinguish between these two angular compounding methods, the spatial-angular compounding with angular weighting based on the tissue incompressibility assumption is referred to as weighted compounding. In this paper, we compare the performance of the two angular-compounding techniques for elastography using beam steering on a linear-array transducer. Quantitative experimental results demonstrate that least-squares compounding provides comparable but smaller improvements in both the elastographic signal-tonoise ratio and the contrast-to-noise ratio, as compared to the weighted-compounding method. Ultrasound simulation results suggest that the least-squares compounding method performs better and provide accurate and robust results when compared to the weighted compounding method, in the case where the incompressibility assumption does not hold.

show abstract

“…The sum of squared differences used as the similarity metric in our cost function is suitable if ultrasound noise can be modeled as additive Gaussian noise. However, ultrasound noise is not simply additive Gaussian and it has been shown that similarity metrics that model the noise process considering physics of ultrasound give more accurate results [68]. Performance of the 2D AM method for images that are not fully developed speckles (i.e have few scatterers per resolution cell) is also a subject of future work.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrasound-Based Guidance for Partial Breast Irradiation Therapy

Rivaz¹

2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. (From -To) 1 Jan 2010 -31 Dec 2010 REPORT DATE 1-JAN-2011 REPORT TYPE Annual Summary DATES COVERED TITLE AND SUBTITLE Ultrasound PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)Johns Hopkins University AND ADDRESS(ES) PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBERBaltimore MD 21218 SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S ACRONYM(S) U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel CommandFort Detrick, Maryland 21702-5012 SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT NUMBER(S) DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENTApproved for public release; distribution unlimited SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ABSTRACTTracked ultrasound elastography can be used for guidance in partial breast radiotherapy by visualizing the hard scar tissue around the lumpectomy cavity. For clinical success, the elastography method needs to be robust to the sources of decorrelation between ultrasound images, specifically fluid motions inside the cavity, change of the appearance of speckles caused by compression or physiologic motions, and out-of-plane motion of the probe. In this report, we extend our previous work where we proposed 1D Analytic Minimization (1D AM) of a cost function to calculate robust elasticity images to 2D AM. We show that 2D AM is much faster than 1D AM, which is critically important in creating real-time elastography. In addition, 2D AM produces high quality strain images in 2D which can be used for elasticity reconstruction using an inverse problem framework. We also propose a novel strain calculation technique using Kalman filters, which generates smooth strain images without blurring the images and removing sharp boundaries. We show using simulation, phantom and clinical trials that the 2D AM generates high quality strain images in real-time. This work is in press for IEEE TMI. We have also introduced a novel elastography technique, which uses multiple images to calculate elasticity image. A manuscript has been submitted to IEEE TMI. SUBJECT TERMS INTRODUCTION:A tracked free-hand ultrasound system is ideal for guiding many radiotherapy procedures, as it can be performed in the treatment room. In partial breast irradiation, the lumpe...

show abstract

Maximum-likelihood approach to strain imaging using ultrasound

Cited by 48 publications

References 54 publications

Correlation analysis of the beam angle dependence for elastography

Correlation analysis of the beam angle dependence for elastography

Spatial Angular Compounding for Elastography without the Incompressibility Assumption

Ultrasound-Based Guidance for Partial Breast Irradiation Therapy

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About