Simultaneous Imaging of Artery-Wall Strain and Blood Flow by High Frame Rate Acquisition of RF Signals
Simultaneous Imaging of Artery-Wall Strain and Blood Flow by High Frame Rate Acquisition of RF Signals
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DOI：
10.1109/tuffc.2008.978
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发表时间：
2008-12-01
影响因子：
3.6
通讯作者：
Kanai, Hiroshi
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hasegawa, Hideyuki;Kanai, Hiroshi
动脉粥样硬化显著改变了动脉壁的力学性能，最近进行了各种研究来测量动脉壁的区域弹性性能（径向应变）。我们开发了一种基于相敏相关的方法，即相位跟踪法来测量区域径向应变。另一方面，血流量的测量在动脉粥样硬化的诊断中是一项重要的实用常规。如果能同时评估动脉壁的局部应变和血流，将是有用的。这样的测量需要几千赫兹的高帧率。在本研究中，采用平行波束形成实现了高帧率（约3500 Hz）的超声射频回波采集，其中平面波仅发射3次，接收波束形成为每个发射波束产生24波束。通过圆柱形模体的基本实验，评价了测量微小径向应变的精度。实测应变与理论应变曲线的误差和标准差分别为4.8%和9.5%。此外，颈动脉壁径向应变和血流在体内同时成像。
Mechanical properties of the arterial walls are significantly altered by atherosclerosis, and various studies have been recently conducted to measure the regional elastic properties (radial strain) of the arterial wall. We have developed a phase-sensitive correlation-based method, namely, the phased-tracking method, to measure the regional radial strain. On the other hand, the measurement of blood flow is an important practical routine in the diagnosis of atherosclerosis. It would be useful if the regional strain of the arterial wall as well as blood flow could be assessed simultaneously. Such measurement would require a high frame rate of several kilohertz. In this study, acquisition of ultrasonic RF echoes at a high frame rate (about 3500 Hz) was achieved using parallel beamforming in which plane waves were transmitted only 3 times and receive beamforming created 24 beams for each transmit beam. The accuracy in measurement of the minute radial strain was evaluated by a basic experiment using a cylindrical phantom. The error of the measured strain from the theoretical strain profile and its standard deviation were 4.8% and 9.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the radial strain of a carotid arterial wall and blood flow were simultaneously imaged in vivo.