Development of 2D and 3D Ultrasound Super-Resolution (US-SR) Imaging for the Clinic

癌症是全世界的主要死亡原因之一。癌症产生自己的血管网络，为生长和扩散提供营养和氧气。及早发现这些发展并加以治疗可以增加生存的机会。然而，目前的成像方法无法检测到体内深处的这些微观结构。因此，迫切需要开发能够满足这一要求的新成像技术。此外，成像技术，可以看到完整的3D区域的疾病是迫切需要可靠地评估thes.The研究在这个建议的目的是开发和展示超声成像技术称为超声超分辨率（US-SR）在2D和3D在临床上。US-SR能够对血管网络的极其精细的细节进行成像，这是以前标准超声成像所看不到的。这项技术涉及向血流中添加少量的微泡，这些微泡在超声图像上显示出来，因为声音从气泡中反射的比其他组织更强烈。这些气泡在容器内无害地循环，直到几分钟后溶解。通过精确定位这些随时间推移而移动的气泡的位置，我们可以建立一个图像，“描绘”包含这些微气泡的血管结构。使用超声波看到这些小血管的能力，能够在人体的深度（>10 cm）成像，具有识别血管网络中这些重要变化的潜力。然而，目前，US-SR仅在少数患者中得到证实，它需要长的扫描时间（取决于目标，在几十分钟的范围内），并且医院中的超声使用通常限于2D。在这个提议的奖学金中，我的目标是首先开发更快的方法来获取创建这些图像所需的数据。其次，证明2D US-SR在大量患者中的使用。最后，利用这些发展将3D US-SR推向临床。成功的3D临床US-SR演示可以推动该技术进入临床实践。它的使用可以提供与疾病相关的血管的安全，低成本的显微镜评估。由于早期诊断和治疗，这对于患有各种微血管相关疾病（包括癌症）的患者至关重要。考虑到与X射线CT和MRI相比，US是一种负担得起的成像技术，这也可以为NHS节省大量成本。

Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. Cancers generate their own network of blood vessels to provide nutrients and oxygen to grow and spread. Detecting these developments early and treating them increases the chances of survival. However, current imaging methods are unable to detect these microscopic structures deep within the body. Therefore there is a crucial need to develop new imaging techniques that can fill this requirement. Additionally, imaging techniques which can look at the full 3D region of disease are urgently needed to reliably assess these.The research in this proposal is designed to develop and demonstrate an ultrasound imaging technique known as ultrasound super-resolution (US-SR) in 2D and 3D in the clinic. US-SR is able to image extremely fine details of the blood vessel network, previously unseen with standard ultrasound imaging. This technique involves adding small amounts of microbubbles into the blood stream, which show up on the ultrasound images because the sound is more strongly reflected from the bubbles than other tissues. These bubbles circulate harmlessly within the vessels until they dissolve after a few minutes. By pinpointing the location of these travelling bubbles over time, we can build up an image which 'paints out' the vessel structures containing those microbubbles. The ability to see these small vessels using ultrasound, which is able to image at depth (>10 cm) in humans, has the potential to identify these important changes in the vascular network Currently, however, US-SR has only been demonstrated in a small number of patients, it requires long scan times (in the range of 10s of minutes depending on the target) and ultrasound use in hospitals is generally limited to 2D. Within this proposed fellowship, it is my aim to firstly, develop faster ways to acquire the data needed to create these images. Secondly, to demonstrate the use of 2D US-SR in a large number of patients. And lastly, to use these developments to move 3D US-SR into the clinic. Successful 3D clinical US-SR demonstration could propel this technique into clinical practice. Its use could provide safe, low-cost microscopic assessment of blood vessels associated with disease. This could be crucial to patients with a wide range of micro-vascular related diseases including cancer due to early diagnosis and treatment. Given that US is an affordable imaging technique compared to for example x-ray CT and MRI, this could also provide significant cost-savings for the NHS.