Estimation and Correction of Ultrasound Beam Aberration Caused by Breast

乳腺引起的超声束像差的估计与校正

• 批准号: 7985875
• 负责人: ROBERT C WAAG
• 金额: $ 35.84万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-08-01 至 2014-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7985875
• 关键词: Acoustics; Algorithms; Anatomic structures; Behavior; Breast; Breast Diseases; Characteristics; Clinical; Data; Detection; Development; Diagnosis; Dimensions; Electronics; Fatty acid glycerol esters; Financial compensation; Focused Ultrasound Therapy; Generations; Histocompatibility Testing; Histologic; Image; Imaging Techniques; Investigation; Knowledge; Lighting; Link; Location; Magnetic Resonance; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mammary Gland Parenchyma; Measurement; Measures; Methods; Modeling; Monitor; Morphology; Performance; Phase; Physiologic pulse; Procedures; Process; Property; Protons; Recurrence; Relaxation; Research; Resolution; Roswell Park Cancer Institute; Scanning; Severities; Severity of illness; Shapes; Signal Transduction; Simulate; Source; Specimen; Speed; Structure; System; Techniques; Testing; Time; Tissue Model; Tissues; Ultrasonic Transducer; Ultrasonic wave; Ultrasonography; Universities; Validation; Variant; Water; attenuation; base; data acquisition; density; design; digital models; image reconstruction; improved; instrument; malignant breast neoplasm; novel; public health relevance; response; simulation; sound; statistics; success; transmission process; two-dimensional; virtual

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this research is to develop ultrasound propagation algorithms and tissue models that mimic ultrasound scattering behavior in typical breast specimens for use in studying breast imaging techniques, and then to employ these models and algorithms to refine and evaluate adaptive focusing methods that correct for ultrasound beam aberration caused by propagation through breast inhomogeneities. The specific aims are to: 1) acquire high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging data throughout the volume of the breast and segment the data into tissue types with acoustic properties characterized by random processes, 2) calculate acoustic propagation in three dimensions through the modeled volume of the breast to determine the aberration produced by inhomogeneities in the breast, 3) perform pulse-echo measurements of aberration using the same specimens to validate the modeling of the breast and the calculation of aberration, and 4) simulate high-resolution b-scan images by using adaptive focusing that compensates for aberration. The segmented data will be used to develop realistic numerical models for calculations of propagation. Calculations of pulse propagation through the breast models will use three-dimensional k-space and fast multiple methods. Propagation through the models will be used to simulate measurements that are repeatable and easy to alter, allowing for efficient refinement of aberration-correction methods. Aberration will be determined using two new algorithms. In one algorithm, the aberration is estimated using cross spectra of pulse-echo signals obtained from a set of focuses in an isoplanatic region. In the other algorithm, aberration is estimated using cross correlation of echoes obtained from broad-beam illuminations produced by virtual sources. Variations of the parameters that govern these algorithms will be explored to optimize algorithm performance. Simulated point-reflector echoes received through the aberration path will be used to compute the true aberration for comparison with the aberration found using the two algorithms. The true focus achieved in each of the cases will be described by calculations and also by hydrophone measurements. Focus characteristics as well as image resolution will be evaluated with respect to breast morphology in the propagation paths. Arrival time fluctuations, waveform shape changes, and statistics of distortion will be determined for both calculated and measured results. Also, the size of the region over which aberration can be satisfactorily compensated with a single set of parameters will be determined. Focus characteristics and image resolution will be carefully evaluated and critically compared to available geometric and adaptive focusing techniques. Quantitative conclusions about the effects of aberration in ultrasound imaging of the breast and the performance of the two aberration correction algorithms will be developed. As a result of this research, adaptive focusing techniques using aberration correction will yield improved resolution that will significantly increase the capability of ultrasound b-scan imaging to distinguish between normal and diseased breast tissue and to determine the severity of breast disease in circumstances not now possible with ultrasound. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The objective of this project is to form significantly improved ultrasonic images throughout the volume of the breast by using adaptive focusing that compensates for aberration. This objective will be achieved by the development of realistic acoustic models of the breast from high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging data, use of the models to estimate aberration, validation of the models by measurements, and formation of b-scan images by using aberration correction. Success in the research will significantly increase the capability of ultrasound b-scans to distinguish between normal and diseased breast tissue and to determine the severity of disease in circumstances not now possible because b-scan resolution in breast is limited by aberration.

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究的目的是开发超声传播算法和组织模型，模拟典型乳腺标本中的超声散射行为，用于研究乳腺成像技术，然后采用这些模型和算法来改进和评价自适应聚焦方法，以校正通过乳腺不均匀性传播引起的超声束畸变。具体目标是：1）在整个乳房体积中采集高分辨率磁共振成像数据，并将数据分割成具有由随机过程表征的声学特性的组织类型，2）计算通过乳房的建模体积的三维声学传播，以确定由乳房中的不均匀性产生的像差，3）使用相同的样本执行像差的脉冲回波测量，以验证乳房的建模和像差的计算，以及4）通过使用补偿像差的自适应聚焦来模拟高分辨率B扫描图像。分割的数据将用于开发用于计算传播的现实数字模型。通过乳房模型的脉冲传播的计算将使用三维k空间和快速多重方法。通过模型的传播将用于模拟可重复且易于改变的测量，从而允许像差校正方法的有效改进。将使用两种新算法确定像差。在一种算法中，使用从等晕区域中的一组焦点获得的脉冲回波信号的交叉谱来估计像差。在另一种算法中，像差是利用虚源产生的宽光束照明回波的互相关来估计的。将探索支配这些算法的参数的变化以优化算法性能。通过像差路径接收的模拟点反射器回波将用于计算真实像差，以与使用两种算法发现的像差进行比较。在每种情况下实现的真实焦点将通过计算和水听器测量来描述。将根据传播路径中的乳房形态评价焦点特征和图像分辨率。将确定计算和测量结果的到达时间波动、波形形状变化和失真统计。此外，将确定可以用单组参数令人满意地补偿像差的区域的大小。聚焦特性和图像分辨率将被仔细评估，并与现有的几何和自适应聚焦技术进行严格比较。将得出有关乳房超声成像中像差影响以及两种像差校正算法性能的定量结论。作为这项研究的结果，自适应聚焦技术使用像差校正将产生改善的分辨率，这将显着提高超声b扫描成像的能力，以区分正常和患病的乳腺组织，并确定乳腺疾病的严重程度，现在不可能与超声的情况下。 公共卫生相关性：该项目的目标是通过使用补偿像差的自适应聚焦来形成整个乳房体积的显着改善的超声图像。这一目标将通过从高分辨率磁共振成像数据开发真实的乳房声学模型、使用模型估计像差、通过测量验证模型以及通过使用像差校正形成b扫描图像来实现。这项研究的成功将大大提高b超扫描区分正常和病变乳腺组织的能力，并在目前不可能的情况下确定疾病的严重程度，因为b超扫描在乳腺中的分辨率受到畸变的限制。