Brain Ultrasound Computed Tomography Through the Intact Skull

通过完整颅骨进行脑部超声计算机断层扫描

• 批准号: 8468706
• 负责人: GREGORY T CLEMENT
• 金额: $ 26.23万
• 依托单位: CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COM-CWRU
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-07-01 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8468706
• 关键词: Algorithms; Automobile Driving; Benchmarking; Blood flow; Brain; Brain Diseases; Brain Injuries; Brain Stem; Brain imaging; Cephalic; Characteristics; Childhood; Clinic; Computer Simulation; Computers; Coupling; Craniotomy; Custom; Data Set; Detection; Devices; Diagnostic; Early Diagnosis; Electronics; Elements; Energy Transfer; Feedback; Frequencies; Goals; Grant; Human; Image; Infant; Laboratories; Location; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Measurement; Methodology; Methods; Modality; Modeling; Modification; Monitor; Operating System; Patient Care; Patients; Phase; Physiologic pulse; Radio; Resolution; Role; Safety; Sampling; Sensitivity and Specificity; Shapes; Signal Transduction; Simulate; Slice; Speed; Staging; Structure; Structure of fontanel of skull; System; Techniques; Testing; Thick; Time; Transducers; Ultrasonic Therapy; Ultrasonography; Update; Work; X-Ray Computed Tomography; attenuation; base; bone; brain surgery; computerized data processing; cost; cranium; design; experience; millimeter; novel; operation; portability; prototype; reconstruction; research clinical testing; screening; simulation; sound; success; theories; tomography; tool; transmission process; tumor

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The skull has long served as a barrier to producing ultrasound brain images, causing distortion and attenuation that have limited ultrasound's diagnostic role primarily to detecting blood flow by transcranial Doppler applied to a thin region of the bone. Over the past decade, we have been developing basic techniques to overcome these limits by maximizing energy transfer and minimizing distortion through the bone. This work has culminated in a new technique that holds the potential for producing clear and accurate images in the clinic. Implemented through a custom device, the technique will correct for skull distortion using feedback from an ultrasound applicator that encircles the skull. Optimized beams will be used to produce ultrasound computed tomography (UCT) images, which will display full cross-sections of both the skull and brain, providing user orientation similar to that of CT or MRI. We will use a novel reconstruction method, which has theoretical parallels with radio-frequency-based diffraction tomography, but which further utilizes ultrasound's superior ability to customize the imaging beamshape. Unlike traditional ultrasound, which relies on short pulses for resolution, the method will use one or more single ultrasound frequencies to create an image, permitting a multi-cycle (and subsequently much stronger) imaging signal. The overall goal of the work is produce a portable, non-ionizing diagnostic tool for brain injury and disorders that could be used in remote locations, patient bedside, or for patients whose condition precludes the use of MRI or CT. We plan to develop this technique into a device ready for clinical testing by the end of the grant period. MRI will be used as a benchmark to evaluate the device's success, with quantitative goals aiming at the detection and tracking of millimeter-resolution anatomical features and abnormalities. The project could provide extensive benefits toward early diagnosis of brain disorders and injury as well as offer a new tool for repeated monitoring of known existing conditions.

描述（由申请人提供）：颅骨长期以来一直是产生超声脑图像的屏障，导致失真和衰减，限制了超声的诊断作用，主要是通过经颅多普勒应用于骨薄区域检测血流。在过去的十年里，我们一直在开发基本的技术来克服这些限制，通过最大化能量传递和最小化通过骨骼的扭曲。这项工作在一项新技术中达到了顶峰，该技术具有在临床中产生清晰准确图像的潜力。通过定制设备实现，该技术将使用来自环绕颅骨的超声涂抹器的反馈来纠正颅骨扭曲。优化后的光束将用于产生超声计算机断层扫描（UCT）图像，该图像将显示头骨和大脑的完整横截面，为用户提供类似于CT或MRI的定位。我们将使用一种新的重建方法，该方法在理论上与基于射频的衍射层析成像相似，但进一步利用超声波的优越能力来定制成像波束形状。与传统的依靠短脉冲分辨率的超声不同，该方法将使用一个或多个单一的超声频率来创建图像，允许多周期（随后更强）的成像信号。这项工作的总体目标是生产一种便携式、非电离的脑损伤和疾病诊断工具，可用于偏远地区、患者床边或无法使用MRI或CT的患者。我们计划在拨款期结束前将这项技术开发成一种准备用于临床试验的设备。MRI将作为评估设备成功与否的基准，定量目标旨在检测和跟踪毫米分辨率的解剖特征和异常。该项目可以为大脑疾病和损伤的早期诊断提供广泛的好处，并为重复监测已知的现有条件提供新的工具。