A System for Real-Time Estimation of In Vivo Soft Tissue Properties

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The requested Open-Platform Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography system will provide a multi-disciplinary team of researchers the capability to identify and estimate the elastic properties of various soft tissues in the musculoskeletal system in real time. Unlike clinical systems, the proposed research-only system will provide the team with unfettered access to raw data streams and provide them with full control of data acquisition with the ultrasound system. Shear wave elastography is a new technique that mechanically stimulates the tissue using ultrasound and then measures the speed of the resulting shear wave. The speed of the shear wave is proportional to the material properties of the tissue. This method is revolutionary in the field of biomechanics because it provides information about the soft tissue properties of an individual. Previously, researchers had to construct musculoskeletal models by using average values that were obtained from a small sample of cadaveric tissue. The ability to acquire subject-specific tissue properties and track changes over time will provide tremendous insight into the function of the musculoskeletal system. The requested system will be housed in a High-Speed Skeletal Imaging Laboratory. This laboratory houses a biplanar videoradiography system which measures motion of the skeleton during high-demand activities of daily living. The requested system will be synchronized with the biplanar videoradiography system as well as a motion capture system, electromyography system (for muscle activation measures), and a force plate. For the first time, these coupled data streams will allow researchers to determine how changes in soft tissue properties affect the function of the musculoskeletal system and ultimately provide new insights into the onset and progression of musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis.